Explanation: The Milky Way is not the result of an evaporating lake. The colorful pool shown in this image is Silex Spring, a hot spring approximately 10 meters in diameter located in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. When illuminated, the spring’s vivid colors reveal layers of bacteria that thrive in its mineral-rich hot spring environment. Steam rises from the geothermal spring, which is heated by underground magma associated with the Yellowstone hotspot.
Far above and unrelated to the hot spring, the central band of the Milky Way arches across the night sky. This glowing band is part of our galaxy and is illuminated by billions of stars. The photograph is a panorama created from 16 images taken in 2014. Although the Yellowstone hotspot has been responsible for major volcanic activity, including the supervolcano eruption associated with the Lava Creek Tuff approximately 640,000 years ago, another large eruption could significantly affect much of North America.
Growing gallery: Solar eclipse on August 12, 2026
Tomorrow’s photos: Solar eclipse shower
Source: science.nasa.gov