Space / Astronomy

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Space / Astronomy
Space Shuttle
Mission STS-073



STS073-727-045 (20 OCTOBER - 5 NOVEMBER 1995) --- Photographed by the astronaut aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia is this scene over Lake Powell. The lake was formed by the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. The vertical stabilizer of Columbia points northeastward. Navaho Mountain, northwest of the tail, according to NASA geologists, was formed by an intrusion of molten rock that uplifted older, layered rocks, then cooled, and has been exposed by erosion. The rest of the landscape is dominated by faulted layers of sandstone, shale, and limestone that were formed in shallow seas and great deserts 80 to 250 million years ago. These rocks of the Colorado Plateau were uplifted a few million years ago to be dissected by the meandering Colorado River, San Juan River, and their tributaries.

All images © NASA (Unless Otherwise Noted). Used by permission.

STS-073 Image List

Subscribe to the Newsletter
Name
Email

About Astronomy and Space
Recent Discussions
  •  How common is technological life?
  •  Top ten space?'s 4, The Origin of life
  •  Top ten space?'s 2, Water on Mars
  •  Top ten space?'s 5, Lunar Secrets
  •  Tides...an attempt to explain them.
 
About Space Calendar of Events

Explore Space / Astronomy

About.com Special Features

Space / Astronomy

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Space / Astronomy

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.