“The snowman-like figure was actually a chain of frozen lagoons formed by natural geological processes.”, — write: www.unian.ua
The snowman-like figure was actually a chain of frozen lagoons formed by natural geological processes.
The satellite showed a “snowman” in Russia / UNIAN collage, photo by Pixabay, NASANASA has released a satellite image from a remote region of the Russian Arctic that clearly shows a snowman-like shape. The photo was taken on June 16, 2025 by the Operational Land Imager on board the Landsat 8 satellite, Wionews writes.
In fact, the image captures a chain of frozen lagoons about 22 kilometers long, located near the village of Billings and Cape Billings on the Chukchi Peninsula. Their sizes and consistent arrangement create the illusion of a snowman figure.
According to researchers, this phenomenon is the result of natural geological processes in which ice, wind and water play a key role. Satellite data were provided by the US Geological Survey.
Arctic cold even in summerThe Billings region remains frozen most of the year. Even in June, which is considered one of the warmest months, average daily minimum temperatures reach only -0.6 °C. Because of this, ice cover in the area is common even in early summer.
It is the cold conditions that contribute to the formation of five main lagoon basins, which freeze and seem to “overlap” each other, creating a familiar visual structure.
“Siberian Snowman” / NASA photoWhat is thermokarst and why does it look like a snowmanScientists explain the formation of lagoons as a phenomenon of thermokarst activity. When ice wedges buried in the ground melt, the surface subsides, forming shallow depressions. Over time, they are filled with meltwater, and wind and waves pull them into oval shapes.
The boundaries between underground ice wedges form thin ridges that are clearly visible on satellite images and enhance the “snowman” effect.
One of the most remote settlements in RussiaBillings is one of the most isolated settlements in Russia with a population of about 200 people. You can get here in the summer only by helicopter, and in the winter – by snow roads laid along frozen rivers and lakes.
The village is located on the coast of the East Siberian Sea and is one of the few permanently inhabited places in this arctic region.
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