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Baltoro Glacier is a river of ice in Pakistan

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July 7, 2014

At 63 kilometers (39 miles) in length, the Baltoro Glacier is one of the longest non-polar glaciers in the world. It’s located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, home to some of the world’s highest mountains. The glacier runs through part of the region’s Karakoram mountain range, near a mountain known as K2, highest mountain in the region at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet). Three other nearby mountains within 20 kilometers all top 8,000 meters as well.

Satellite image of Baltoro Glacier in Pakistan, via NASA. — Satellite image of Baltoro Glacier in Pakistan, one of the longest non-polar glaciers in the world. Image via NASA.

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July 7, 2014

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Deborah Byrd

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Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.