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.


Erupting Villarica Volcano Under a Starry Sky

September 13, 2021

Rucapillan-and-the-southern-celestial-pole

Photographer: Cari Letelier

Summary Authors: Cari Letelier; Cadan Cummings

The picture above features the erupting Villarrica volcano under a
starry sky. Located in the Chilean Andes between the Los Ríos
and Araucania regions, this 9,380 ft (2,860 m) tall volcano resides
on the Mocha-Villarrica Fault Zone and is one of the most active
stratovolcanoes in Chile. Villarrica is one of three
stratovolcanoes in the region, with the other two volcanoes being
the Quetrupillán and Lanín volcanoes. The landscape at the base
of the volcano is a sacred location for the Mapuche people, who
named this landform Rucapillán meaning “House of the Pillan” or
“House of the Spirit”.

Taken on January 5, 2021, this photo was perfectly timed to align the
eruption plume with the celestial southern pole and the
Magellanic Clouds. In the foreground, a chemamull wooden statue
used by Mapuche for funeral rites watches over the volcano and the
beautiful Milky Way.

Photo Details: Nikon D850 and Nikkor 14-24 f2.8; 14mm f2.8 ISO4000 30″
* Pucon, Aracania Region, Chile Coordinates: -39.4203, -71.9396

Related EPODs

Erupting Villarica Volcano Under a Starry Sky Little People of
Blue Wonder Canyon Monument Rocks in Northwestern Kansas Star
trails from Inside the Caldera at Nisyros Archive - Erta Ale,
Ethiopia Archive - Ribeira da Janela, Portugal
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 1 week, 3 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.


Noctilucent Clouds Over Northern Italy

October 13, 2021

#01

Photographer: Paolo Bardelli

Summary Author: Paolo Bardelli; Cadan Cummings

The photo above shows a view of noctilucent clouds observed over
Albusciago, Italy in June 2021. Noctilucent clouds, also referred
to as night-shining clouds or NLCs, are the highest altitude clouds
in Earth’s atmosphere (approximately 50 miles / 83 km) and are usually
only visible in the 75 minutes to 2.5 hours before sunrise or after
sunset. These unique clouds form when water vapor aggregates around
specks of debris and meteorite dust in the mesosphere and
freezes to form tiny ice crystals. NLC viewing mostly occurs for a few
weeks around the summer solstice in each hemisphere and are confined to
mid-to-higher latitudes. Historically, this region starts around 50
degrees north or south latitudes and extends as far as the polar
circles. However in recent years, possibly due to climate change, the
noctilucent clouds have appeared further outside this typical area.
This southern growth was evident on this evening in June when they
literally filled the sky of northern Italy (45° N latitude), the
largest ever apparition in our area. The next morning the clouds were
moving north, still remaining clearly visible in the colors of dawn.
* Albusciago, Italy Coordinates: 45.7395, 8.7939

Related EPODs

Noctilucent Clouds Over Northern Italy Lenticular Cloud Above
Mount Aconcagua Parisian Mammatus Clouds Archive - Roque del
Conde and Storm Clouds Bootleg Wildfire Pyrocumulus Cloud
Midnight Drama
More...

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 5 weeks, 5 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.


Earthshine and Stary Sky

December 13, 2021

Earthshine Moon Venus And Antares Above Palazzolo Acreide - Unesco
Site LD

Photographer: Dario Giannobile

Summary Author: Dario Giannobile

This image shows a spectacular alignment of stars and the moon above
the city of Palazzolo Acreide, Italy. The area is an UNESCO
World Heritage Site known for its beautiful Sicilian Baroque
churches of San Sebastiano and St. Paul. Almost all of Sicily
was shrouded in clouds except for a small portion above Palazzolo
Acreide. This was the perfect opportunity to photograph the
crescent Moon, sometimes also called the sickle Moon, in alignment
with Venus (on the lower left with respect to the Moon) and the
star Dschubba of the Scorpius constellation (just above Venus).
The photo also features the star Antares that appears in the upper
left corner.

Adding to the alignment of the stars, the peculiarity of the image lies
in the splendor of the Moon. It appears to be illuminated by two
distinct lights: one strong and bright and the other gentle and
discreet. The first light - the one that illuminates the growing
portion of the Moon - comes directly from the Sun and therefore is
very intense to the point of dazzling its surface. The remaining part
of the surface is illuminated in a blue-gray light by a phenomenon
called Earthshine, which is light that reflects off the Earth
toward the moon and is reflected back to us on Earth. Leonardo Da Vinci
was the first person to recognize this phenomenon in the 1500’s. His
understanding was that the Moon did not shine with its own light, but
instead as a result of light from the Sun and to a lesser extent the
Earth. Since then, this glow has also been called the Da Vinci
glow. Photo taken October 9, 2021.
* Palazzolo Acreide, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.062, 14.904

Related EPODs

Earthshine and Stary Sky Full Moon illuminates Marmolada and
Glacier Northern Lights over the Norwegian Sea Atacama Desert
and Monje de La Pacana Meeting Between the Celestial Spheres In
Sicily, Italy Altair
More...

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