ISS Photo Turns Alabama River Into a 'Golden Dragon' — The Science Behind the Shine

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured a striking view on June 26, 2023, in which a section of the Alabama River appears to shimmer like a giant golden Chinese dragon. The metallic sheen is caused by a rare optical effect called a sunglint — sunlight reflecting directly off calm water toward the observer in orbit.

Where and What

The scene is centered on Boykin, Alabama (coordinates: [32.10219570, -87.28911406]), where the river carves a pronounced U-shaped bend known locally as Gee's Bend. That meander wraps around the small town of Boykin, a community noted for its nationally recognized folk-art tradition.

Alabama River at a Glance

The Alabama River runs roughly 318 miles (512 kilometers), flowing from Montgomery past cities such as Birmingham and Selma before reaching Mobile Bay and draining into the Gulf of Mexico.

Why It Looks Like a Dragon

The sunglint intensifies contrast between water and land, turning flooded areas into bright highlights. In this photo, the bright highlights trace the river's curves and overflow zones, producing a serpentine shape that many viewers likened to a dragon: the William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir and nearby spillover areas form the "head," the meanders outline the body, and narrower channels suggest a tail.

The reservoir, created in the 1960s by partially damming the river, covers about 27 square miles (70 square kilometers). It provides hydroelectric power and is a popular fishing area for crappie, bass and catfish. After the dam’s construction, water levels rose higher than initially expected and now routinely spill into adjacent floodplains, notably around Chilatchee Creek and Gee's Bend — features that appear bright in the astronaut’s image.

Why the Glow Is Golden

Most sunglints seen from space appear silvery or mirrorlike. The Alabama River’s distinctly warm, yellow-gold tint is likely due to atmospheric scattering: aerosols, dust and haze preferentially scatter shorter (bluer) wavelengths of the reflected light, leaving a warmer spectrum that looks golden from orbit.

Why sunglints matter: Besides producing dramatic images, sunglints can reveal oceanic and river features that are otherwise difficult to detect from space — for example, gyres, internal waves, ship wakes or oil slicks.

Astronauts and Earth-observing agencies monitor sunglints for both scientific study and operational awareness. This photograph is a vivid example of how simple optical geometry and local environmental conditions can transform a familiar landscape into something visually extraordinary from an orbital perspective.