The Otherworldly Geology of Vasquez Rocks - NASA Science

The Otherworldly Geology of Vasquez Rocks - NASA Science

Layers of sedimentary rock that jut from the Soledad Basin at surprising angles have long enthralled television and film producers, including the team behind Star Trek.

The Otherworldly Geology of Vasquez Rocks

Editor's Note: Today's story is the answer to the September Puzzler. - - Several of the outcrops at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area in Southern California jut from the arid landscape of the Soledad Basin at remarkable angles. Geologists estimate that the tilt of sedimentary rock strata found in the area averages 50 degrees, steep enough that many of the otherworldly formations appear to point toward the stars. - - That's fitting, in some ways, becaus…