Earth Observations taken by Expedition 34 crewmember

ISS034-E-066804 (12 March 2013) --- One of the Expedition 34 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station on March 12 , 2013 photographed this image of the Colorado Plateau, which spans northern Arizona, southern Utah, northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. This physiographic province is well known for its striking landscapes and broad vistas—an impression that is enhanced by the view from the orbital perspective of the space station. The image highlights part of the Utah-Arizona border region of the plateau and includes several prominent landforms. The Colorado River, dammed to form Lake Powell in 1963, crosses from east to west, (which is actually left to right in this image because the view looks toward the south, and north appears toward the bottom of the frame). The confluence of the Colorado and San Juan Rivers is also visible in the image. Sunglint, or sunlight reflected off a water surface back toward the observer, provides a silvery. Mirror-like sheen to some areas of the water surfaces. The geologic uplift of the Colorado Plateau led to rapid down cutting of rivers into the flat sedimentary bedrock, leaving spectacular erosional landforms. One such feature – the Rincon ---preserves evidence of a former meander bend of the Colorado River. Photo credit: NASA