QUICK FACTS
Where is it? Lake Van, Turkey [38.91395038, 43.12483070]
What's in the photo? Rare plumes of mostly inorganic matter swirling in an alkaline lake
Who took the photo? NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, on board the International Space Station
When was it taken? Sept. 12, 2016
This stunning astronaut photo shows a series of milky swirls that appeared in the waters of Turkey's Lake Van, the largest "soda lake" on Earth. While the swirls look like a common natural phenomenon, they're actually something much rarer.
