Archive · 3 Aug 2026
Astronaut Shares Crater Lake View, Highlights Oregon Wildfire Smoke
NASA astronaut Anil Menon took pictures of Crater Lake from the International Space Station.
He could see the lake’s blue water and a small island called Wizard Island.
But he also saw thick smoke from wildfires in Oregon.
Menon felt sad because he used to live near the lake.
He sent a message to people who lost homes and to the firefighters working hard to stop the fires.
NASA astronaut Anil Menon shared images of Crater Lake from the ISS, showing the lake’s deep blue caldera and Wizard Island.
The photos also revealed smoke from Oregon wildfires stretching across the state, visible from 250 miles above Earth.
Menon, a former flight surgeon with the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, expressed personal sadness seeing the fires from space.
He offered condolences to families who lost homes and praised firefighters and aircrews battling the blazes.
The post highlighted the scale of the smoke and the massive response effort from the ISS perspective.
- Who
- NASA astronaut Anil Menon
- What
- Shared photos of Crater Lake from the ISS showing wildfire smoke
- When
- 2024
- Where
- Oregon, from the International Space Station
- Why
- To highlight the impact of the wildfires and express support for those affected
- Astronaut
- Anil Menon
- Location
- Oregon, Crater Lake
- Platform
- International Space Station
- Event
- Oregon wildfires
- Message
- Condolences to affected families