An incredible detailed picture of Big Thompson Mesa in Utah's Capitol Reef National Park, captured by an Expedition 20 crew member on the International Space Station (ISS.) This area is located on the Colorado Plateau, a physiographic and geologic province that comprises the adjacent quarters of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. Big Thompson Mesa is part of the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic structure characterized by flat-laying sedimentary rock layers with a steep and highly localized flexure. According to scientists, the portion of the Waterpocket Fold here includes layered rocks formed during the Mesozoic Era, approximately 250 – 65 million years ago. Credit: NASA #nasa #earth #fromspace #utah #nationalparks #parks101