Photos taken by astronauts on the International Space Station show a giant black streak created by a lava flow thousands of years ago.
The photos, taken in June but not released until late September, have been put together by NASA in order to create a larger photo showcasing the streak in its entirety. In total, the streak, located in New Mexico, measures 50 miles (75 kilometers) in length across the Chihuahuan Desert, according to the NASA Earth Observatory.
The lava flow began 5,000 years ago, when a vent located at Little Black Peak erupted, and went on for 20-30 years. The vent was within a zone of crustal weakness, known as the Capitan lineament, where molten rock was able to rise through the Earth’s crust, according to the U.S. Geographical Study.
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There is little to no concern that another lava flow will begin from the vent in the near future, as USGS lists the threat potential as “low/very low.”
The local name for the flow, Carrizozo Malpais, roughly translates to “bad footing” in Spanish, as it describes how difficult it can be when traversing the area, according to the USGS.
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The upper portion of the streak is divided by a road, with a railway that connects to the city of Carrizozo, New Mexico.
