EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Archive - Full Moon Over Mount Rainier

July 24, 2021

6a0105371bb32c970b0133f3ebedd1970b Every weekend we present a
notable item from our archives. Inspired by the full moon this weekend,
we are re-posting this spectacular EPOD originally published September
9, 2010.

Photographer: Sally Budack
Summary Author: Sally Budack; Jim Foster
The above photo shows the full Moon of July 24, 2010 centered
directly above the ever picturesque Mount Rainier, Washington. It
was taken just before sunset some 50 miles (80 km) away in Tacoma,
Washington. This snow capped composite, or stratovolcano, stands
14,411 feet (4,392 m) above sea level towering above its surroundings.
It is the loftiest summit in the Cascade Range. When the Moon is
near the horizon, it seems to appear larger to us than when it resides
higher in the sky. This is an illusion, however. It's no bigger
when perched on the horizon than when overhead. What's different is
that at the horizon the Moon has a point of reference, and our brain
processes visual information into a spatial reference frame.

Photo details: Camera Maker: SONY; Camera Model: DSLR-A100; Focal
Length: 70.0mm (35mm equivalent: 105mm); Aperture: f/5.6; Exposure
Time: 0.0040 s (1/250); ISO equiv: 125; Exposure Bias: none; Metering
Mode: Matrix; Exposure: program (Auto); White Balance: Auto; Flash
Fired: No; Color Space: sRGB.
* Mount Rainier Coordinates: 46.85278, -121.76028

Related EPODs

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Moon Occultation of Mars The Yin and Yang of the Lunar Cycle
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Night Sky Links

* Space Weather Live
* Space Weather Live Forum
* About the Moon
* American Meteor Society
* Arbeitskreises Meteore e.V.
* Global City Lights
* Heavens Above Home Page
* The International Meteor Organization
* Lunar and Planetary Institute
* MoonConnection
* NASA Eclipse Web Page
* Understanding The Moon Phases

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 11 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 15 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Bootleg Wildfire Pyrocumulus Cloud

August 24, 2021


RLarson_pyro_0 (004)

Photographer: Ron Larson [ rlarson@ccountry.net]

Summary Authors: Ron Larson; Jim Foster

The photo above shows an extensive pyrocumulus cloud taken above
the Bootleg Wildfire in south-central Oregon, on the afternoon of
July 16, 2021. Apparently, a similar cloud would build each afternoon
and dissipate by early evening. At the time the photo was snapped, this
fire was just 7% contained, having consumed some 250,000 acres
(101,171 hectares) and with a perimeter stretching approximately 200
miles (320 km) in length. Over 2,000 fire fighters were called in to
help battle the Bootleg Fire. Pyrocumulus clouds may form if a fire
becomes so energetic that it’s essentially creating its own weather.
Intense heat above the fire initiates an updraft that generates
convective cells, eventually leading to the formation of these cumulus
type clouds.
* Bootleg Wildfire in Oregon: 42.9660 -121.578

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Bootleg Wildfire Pyrocumulus Cloud Midnight Drama Contrail
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Cloud Links

* Atmospheric Optics
* The Cloud Appreciation Society
* Cloud Atlas
* Color and Light in Nature

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 15 weeks, 4 days, 12 hours, 15 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Archive - Flosagjá Canyon, Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

October 23, 2021

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August 2015 Viewer's Choice Every weekend we present a notable item
from our archives.

This EPOD was originally published August 27, 2015.

Photographer: Tero Marin
Summary Author: Tero Marin; Jim Foster
The photo above shows Flosagjá Canyon in Thingvellir National
Park, Iceland, It's in this rift valley, on the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge, where the European tectonic plate and the North American
tectonic plate meet. Both plates are drifting away from each other --
spreading apart about 1 in (2.5 cm) per year. Thingvellir was chosen in
the tenth century as a centrally located meeting place for a general
assembly of the people of Iceland. Photo taken on May 26, 2015.
Photo Details: Nikon D7100 camera; AF-S Nikkor 12-24 mm, f/4G; 12 mm;
ISO 400; f/9; 1/320 sec. exposure.
* Thingvellir National Park, Iceland Coordinates: 64.258056, -21.125

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Archive - Flosagjá Canyon, Thingvellir National Park, Iceland
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Geology Links

* Earthquakes
* Geologic Time
* Geomagnetism
* General Dictionary of Geology
* Mineral and Locality Database
* Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness
* This Dynamic Earth
* USGS
* USGS Ask a Geologist
* USGS/NPS Geologic Glossary
* USGS Volcano Hazards Program

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 7 weeks, 2 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Northern Lights over the Norwegian Sea

November 24, 2021

Aurora4SMALLer

Photographer: Tomas Slovinsky

Summary Author: Tomas Slovinsky; Cadan Cummings

One of my biggest dreams- even before I became an astronomy popularizer
and photographer- was to see the northern lights. The picture above
was taken near Tromsø, Norway in October 2021. These spectacular
displays- also called the aurora borealis in the northern
hemisphere and aurora australis in the southern hemisphere- are the
result of energetic particles emitted by the Sun colliding with the
Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. Our planet’s magnetic field
protects us from most of these energetic particles, however, the
magnetic shield converges at the north and south poles and lets
some of this energy hit the Earth’s atmosphere. Once interacting with
our outer atmosphere, these particles collide with oxygen to create
green and red light.

Thanks to my friends, this dream of seeing the northern lights in
person came true. Our polar trip headed first to Sweden, but our
first days were mostly hopeless as the weather in Abisko was cloudy
and snowy. Decision then was one and only - to get a trip much north,
in Tromsø, Norway. The experience was magnified when I finally met
legendary Adrien Mauduit, a great astrophotographer and
cinematographer. He was the one who kept me, Petr Horálek, Josef Kujal
and Balazs Szarka in hope for hours before the aurora truly appeared.
Adrien told us "Just wait, it is about to come - something amazing" and
I had never been so grateful as when I finally saw he was right. The
dynamics, intensity, colors visible even by the moonlight made this one
of my lifetime experiences so far. If you like the image, trust me that
the personal experience is far better! Hopefully not my last, I am sure
I want to see it again. This is one of moments you know it was worth to
live for!
* Tromsø, Norway Coordinates: 69.6498, 18.9841

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Night Sky Links

* Space Weather Live
* Space Weather Live Forum
* About the Moon
* American Meteor Society
* Arbeitskreises Meteore e.V.
* Global City Lights
* Heavens Above Home Page
* The International Meteor Organization
* Lunar and Planetary Institute
* MoonConnection
* NASA Eclipse Web Page
* Understanding The Moon Phases

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 1 week, 5 days, 16 hours, 24 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Austrian Alps – The Sound of Music

December 24, 2021

2021 October 9 - Werfen Austria Sound of Music Trail & Views 1

2021 October 9 - Werfen Austria Sound of Music Trail & Views 2

Photographer: Cindy Todd

Summary Author: Cindy Todd

This scenic photo of the Alps was taken near the city of
Werfen, Austria. The region is best known for its picturesque
mountain views, the Hohenwerfen Castle, and serving as a filming
location for the movie The Sound of Music. Just to be clear, the
hills are not alive with the sound of music- or at least they were
not while I was there. But despite this, the views were breathtaking
and it was thrilling to hike along the Sound of Music trail that
leads to the famed meadow scene in the movie.

Werfen is located in the Salzach valley adjacent to the Austrian
Alps. Geologically, this region of the Alps is primarily made of
limestone with some quartzite, calcite and muscovite.
These mountains were formed in the late Tertiary Period, which
spanned between 66 million to 2.6 million years ago and began with the
extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs. Photos taken on October 9,
2021.
* Werfen, Austria Coordinates: 47.4761, 13.1913

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More...

Geology Links

* Earthquakes
* Geologic Time
* Geomagnetism
* General Dictionary of Geology
* Mineral and Locality Database
* Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness
* This Dynamic Earth
* USGS
* USGS Ask a Geologist
* USGS/NPS Geologic Glossary
* USGS Volcano Hazards Program

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 2 weeks, 5 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)