SPACEPHOTOS

Located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, the hazy valley in the center of the image is the Vale of Kashmir. The Vale of Kashmir is surrounded by rugged mountains, many which exceed 17000 feet (5180 meters) in elevation. The valley floor averages about 5400 feet (1645 meters). These snow-covered mountains are part of the western extension of the Himalaya Mountains. The Jhelum River (thin, light-colored linear feature), a westerly draining tributary of the Indus River, can be traced through a deep gorge in the mountains along the northwest side of the Vale of Kashmir. Several other streams are visible as they drain westward into the Indus River Basin. A small section of the Indus River is also visible in the lower left corner of the image where the river has carved a large valley through the western end of the Himalaya Mountains.