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The Himalayan mountain range is one of the most spectacular sights on Earth. From the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts and cameras have captured stunning images of the jagged peaks of the Himalayas stretching out across Asia. At the center of this majestic range lies Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth.
The Himalayas are among the youngest mountain ranges on the planet. They began to form when the Eurasian and ancient Indo-Australian plates collided around 225 million years ago. This collision caused India to move up into a collision with Asia, resulting in the formation of the Himalayas between 40 and 50 million years ago.
Today, the Himalayan range has ten of the tallest 14 mountains in the world, including Mount Everest at 8,848 meters (28,029 feet). The Himalayas are also home to the well-known Dhaulagiri, Karakoram (K2), and Annapurna (both above 8,000 meters). Lesser-known, but no less spectacular are Nanda Devi, Nun, and Kangto (members of the 7000+-meter collection).
Mount Everest is a climber’s challenge, with crowds of mountaineers seeking its summit each season. This week, NASA shared an amazing picture of Mount Everest as seen from the ISS. The image was taken by cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, who is part of the ongoing Expedition 69 to the ISS.
The Himalayas are an important source of water for at least 600 million people, and contain the headwaters of several major rivers, including the Indus, Ganges, and Tsangpo-Brahamaputra. At least 53 million people call the mountains home.
The beautiful image of Mount Everest from the ISS is a reminder of the beauty of our planet, and the importance of preserving its unique environment. It’s also part of NASA’s efforts to map Earth’s mountains as preparation for future surface explorations on the Moon in the Artemis era.
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