Updated Feb 14, 2021 | 13:59 IST
The snap, taken by an astronaut onboard NASA s Expedition 64 using a Nikon D5 digital camera, shows the gold glitter due to the combination of sunlight and favourable meteorological conditions. Stunning photo taken from ISS shows rivers of gold in Peru
A mesmerising photo taken from the International Space Station (ISS), and shared on social media by NASA, shows rivers of gold serpenting in the Peruvian Amazon.
According to reports, the image was captured from the ISS on 24 December last year. While it may look breathtakingly beautiful to the naked eye, the gold colouring has a grim backstory.
Stunning NASA photo shows gold Peruvian Amazon rivers but there s a dark backstory
By
Jack Guy, CNN
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(CNN) All that glitters is not gold, the saying goes, as proven by a new photo taken from the International Space Station (ISS).
What appear to be rivers of gold running through the Amazon rainforest in Madre de Dios state in eastern Peru are in fact prospecting pits, likely left by independent miners, according to NASA s Earth Observatory, which published the photo taken by one of its astronauts.
The pits are normally hidden from view to those on the ISS but stand out in this shot due to reflected sunlight.
Dark backstory to rivers of gold spotted by NASA
12:06pm Feb 12, 2021
This photo taken from the International Space Station appears to show rivers of gold. But the reality is much grimmer.
All that glitters is not gold, the saying goes, as proven by a new photo taken from the International Space Station (ISS).
What appear to be rivers of gold running through the Amazon rainforest in Madre de Dios state in eastern Peru are in fact prospecting pits, likely left by independent miners, according to NASA s Earth Observatory, which published the photo taken by one of its astronauts.
The pits are normally hidden from view to those on the ISS but stand out in this shot due to reflected sunlight.
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NASA photos show rivers of gold in the Amazon rainforest. Back at the International Space Station, the unusual images display large mine holes reflecting sunshine.
(Photo : ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center)
The gold laden forests of Southeastern Peru as seen from the International Space Station on December 24, 2020.
Although that shimmer is only sunlight reflecting hundreds of dirty water pits, in them thar hills, there is plenty of gold. An astronaut on the orbital space station took stunning images of secret holes in December.
The Inambari River and the Tambopata National Reserve are the worm-like interwoven channels on the left side of the chart and visible just below the clouds on the frame s top right. While experts mildly modified the image to enhance contrast, the astronaut shot the photo with a Nikon D5 digital camera, according to IFL Science.