On June 25 2025, snow fell on the Atacama Desert, the driest place on Earth. The sudden storm swept by the excessive plains (the Altiplano and Chajnantor Plateau), blanketing terrain usually devoid of moisture.
What’s it?
The Atacama Desert is located in an space that makes it almost inconceivable to obtain storms prefer it lately did. That is as a result of Chilean Andes mountain vary, which creates a rain shadow over the realm.
Nevertheless, generally a cold-based cyclone penetrates the realm, bringing precipitation as both snow or rain. Within the case of the June 2025 snowfall, meteorologists mentioned it was the primary snow within the area for over a decade.
The place is it?
The Atacama Desert is discovered between the Andes Mountains and the coasts of Chile and Peru to the west.
Why is it superb?
This picture was taken by the MODIS (Average Decision Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite tv for pc from low Earth orbit. It exhibits how the snow blanketed the Chilean panorama.
Whereas telescopes within the higher mountains just like the Southern Astrophysical Analysis (SOAR) Telescope obtained minimal snow, others decrease down just like the Atacama Giant Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) obtained extra, forcing it into “survival mode” and quickly suspending all scientific analysis.
Need to be taught extra?
You’ll be able to learn extra about telescopes in Chile together with the analysis taking place at ALMA.
