NASA’s Landsat 8 satellite has captured a stunning image of Australia’s vast Lake Eyre (Kati Thanda), transformed by flooding into two distinct, vibrant colors—aquamarine and reddish-brown. The striking dichotomy in the 3,500-square-mile ephemeral lake is driven by differences in salinity, depth, and microbial life.
From space, Australia’s outback has painted a breathtaking, two-toned masterpiece. A new satellite image from NASA reveals the stunning transformation of Lake Eyre, also known as Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, where massive flooding has created a dramatic split in color across its surface. One section shimmers in brilliant blues and greens, while its neighbor appears as a deep, rusty red, offering scientists a vivid lesson in aquatic ecology from orbit.
The image, taken on December 15 by the Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 satellite, shows the lake’s two deepest basins holding onto water after a major flooding event. Belt Bay glows with a true aquamarine hue, but just across the way, Madigan Gulf presents a stark contrast with its reddish-brown waters. According to the NASA Earth Observatory report, the closer you get, the more the latter can even appear pink or orange.
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So, what causes this incredible color split in the same body of water? NASA scientists point to a combination of localized conditions. Factors like varied salinity, water depth, and distinct microbe populations in each gulf are the likely artists behind this natural phenomenon. The reddish-brown hue, in particular, is often a signature of certain algae and bacteria that thrive in salty environments. “Other pink-colored lakes have been found to have the same type of algae as those found in Lake Eyre,” the report notes.
The sequence of events leading to this spectacle began with torrential rain in early May, which flooded rivers that drain into the lake. The flooding persisted through the southern hemisphere’s autumn and winter. When spring arrived in October, the inflow slowed and evaporation took over. By December, the feeding rivers had dried up and water levels in the lake were dropping rapidly, concentrating the salts and microbes and intensifying the color differences.
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Lake Eyre is no ordinary lake. It’s the largest ephemeral and endorheic lake on the Australian continent, meaning it has no outflow to the sea and only fills during rare, major flooding events. It’s also the lowest natural point in Australia and is typically a vast, dry salt pan. This transient nature makes these colorful flooding events all the more remarkable and scientifically valuable.
This NASA observation is more than just a pretty picture; it’s a dynamic snapshot of a fragile ecosystem in flux. As the water continues to evaporate under the harsh Australian sun, the vibrant colors will eventually fade, and the lake will return to its quiet, empty state. Until then, the split-colored lake serves as a powerful visual reminder of the profound, and often beautiful, impact that water—and its subsequent retreat—can have on an arid landscape.
