Threads of sea ice follow ocean currents to form eddies that can be seen along the Labrador coast in eastern Canada. The dazzling image of frozen seawater was taken from the International Space Station (@ISS) on 3 February 2024.

Ocean currents can stir ice fragments into circular eddies or eddies. Eddies often form along the boundaries between cold and warm ocean currents in spring and autumn due to differences in water density. But even then, an ice eddy does not form except under certain conditions: it must be warm enough for the ice to break up, but cold enough for it to remain frozen.

Working from the ISS gives astronauts the opportunity to observe processes that are impossible to see from the ground.

Image description:

A section of Earth taken from the International Space Station. Labrador Castle in eastern Canada frames the left side of the image, while icy seas expand to the right. An icy vortex is pictured down the centre of the water. The blue glowing atmospheric layer contrasts with the darkness of space.