Astronaut photographs the San Juan River at Goosenecks State Park

NASA said an astronaut aboard the International Space Station photographed the desert topography of the San Juan River in southern Utah on October 6, 2026. The river flows through Goosenecks State Park, where entrenched meanders form horseshoe-shaped bends.

Tens of millions of years ago, the San Juan River crossed a relatively flat plain formed in an ancient marine environment. Some experts think that, starting around 20 million years ago, the rise of the Colorado Plateau increased the river’s gradient and flow. The river then carved its winding path deeper through 300-million-year-old rock.

At Goosenecks State Park, the San Juan River runs through a canyon 1,000 feet (300 meters) deep. In one section, the river travels 5.5 miles (8.9 kilometers) between points that are only 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) apart. The river continues westward toward Lake Powell.

Goosenecks State Park received an International Dark Sky Park designation in 2021. According to DarkSky International, the Double Cluster in Perseus and the Messier 24 star cloud in the Sagittarius spiral arm of the Milky Way can be seen there without a telescope. The park’s remote, high-desert location and 360-degree views helped earn the designation.

NASA said dark skies in November 2026 offer chances to view the Northern Taurids, Southern Taurids, and Leonids. The announcement said all three meteor showers reach their peaks throughout the month.

The photograph is identified as ISS075-E-188830. NASA said it was acquired on October 6, 2026, with a Nikon Z9 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters. A member of the Expedition 75 crew took the image. The image was cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts were removed. The photo is credited to Bob Wick (BLM), via Flickr, and the story was written by Lindsey Doermann.