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.


Snow Blankets Joshua Tree National Park

January 13, 2020

_KKS0065-Edit-2-2

Photographer: Keith Skelton
Summary Authors: Keith Skelton; Jim Foster

As shown above, a rare, heavy snow blankets Joshua Tree National
Park in southern California. This photo was captured on December 27,
2019. The park’s sturdy Joshua trees ( Yucca brevifolia) seem to
struggle under the burden of the snow, which measured nearly
one-half foot (15 cm). The specimen in the foreground is perhaps 30 ft
(9 m) tall. Even the sky is decorated on this late December day.
Stretched out lenticular clouds accent the eye-catching landscape.

Because of the heavy snowfall, most of which occurred on December 26
and was the biggest snowfall in Joshua Tree National Park in at least 9
years, many roads were impassable on the 27th or only opened to
vehicles with 4-wheel drive. Nonetheless, visitors who made the effort
to get there were thrilled with the winter wonderland that awaited
them.

Photo Details: Camera: NIKON D810; Lens: 80-200mm; Software: Adobe
Photoshop Lightroom Classic 9.0 (Macintosh); Exposure Time: 0.0013s
(1/800); Aperture: ƒ/10.0; ISO equivalent: 100; Focal Length (35mm):
80.
* Joshua Tree National Park, California Coordinates: 33.8734,
-115.9010

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Snow Blankets Joshua Tree National Park Encore - Lake Michigan
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Encore - Ice Roses
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Cryosphere Links

* Guide to Frost
* What is the Cryosphere?
* Bentley Snow Crystals
* Glaciers of the World
* Ice, Snow, and Glaciers: The Water Cycle
* The National Snow and Ice Data Center Google Earth Images
* Snow and Ice Crystals

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 6 weeks, 2 days, 14 hours, 54 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)

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.


Glaciated Clouds Over Paris

February 13, 2020

6M2A2236p

Photographer: Bertrand Kulik
Summary Authors: Bertrand Kulik; Jim Foster

Shown above is the intriguing skyscape I observed from my home in
Paris, France, on the afternoon of January 28, 2020. During much of the
day, the weather was quite agitated – gusty winds and threatening
skies. Higher up, clouds that appear to be cirrus, exhibit
glaciation. When ice crystals fall from cirrus clouds, they
most always sublimate before reaching the surface. That’s the top
of the Eiffel Tower at bottom.

Photo Details: Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera; EF100-400 mm; f/4.5-5.6L
IS II USM; ƒ/13.0; 153.0 mm; 1/160 sec. exposure; ISO 50.
* Paris, France Coordinates: 48.85856, 2.29461

Related EPODs

Glaciated Clouds Over Paris Altocumulus Wave Clouds Over
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Teide Volcano Monte Viso, Italy
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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 3 weeks, 1 day, 15 hours, 5 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)

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.


Sunrise Pillar and Upper Tangent Arc

March 13, 2020

Capture

Photographer: Marco Meniero
Summary Authors: Marco Meniero; Jim Foster

Featured above is an eye-catching Sun pillar I observed from the
Viterbo Airport Control Tower in Italy, at sunrise on February 17,
2020. A layer of fog was covering the surface as sunrise
approached. As the Sun cleared the horizon, not only was this
superior pillar revealed but also an upper tangent arc. Pillars
result when ice crystals in cirrus clouds, or free-falling in
the atmosphere, are stacked in a horizontal direction and are slightly
tipped toward the observer.

Photo Details: Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II; Software: Adobe
Photoshop 21.0 (Macintosh); Exposure Time: 0.0031s (1/320); Aperture:
ƒ/16.0; ISO equivalent: 400; Focal Length: 20.0mm.
* Viterbo Airport, Italy Coordinates: 42.43611, 12.06166

Related EPODs

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Arc, Halo, Sundogs and Glitter Path Observed from Vancouver Encore
- Fogbow Near Mount Luxmore, New Zealand
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Atmospheric Effects Links

* Atmospheric Optics
* Color and Light in Nature
* The Colors of Twillight and Sunset
* Refraction Index
* Image Gallery: Atmospheric Effects
* What is a Rainbow?

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 7 weeks, 2 days, 14 hours, 5 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)

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.


Mirage of Chicago Skyline

April 13, 2020

Chicago-FATAMORGANA-EPOD-0164-20080910 (002)

Photographer: S am Cornwell
Summary Author: Sam Cornwell

Featured above is a breathtaking mirage of the skyline of Chicago,
Illinois. My friend and I were on a photographic road trip from Chicago
to Boston back in 2008, and one of the first stops we made was at
Indiana Dunes National Park. We walked up a huge sand dune, known
as Mount Baldy (126 ft or 38 m tall), to be greeted by a
spectacular image of Chicago hovering above Lake Michigan. At a
distance of around 37 miles (60 km), I couldn't believe what I was
seeing -- isn't that beyond the curvature of the Earth? The sky was
clear and the Windy City was perched on top of the lake like a picture.
Instead of getting our cameras out, we decided to find a place to stay
for the evening and return at sunset. At the time, we simply didn't
realize we were witnessing such a fascinating atmospheric phenomenon.

Luckily, upon our return, the skyscrapers of Chicago were still
visible. I set up my camera with the longest lens I had and began
shooting a series of images as the sky darkened. To my delight about
half an hour in, the city lights turned on all at once and the
artificial glow of the jagged horizon split up Lake Michigan from the
reddened sky.

In 2013, I returned to the exact location to show my wife but oddly
couldn't see it. Researching it much later I realized it was only
visible because of special atmospheric conditions and was an
illusion known as an inferior mirage. I wish I knew that at the
time -- we really had no idea how lucky we were. Photo taken on
September 10, 2008.

Photo Details: Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark III; Software: Adobe Photoshop
Lightroom Classic 9.2 (Macintosh); Exposure Time: 30.000s; Aperture:
ƒ/36.0; ISO equivalent: 100; Focal Length: 350.0mm. Time of photo -
7:45 PM (Central Daylight Time).
* Mount Baldy, Indiana Coordinates: 41.7089, -86.9281

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Atmospheric Effects Links

* Atmospheric Optics
* Color and Light in Nature
* The Colors of Twillight and Sunset
* Refraction Index
* Image Gallery: Atmospheric Effects
* What is a Rainbow?

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 11 weeks, 5 days, 14 hours, 5 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)

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.


Encore - Aurora Borealis from Alaska

June 13, 2020

IMG_0876lrweb
RainbowAuroraChumack032514LRweb August 2014 Viewer's Choice

Today and every Saturday Earth Science Picture of the Day invites you
to rediscover favorites from the past. Saturday posts feature an EPOD
that was chosen by viewers like you in our monthly Viewers' Choice
polls. Join us as we look back at these intriguing and captivating
images.

Photographer: John Chumack
Summary Author: John Chumack
The spectacular auroras featured above were observed from Chena
Hot Springs, Alaska, in late March of 2014. Auroras were quite
energetic this late winter in the high latitudes. The Kp index was
at 3 to 4 (highly active) for most nights. I co-lead this year's
annual aurora tour and photo workshop, held in Fairbanks. We were
indeed fortunate to have 10 clear nights in a row. The northern
lights were visible every night we were there.

Photo Details: Top - Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II; Focal Length: 24mm;
Aperture: f/2.0; Exposure Time: 5.000 s; ISO equiv: 3200. Bottom - Same
except: Exposure Time: 10.000 s; ISO equiv: 6400.
* Chena Hot Springs, Alaska Coordinates: 65.0531, -146.0556

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Encore - Summer Lightning in Florida
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Atmospheric Effects Links

* Atmospheric Optics
* Color and Light in Nature
* The Colors of Twillight and Sunset
* Refraction Index
* Image Gallery: Atmospheric Effects
* What is a Rainbow?

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 20 weeks, 3 days, 16 hours, 4 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)

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.


Changes in Istanbul Seascape from Morning to Afternoon

July 13, 2020

MarioFreitas-March-30-2020a

MarioFreitas-March-30-2020b
Photographer: Mario Freitas
Summary Author: Mario Freitas

Effects of daylight on the field of view depend strongly on the
angle of incidence of sunbeams relative to the observer. Shown
above are a pair of photos depicting the famous islet where lies
Maiden's Tower in Istanbul, Turkey. Both pictures were taken
facing east, but at different times of the same, early spring day. They
were taken from a cruise I took across the Bosporus Strait.

In the morning sunlight, I was blinded by bright sunbeams reflecting
off the rippled water. Rays were refracted by the ripples as
well, but their contribution was quite weak. The tower displays a
low-contrasting silhouette against the Asian coast of Bosporus, almost
like a monochrome picture.

When we cruised past near the same point 6 hours later, afternoon
sunbeams and their reflections were coming from the western sky, at my
back. Now, the refracted rays, undergoing Rayleigh scattering,
makes the water appear in hues of deep blue. Shadows on the tower walls
allow a better view of its architectural style.

The original Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi in Turkish) dates from
the medieval Byzantine era, around 340 BCE. It was destroyed
and reconstructed several times during its long history, which involves
a number of classical legends. Nowadays, the tower is home to a
museum with a cafe having a panoramic view of the Bosporus. Photos
taken on March 31, 2006.

Photo Details: Top - Camera Canon PowerShot A520; Software ACD Systems
Digital Imaging; Exposure Time 0.0008s (1/1250); Aperture ƒ/8.0; Focal
Length 23.2mm. Bottom - same except: Exposure Time 0.0020s (1/500);
Aperture ƒ/5.5.
* Maiden's Tower, Turkey Coordinates: 41.02098, 29.00488

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Solar Halo Over Thessaloniki, Greece
More...

Atmospheric Effects Links

* Atmospheric Optics
* Color and Light in Nature
* The Colors of Twillight and Sunset
* Refraction Index
* Image Gallery: Atmospheric Effects
* What is a Rainbow?

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 24 weeks, 5 days, 16 hours, 4 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)

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.


Red Sprite Lightning Observed from Attica, Greece

August 13, 2020

REDSPRITE

Photographer: Dimitris Sagiakos
Summary Authors: Dimitris Sagiakos; Jim Foster

Shown above is a bright red sprite as observed several weeks ago
above northern Euboia, Greece. I was watching the lightning
activity from a powerful storm with team members from our location
northeast of Attica, Greece, and decided to set up my camera equipment
in hopes of capturing this elusive, upper atmospheric lightning.
Lasting but a fraction of a second, sprites are generated as mature
storms decay, at altitudes ranging from about 25-55 miles (40-89
km) above the Earth's surface.

This same event was actually viewed with the unaided eye by another
team member, watching the storm from southern Euboia. Note that the
brightly lit area at the base of the storm was illuminated by the
lightning discharge responsible for creating the sprite. Photo taken on
June 21, 2020 (11:00 p.m.).

Photo Details: Camera NIKON D7200; Software Adobe Photoshop CC
(Windows); Exposure Time 6.000s; Aperture ƒ/2.8; ISO equivalent 4000;
Focal Length (35mm) 21; Lens Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX II 11-16mm F2.8.
* Attica, Greece Coordinates: 38.245300, 23.844772

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Red Sprite Lightning Observed from Attica, Greece Encore -
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Severe Weather Links

* World Severe Weather Information Center
* Enhanced Fujita Scale
* A Lightning Primer
* More About Thunderstorms
* Staying Safe Outdoors in Severe Weather
* NOAA Storm Prediction Center
* Patterns of Lightning Activity
* US National Weather Service

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 4 weeks, 15 hours, 25 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)

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.


The Red Planet Up Close

October 13, 2020

6a0105371bb32c970b026bde99ae35200c

Photographer: John Chumack
Summary Author: John Chumack

I just love it when Mars gets close to the Earth every two
years. When Mars is nearer, of course, it gets larger in telescopic
view, allowing the viewer to see a number of impressive surface
features that are otherwise extremely challenging to observe. Luckily,
there have been no Martian dust storms yet to compromise seeing
conditions. The red planet reaches opposition today and won’t be as
bright as it is this October until 2035. See the Related Link below to
see how Mars appeared in 2016.

The above photo shows one of my most detailed Mars shots this season.
Terra Meridiani and the Arabia Terra region are front and
center. A lot of blue limb clouds and the blue north polar hood
are also looking good, as well as the southern ice cap, now
shrinking in size.

If you haven't had a good look at Mars before, step outside
this evening. Mars is that very bright orange/red planet that’s
currently up all night long. This is a great time to peer at Mars
through binoculars. Or if you have a small telescope, hold your
smartphone up to the eyepiece and try to grab a shot -- it’s worth a
try. Photo taken on October 5, 2020, at 06:41:40 UT. At the time, Mars’
magnitude was -2.55.

Photo Details: QHY5III290M, LRGB camera; Scope: C-11 SCT telescope; 3x
Barlow lens; 8000 mm; 28 F ratio; seeing conditions about 7/10 -- well
above average for me in Dayton, Ohio.
* Dayton, Ohio Coordinates: 39.759444, -84.191667

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High-Quality Real Stereo Image of Pluto Encore - Altair and
Barnard's Moonrise Over the Apuan Alps
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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 7 weeks, 20 hours, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)