PodcastSatellite image of Turkey's Lake Van among favorites in NASA photo competition
A satellite image of Turkey's eastern Lake Van is among the top competitors in a photo competition held by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Among images taken by residents of the International Space Station (ISS) over the past two decades, the shot received thousands of votes in the online competition.
A satellite image of Turkey's eastern Lake Van received thousands of votes in a photo competition held by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Taken on Sept. 12, 2016, the photo of Lake Van received thousands of votes in the online competition titled "Tournament Earth - Astronaut Photography Edition," where members of the International Space Station (ISS) submitted photos they took from space over the past two decades.
"We inherited Lake Van from our ancestors, and I believe that we need to preserve this asset for future generations. I hope this competition helps increase awareness about the lake," Van Governor Emin Bilmez said.
A natural habitat for dozens of species, Lake Van is not immune to the effects of the climate crisis and has observed a concerning drop in water levels in recent years, like many of Turkey's other lakes.