Andes Mountains Host Twin Volcanic Powerhouses

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured a photograph of the twin volcanoes Parinacota and Pomerape in the Andes Mountains. The volcanoes, part of the Nevados de Payachata volcanic group on the Chile-Bolivia border, are stratovolcanoes with peaks reaching around 20,500 feet. Parinacota, the younger and more active volcano, has a distinct circular crater, while Pomerape's flanks have eroded over time. A collapse of Parinacota's western flank thousands of years ago caused a debris avalanche, forming Chungará Lake. The image was taken on June 19, 2023, and highlights the snow-capped peaks and long shadows cast by the evening sunlight.