Home / Environment / NASA spots giant Siberian 'snowman' from space
NASA spots giant Siberian 'snowman' from space
3 Jan
Summary
- Lagoons resembling a snowman were seen near Russia's Chukchi Peninsula.
- The unusual formation spans approximately 14 miles in length.
- Landsat 8 satellite captured the image in mid-June 2025.
In mid-June 2025, NASA's Landsat 8 satellite captured an extraordinary sight near Billings on Russia's Chukchi Peninsula: a series of lagoons aligned to resemble a giant snowman. This formation, spanning approximately 14 miles, is situated in a geomorphic "edge zone" where land and sea constantly interact.
Despite the season, the landscape was still heavily covered in ice. NASA noted that this ice cover is typical for mid-June in the region, with coastal areas crowded by sea ice. Landsat 8, operational since February 2013, provides consistent imagery crucial for monitoring Earth's surface changes.
The "snowman" serves as a compelling visual for understanding permafrost dynamics and coastal Arctic changes. Its immense scale, dwarfing even world-record snow figures, underscores the importance of satellite data like Landsat's for observing these remote and rapidly evolving environments.
