The Himalayas separate mainland Asia from the Indian subcontinent

iss073e1025732 (Oct. 18, 2025) --- The Himalayas separate mainland Asia from the Indian subcontinent, revealing an arid, desert-like terrain on the Asian side, known as the Tibetan Plateau. On the southern slopes of the mountain range, moist air rises, cools, and condenses, producing rainfall that supports a humid, subtropical climate. As the air descends on the northern slopes, it warms and dries, creating barren conditions due to the rain shadow effect. This photograph was taken from a window aboard the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft as the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above India.