Colonel Doug Hurley, a NASA astronaut, who is currently on board the International Space Station took a photo of Earth from space in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean to give us a glimpse of the beautiful world.
However, the majority of the image, was taken up by a humongous dust plume that is making its way across the heavens to North and South America. He shared the spectacular image on Twitter.
The dust is expected to hit the Caribbean this week as it was swept off the African continent during fierce winds.
But, know that the massive dust plume isn’t a rare occurrence. It is scientifically known as Saharan Air Layer and it typically forms from late spring (in the Northern Hemisphere) through early fall.
The plume is then pushed by the wind into the Atlantic Ocean every three to five days.
According to CNN Meteorologist, Haley Brink, when the dust plume arrives on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, it will cause the sky to be a bit more milky and the air will be a lot drier.
Also while the massive amount of dust might cause a few issues for humans, you’ll be surprised to know that this is actually beneficial for the environment. How so?
Well, the nutrient rich dust helps fertilise soil in the Amazon and maintain beaches in the Caribbean.
To learn more, watch this video:
Fascinating!
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