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Namco Lake, meaning Heavenly Lake, is north of Lhasa in Tibet. It is the highest and largest salt water lake in the world (4,718 m (15,475 ft) above sea level; 1,940 sq km (750 sq mi) in area).

Namco Lake, meaning Heavenly Lake, is north of Lhasa in Tibet. It is the highest and largest salt water lake in the world (4,718 m (15,475 ft) above sea level; 1,940 sq km (750 sq mi) in area).

Glaciers in the Qilian Mountain range of central China as viewed from the International Space Station at an altitude of about 400 km (250 mi). The icy tongues extend to the left from the higher elevations at the right. Image courtesy of NASA.

Glaciers in the Qilian Mountain range of central China as viewed from the International Space Station at an altitude of about 400 km (250 mi). The icy tongues extend to the left from the higher elevations at the right. Image courtesy of NASA.

Besides the world's tallest peaks, the Himalayan Mountain Range holds thousands of glaciers. In southern China, just north of the border with Nepal, one unnamed Himalayan glacier flows from southwest to northeast, creeping down a valley terminating in a glacial lake. Shown in this natural-color satellite image, mountains on either side of the glacier cast long shadows to the northwest. From a bowl-shaped cirque, the glacier flows downhill. Where the ice passes over especially steep terrain, ripple marks on the glacier surface indicate the icefall. Northeast of the icefall, the glacier's surface is mostly smooth for several kilometers until a network of crevasses mark the surface. At the end of the glacier's deeply crevassed snout sits a glacial lake, coated with ice in this wintertime picture. Just as nearby mountains cast shadows, the crevassed glacier casts small shadows onto the lake's icy surface. This glacial lake is bound by the glacier snout on one end, and a moraine - a mound formed by the accumulation of sediments and rocks moved by the glacier - on the other. Image courtesy of NASA.

Besides the world's tallest peaks, the Himalayan Mountain Range holds thousands of glaciers. In southern China, just north of the border with Nepal, one unnamed Himalayan glacier flows from southwest to northeast, creeping down a valley terminating in a glacial lake. Shown in this natural-color satellite image, mountains on either side of the glacier cast long shadows to the northwest. From a bowl-shaped cirque, the glacier flows downhill. Where the ice passes over especially steep terrain, ripple marks on the glacier surface indicate the icefall. Northeast of the icefall, the glacier's surface is mostly smooth for several kilometers until a network of crevasses mark the surface. At the end of the glacier's deeply crevassed snout sits a glacial lake, coated with ice in this wintertime picture. Just as nearby mountains cast shadows, the crevassed glacier casts small shadows onto the lake's icy surface. This glacial lake is bound by the glacier snout on one end, and a moraine - a mound formed by the accumulation of sediments and rocks moved by the glacier - on the other. Image courtesy of NASA.

This detailed photograph taken from the International Space Station highlights the northern approach to Mount Everest from Tibet. Known as the northeast ridge route, climbers travel along the East Rongbuk Glacier (top right) to camp at the base of Changtse Mountain. From this point at approximately 6,100 m (20,000 ft) above sea level, the North Col - a sharp-edged pass carved by glaciers, center - is ascended to reach a series of progressively higher camps along the North Face of Everest, culminating in Camp VI at 8,230 m (27,000 ft) above sea level. Climbers make their final push to the summit (not visible, just off the bottom edge of the image) from this altitude. Image courtesy of NASA.

This detailed photograph taken from the International Space Station highlights the northern approach to Mount Everest from Tibet. Known as the northeast ridge route, climbers travel along the East Rongbuk Glacier (top right) to camp at the base of Changtse Mountain. From this point at approximately 6,100 m (20,000 ft) above sea level, the North Col - a sharp-edged pass carved by glaciers, center - is ascended to reach a series of progressively higher camps along the North Face of Everest, culminating in Camp VI at 8,230 m (27,000 ft) above sea level. Climbers make their final push to the summit (not visible, just off the bottom edge of the image) from this altitude. Image courtesy of NASA.

An oblique view of the Himalayas as seen from the International Space Station, 360 km (225 mi) up. The view looks south over the Tibetan Plateau and features Mt. Everest and Makalu (the 1st and 5th highest mountains in the world respectively). The image almost looks like a picture taken from an airplane until you remember that the summits of Makalu [left (8,462 m: 27,765 ft)] and Everest [center (8,849 m; 29,032 ft)] are at the heights typically flown by commercial aircraft, and could never be seen this way from an airplane. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

An oblique view of the Himalayas as seen from the International Space Station, 360 km (225 mi) up. The view looks south over the Tibetan Plateau and features Mt. Everest and Makalu (the 1st and 5th highest mountains in the world respectively). The image almost looks like a picture taken from an airplane until you remember that the summits of Makalu [left (8,462 m: 27,765 ft)] and Everest [center (8,849 m; 29,032 ft)] are at the heights typically flown by commercial aircraft, and could never be seen this way from an airplane. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

The Brahmaputra River carves a narrow west-east valley between the Tibetan Plateau to the north and the Himalaya Mountains to the south, as it rushes eastward for more than 1,500 km (940 mi) in southwestern China. This 15-km (9-mi) stretch is situated about 35 km (22 mi) south of the ancient Tibetan capital of Lhasa where the river flow becomes intricately braided as it works and reworks its way through extensive deposits of erosional material. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

The Brahmaputra River carves a narrow west-east valley between the Tibetan Plateau to the north and the Himalaya Mountains to the south, as it rushes eastward for more than 1,500 km (940 mi) in southwestern China. This 15-km (9-mi) stretch is situated about 35 km (22 mi) south of the ancient Tibetan capital of Lhasa where the river flow becomes intricately braided as it works and reworks its way through extensive deposits of erosional material. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

Snow-covered deserts are rare, but that is exactly what NASA's Aqua satellite observed as it passed over the Takla Makan Desert in the Xinjian Uygyr autonomous region of western China on 2 January 2013. The Takla Makan is one of the world's largest and hottest sandy deserts. Water flowing into the Tarim Basin has no outlet so, over the years, sediments have steadily accumulated. In parts of the desert, sand can pile up to 300 m (roughly 1,000 ft) high. The mountains that enclose the sea of sand - the Tien Shan in the north and the Kunlun Shan in the south - are also covered with what appears to be a significantly thicker layer of snow. Image courtesy of NASA.

Snow-covered deserts are rare, but that is exactly what NASA's Aqua satellite observed as it passed over the Takla Makan Desert in the Xinjian Uygyr autonomous region of western China on 2 January 2013. The Takla Makan is one of the world's largest and hottest sandy deserts. Water flowing into the Tarim Basin has no outlet so, over the years, sediments have steadily accumulated. In parts of the desert, sand can pile up to 300 m (roughly 1,000 ft) high. The mountains that enclose the sea of sand - the Tien Shan in the north and the Kunlun Shan in the south - are also covered with what appears to be a significantly thicker layer of snow. Image courtesy of NASA.

The rugged texture of the Altun Mountains (upper left) that forms part of the northern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau contrasts dramatically with the Takla Makan Desert of western China. Immediately north (to the right) of the mountains are large alluvial fans, gradually sloping downward in elevation. Sand dunes and sand ridges are visible along the northern (lower right) margin of the image. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

The rugged texture of the Altun Mountains (upper left) that forms part of the northern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau contrasts dramatically with the Takla Makan Desert of western China. Immediately north (to the right) of the mountains are large alluvial fans, gradually sloping downward in elevation. Sand dunes and sand ridges are visible along the northern (lower right) margin of the image. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

An area in northern Shanxi Province imaged on 9 January 2001. The low sun angle and light snow cover highlight a section of the Great Wall, visible as a black line snaking diagonally through the image from lower left to upper right. The Great Wall (actually a series of walls) is over 2,000 years old and was built over a period of 1,000 years. Stretching 8,850 km (5,500 mi) from Korea to the Gobi Desert, it was built to protect China from northern marauders. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

An area in northern Shanxi Province imaged on 9 January 2001. The low sun angle and light snow cover highlight a section of the Great Wall, visible as a black line snaking diagonally through the image from lower left to upper right. The Great Wall (actually a series of walls) is over 2,000 years old and was built over a period of 1,000 years. Stretching 8,850 km (5,500 mi) from Korea to the Gobi Desert, it was built to protect China from northern marauders. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

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