Spectacular photo from space: Alabama River as a mysterious golden dragon

This stunning photograph was taken by astronauts from space in 2023. The moment the Alabama River transformed into a giant, beautifully winding "golden dragon" when viewed from above has captured public attention.

The vibrant, eye-catching colors of the "golden dragon" - the Alabama River - are the result of a rare optical phenomenon, visible only from space.

The Alabama River is a 512-kilometer-long waterway that stretches from the state capital Montgomery, through cities like Birmingham and Selma, and into Mobile Bay, where it flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

The Alabama River looks like a giant, winding "golden dragon" from above. Photo: NASA/ISS program.

According to NASA's Earth Observatory, the section of the river in the photo above has a large, U-shaped bend, known as Gee's Bend, which encircles the small town of Boykin, famous for its "lively folk art" displayed throughout the country.

The Alabama River’s eerie glow is the result of a rare phenomenon known as a solar flare, which occurs when sunlight reflects perfectly off a still body of water back to an observer in space, like a giant liquid mirror. It’s similar to the way the surface of an ocean or lake sparkles when light reflects off it at sunset, except the only people who can see it are astronauts.

The golden hue of the sunlight creates a more striking contrast between the water and the land, highlighting the surrounding landscape. Combined with the larger bends of the river, this makes the water resemble a dragon from Chinese legends and folklore.

Most rivers and lakes are typically silvery, like mirrors when illuminated by sunlight. Therefore, the golden glow of the Alabama River is particularly striking.

The striking golden color of the Alabama River may be the result of light scattering reflected in the atmosphere by dust particles, fog, and aerosols. This scatters blue wavelengths of light, leaving the remaining light yellow.