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Where is it?Lake Dukan , Iraq [ 36.10370026 , 44.918436632 ]
What ’s in the photo?A behemoth human - made lake that looks like a festively ornament " Christmas tree "
Lake Dukan is a human-made lake in Iraq’s Kurdistan region that looks remarkably like a well-decorated Christmas tree from space.
Who took the photo?European astronautAlex Gerst on board the ISS
When was it taken?Dec . 3 , 2018
This 2018 astronaut photo show off an unco triangular " Christmas tree diagram " lake in Iraq that appear to be dressed up for the holidays with a mixture of both rude , stilted and illusive decorations .
Lake Dukan was fully formed in 1959 and has since become a tourist hotspot.
Lake Dukan is a human being - made artificial lake that was fully formed in 1959 after the completion of the Dukan Dam — a huge hydroelectric dekametre near the metropolis of Ranya in Iraq ’s Kurdistan neighborhood . The large tree - shaped Triangulum stretches up to 6 mile ( 10 kilometers ) across from its " base " to its " top " ; and a modest gangly offshoot appear to hang off the tree diagram ’s top like a wonky virtuoso , where the dkm drains into the Little Zab River , fit in toNASA ’s Earth Observatory .
While the lake is not known topically for its festive frame , it is a seek - after landmark for astronaut on board theInternational Space Stationduring the holiday . " Looking down from space , features on Earth appear in many intimate embodiment — and Lake Dukan just materialize to look like a Christmas tree,“NASArepresentatives wrote .
Festive decorations
In the astronaut photo ( above ) , two extra festive decorations are on display . First , the tree is covered with tinsel - alike green swirls that are the result of algae blooming across the lake ’s surface , triggered by affectionate weather and agricultural run - off . Second , around a dozen black back breaker are littered across the tree diagram like ornamentation .
However , unlike the blooming tinsel , the shadowed ornaments are not there . alternatively , the spots are artifact in the photo do by a phenomenon call crystalline lens flair in the cosmonaut ’s tv camera , in which light gets scatter by slight imperfections in the camera ’s lens system , according to Earth Observatory .
Related : See all the best images of Earth from space
The lake has turned into a popular tourist destination in late decade thanks to its unreal beaches and splendid fishing . However , some experts care that these activities threaten a divers ecosystem that has emerge at the lake since it was create .
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The reservoir is home to around 180 mintage of mainly birds and Pisces , as well as some rare species include Eurasiatic otters ( Lutra lutra ) and strip down hyena ( Hyaena hyaena ) , which are both threatened with extinction , fit in toBirdLife International(BLI ) . However , the lake has never been by rights assessed and is under " very high " pressing from tourer activities , BLI representatives write .
Dukan Lake is also surrounded by several important archaeological sites , include the palaeolithic Hazar Merd Cave , or " cave of a thousand human being , " that dates back to around 50,000 years ago . The surface area also host several ancient bastion and a chemical group of 4,000 - year - onetime sculptures , known as the Ga’war Strait Sculptures , according to theKurdistan Tourism Board . Most of these position are located in the nearby Zagros Mountains .
