Two volcanic lakes on the Chiltepe Peninsula in the Lake Managua region of Nicaragua look remarkably like eyes when viewed from space. But from the ground, they look very different. (Image courtesy of NASA/ISS) AT A GLANCE
Where is it? Chiltepe Peninsula, Lake Managua, Nicaragua [12.236943676, -86.34017745]
What's in the photo? Two volcanic lakes that look like a pair of eyes looking up.
Who took the photo? An unnamed astronaut aboard the International Space Station.
When was this done? January 21, 2014
This intriguing photograph taken by an astronaut shows two volcanic lakes staring into space from a skull-like peninsula in Nicaragua, like a pair of heterochromatic toy eyes. The unusual scene, influenced by a subtle optical illusion, is completely unrecognizable from ground level.
If these lakes are eyes, their apex is the Chiltepe Peninsula, a rounded landmass jutting out into the waters of Lake Managua. Known to locals as Lago Xolotlán, it covers an area of about 1,040 square kilometers (400 square miles) in the heart of the Central American country.
The peninsula, located about 16 kilometers northwest of the capital Managua, was formed by a series of pyroclastic eruptions. These eruptions primarily release low-density materials such as pumice from the surface, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. These major eruptions ceased about 17,000 years ago. However, there have been more recent volcanic activity in the area in the last 2,000 years.
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The smaller lake (left), about 1.7 km wide, is located in the Apoieke caldera. The larger lake (right), known as Laguna Siloa, is about 2.4 km wide at its widest point. It was formed by the explosive release of magma from beneath Apoieke interacting with groundwater.
When viewed from space, the lakes appear to be located next to each other. However, the surface of Lake Apoieque is at an altitude of about 400 meters, and Xiloa Lagoon is close to sea level, so both lakes can only be seen by standing on the edge of the Apoieque crater.
From the shores of Lake Managua, the Chiltepe Peninsula looks completely different than it does from space.
The colors of the two lakes are slightly different: Laguna Siloa is a deep blue, while Apoyeke is greenish. If these bodies of water were real eyes, they would be a rare example of heterochromia, a rare condition in which a person's eyes are different colors.
At first glance, both lakes are quite similar in size and shape. However, Lake Apoieque is smaller and more rounded than Lagoon Hiloa. The reason for this subtle illusion is that the rim of the Apoieque crater is much closer to the outline of Lagoon Hiloa, making them appear more similar at first glance.
Explosive potential
Both Apoieke and Laguna Hiloa are technically active volcanoes, according to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, but they have not erupted in thousands of years and are unlikely to do so in the near future.
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The last eruption of Xiloa Lagoon was about 6,000 years ago, and Apoieque has since experienced four major eruptions. The most recent, a large and powerful one, is thought to have occurred around 50 BCE and shaped the crater that now contains the lake.
According to the Geological Observatory, a series of minor earthquakes in 2012 were caused by magma movement beneath Apoyeke. However, this was not a sign of an imminent eruption.
If the summit of the larger volcano erupts, it could affect some residents of Managua and also pose a serious risk to residents of Bosques de Giloa, a small town on the shores of Giloa Lagoon (seen in the satellite image).
TOPICS Earth from Space
Harry BakerNavigate Social LinksSenior Staff Writer
Harry is a senior writer for Live Science based in the UK. Before becoming a journalist, he studied marine biology at the University of Exeter. He covers a wide range of topics, including space exploration, planetology, space weather, climate change, animal behaviour and palaeontology. His recent work on solar maximum won the 2024 Aerospace Media Awards in the Best Space Story category and was shortlisted for the 2023 NCTJ Awards for Excellence in the Breaking News category. He also writes Live Science’s weekly series Earth from Space.
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