Image of dunes from space station looks like a breathtaking work of art

Astronauts aboard the ISS are gifted with a view that offers myriad opportunities for capturing especially striking images of Earth. NASA recently shared one of those photos, a picture that shows the beauty and complexity of the Namib sand desert.

The expanse is affected by two directional airflows, resulting in overlapping multi-directional drifts. Winds from the south create dunes that run parallel to the north. Eastern breezes, particularly those that blow during the winter months, bend those formations to the west.

What has resulted over time is an array of intersecting dunes that appear as a netted covering atop the sand. The photo was taken in late March by an astronaut with the Expedition 47 crew.

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