This photo of Lake Lazaza in Iraq taken by astronauts from the International Space Station on September 23, 2024. Astronaut snapshots reveal the colorful remains of Iraq's Lake Razaza, with algae-rich red and green areas showing its varying salinities. Surrounding the lake, the lush fields near Karbala illustrate the region's reliance on advanced irrigation methods.
The red and green bodies of water in the photo are the remnants of Lake Lazarza, an artificial lake in central Iraq. The lake is also known as Baḥral-Milḥ, which means "Sea of Salt" in Arabic, and its water source usually comes from Lake Habaniyah, located in the upper left corner of the picture. This striking photo was taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on September 23, 2024.
The lake's bright colors are due to algae communities that thrive in varying water temperatures and salinity conditions. Green areas indicate lower salt concentrations, red areas indicate higher salinity. As shown in the picture, when Lake Habaniya is not overflowing, much of Lake Lazaza's bed is exposed. In comparison, the 2002 image (below) shows the lake level at a much higher level.
There are various agricultural models around the lake. Most prominent are the intensively cultivated fields east of Karbala. The small circular fields to the west of the city are the result of center-pivot irrigation. Water comes from the nearby Euphrates River (not shown in the picture) and is conveyed through a network of canals.
The photo of ISS072-E-244 taken by the astronaut was taken with a Nikon Z9 digital camera on September 23, 2024, with a focal length of 200 mm. Photo courtesy of the International Space Station Crew Earth Observation Facility and the Johnson Space Center Earth Science and Remote Sensing Division. The picture was taken by members of the Expedition 72 crew. Images are cropped and enhanced to improve contrast and remove lens artifacts. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the International Space Station National Laboratory, helping astronauts take photos of Earth that are most valuable to scientists and the public and making these images freely available on the Internet.