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Feb 29, 2016
Visit #Utah’s #Arches #NationalPark and discover a landscape unlike any other in the world. The park is home to natural stone arches, soaring pinnacles and epic views like this one of #TurretArch as seen through North Window. If you look closely, you’ll see a few people enjoying the view. Photo @archesnps courtesy of William Rainey. by usinterior
#GreatBasin #NationalPark in #Nevada is a winter wonderland. Frost delicately ornaments every feature of the park from high #mountain peaks to low stream beds. Trails and roads are explored by a few adventurous visitors on skis and snowshoes and the wildlife leave tracks in the fresh powder. Pictured here is the park’s #WheelerPeak by Karen Robinson (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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IC 1848: The Soul Nebula IC 1848: The Soul Nebula
Stars are forming in the Soul of the Queen of Aethopia. More specifically, a large star forming region called the Soul Nebula can be found in the direction of the constellation Cassiopeia, who Greek mythology credits as the vain wife of a King who long ago ruled lands surrounding the upper Nile river. The Soul Nebula houses several open clusters of stars, a large radio source known as W5, and huge evacuated bubbles formed by the winds of young massive stars. Located about 6,500 light years away, the Soul Nebula spans about 100 light years and is usually imaged next to its celestial neighbor the Heart Nebula (IC 1805). The featured image appears mostly red due to the emission of a specific color of light emitted by excited hydrogen gas. via NASA http://ift.tt/1Rcu039
Feb 28, 2016
Northern Pluto Northern Pluto
Gaze across the frozen canyons of northern Pluto in this contrast enhanced color scene, imaged last July by the New Horizons spacecraft. Currently known as Lowell Regio, the region has been informally named for Percival Lowell, founder of the Lowell Observatory. Also famous for his speculation that there were canals on Mars, in 1906 Lowell started the search that ultimately led to Pluto's discovery. Pluto's North Pole itself is above and left of center in the the frame. The pale bluish floor of the broad canyon on the left is about 70 kilometers (45 miles) wide, running vertically toward the south. Higher elevations take on a yellowish hue. New Horizon's measurements have determined that in addition to nitrogen ice, methane ice is abundant across northern Pluto's Lowell Regio. via NASA http://ift.tt/1TFkkD3
Feb 27, 2016
#BassHarbor Head Light is the only lighthouse on Mount Desert Island in #Acadia #NationalPark. Currently a private residence for the commander of the local Coast Guard unit, the #lighthouse dates back to 1858. Short trails lead to the shoreline on either side and provide spectacular views, especially at #sunset. Photo by Jeremy Stevens (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #maine by usinterior
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The Tarantula Nebula The Tarantula Nebula
The Tarantula Nebula is more than a thousand light-years in diameter, a giant star forming region within nearby satellite galaxy the Large Magellanic Cloud, about 180 thousand light-years away. The largest, most violent star forming region known in the whole Local Group of galaxies, the cosmic arachnid sprawls across this spectacular composite view constructed with space- and ground-based image data. Within the Tarantula (NGC 2070), intense radiation, stellar winds and supernova shocks from the central young cluster of massive stars, cataloged as R136, energize the nebular glow and shape the spidery filaments. Around the Tarantula are other star forming regions with young star clusters, filaments, and blown-out bubble-shaped clouds In fact, the frame includes the site of the closest supernova in modern times, SN 1987A, at the lower right. The rich field of view spans about 1 degree or 2 full moons, in the southern constellation Dorado. But were the Tarantula Nebula closer, say 1,500 light-years distant like the local star forming Orion Nebula, it would take up half the sky. via NASA http://ift.tt/1XPFyyp
Feb 26, 2016
Happy 97th birthday, Grand Canyon #NationalPark! On this day in 1919, the #Arizona icon became a national park. Before it was a park, the @grandcanyonnps was first protected in 1893 as part of #GrandCanyon Forest Reserve, helping to spread the word about the area’s awe-inspiring beauty. #Sunset from Hopi Point by Jack Denger (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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Highest, Tallest, and Closest to the Stars Highest, Tallest, and Closest to the Stars
Fans of planet Earth probably recognize its highest mountain, the Himalayan Mount Everest, on the left in this 3-panel skyscape of The World at Night. Shrouded in cloud Everest's peak is at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) elevation above sea level. In the middle panel, stars trail above volcanic Mauna Kea forming part of the island of Hawaii. Festooned with astronomical observatories, its summit lies a mere 4,168 meters above sea level. Still, measured from its base starting below the ocean's surface, Mauna Kea is over 10,000 meters tall, making it Earth's tallest mountain from base to summit. At right, beneath the arc of the Milky Way is the Andean mountain Chimborazo in Ecuador. The highest equatorial mountain, the Chimborazo volcano's peak elevation is 6,268 meters above sea level. But rotating planet Earth is a flattened sphere (oblate spheroid) in shape, its equatorial diameter greater than its diameter measured pole to pole. Sitting nearly on top of Earth's greatest equatorial bulge, Chimborazo's peak is the farthest point on the planet's surface from the center, over 2,000 meters farther from the center of the Earth than Everest's peak. That makes Chimborazo's summit the place on Earth's surface closest to the stars. via NASA http://ift.tt/1XOFjnl
Feb 25, 2016
#DeathValley #NationalPark is alive with color with this year’s rare #superbloom. 🌼 #Wildflowers blanket the desert landscape in a sea of gold, purple and white. Higher than usual amounts of rain last fall helped create this year’s incredible wildflower display -- the best since 2005. To catch these spectacular colors in person, head to @deathvalleynps before mid-March. Photo courtesy of Lauren Schroeder (@loschroeder). by usinterior
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Clingmans Dome is the highest point at Great Smoky Mountains National Park (@greatsmokynps) in #Tennessee and the third highest east of the Mississippi River. The spectacular views are a big reason why #GreatSmokyMountains was the most visited #nationalpark in 2015. Photo by Howard Gutgesell (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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USA's Northeast Megalopolis from Space USA's Northeast Megalopolis from Space
Can you identify a familiar area in the northeast USA just from nighttime lights? It might be possible because many major cities are visible, including (right to left) New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond and Norfolk -- Boston of the USA's Northeast megalopolis is not pictured. The featured image was taken in 2012 from the International Space Station. In the foreground are two Russian cargo ships with prominent solar panels. This Northeast megalopolis of the USA contains almost 20 percent of the people of the USA but only about 2 percent of the land area. Also known also as the Northeast Corridor and part of the Eastern Seaboard, about 10 percent of the world's largest companies are headquartered here. The near continuity of the lights seem to add credence to the 1960s-era prediction that the entire stretch is evolving into one continuous city. via NASA http://ift.tt/1QxN7Ei
Feb 24, 2016
#Saguaros reach their arms to the sky in this #sunset silhouette at #SonoranDesert National Monument in #Arizona. Just south of Phoenix, a captivating desert landscape protects these majestic cacti, which can take 100 years to start growing arms. If you’re in the area, make a day trip and be sure to stay after the sun goes down -- the night sky viewing is some of the best in the United States. Photo by Bob Wick, @mypubliclands. 🌵 by usinterior
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Offering a huge reward for little effort, #DreamLake is only a mile hike from Bear Lake Trailhead at #RockyMountain #NationalPark (@rockynps) in #Colorado. #Winter conditions can add complications, but there’s nothing like #sunrise painting the #mountains to make you forget about the cold. Photo by Crystal Brindle (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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A Supernova through Galaxy Dust A Supernova through Galaxy Dust
Telescopes around the world are tracking a bright supernova that occurred in a nearby dusty galaxy. The powerful stellar explosion was first noted earlier this month. The nearby galaxy is the photogenic Centaurus A, visible with binoculars and known for impressive filaments of light-absorbing dust that cross its center. Cen A is featured here in a high-resolution archival Hubble Space Telescope image, with an inset image featuring the supernova taken from the ground only two days after discovery. Designated SN2016adj, the supernova is highlighted with crosshairs in the inset, appearing just to the left of a bright foreground star in our Milky Way Galaxy. This supernova is currently thought to be of Type IIb, a stellar-core-collapse supernova, and is of high interest because it occurred so nearby and because it is being seen through a known dust filament. Current and future observations of this supernova may give us new clues about the fates of massive stars and how some elements found on our Earth were formed. via NASA http://ift.tt/1Q8JuoZ
Feb 23, 2016
#Winter is a spectacular time to take in the best light show on earth: The #NorthernLights. With long hours of darkness, #Denali National Park in #Alaska gives visitors the chance to see the #auroraborealis dancing across the starry skies. Photo of @denali.nps from the archives by Daniel A. Leifheit, #NationalPark Service. by usinterior
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Feb 22, 2016
For a one-of-a-kind view of #GoldenGateBridge and San Francisco Bay, a visit to #KirbyCove is a must. Here you’ll take a steep, mile-long trail through a grove of cypress, eucalyptus and pine and be rewarded with spectacular views (especially at #sunrise)! Kirby Cove is just one part of #GoldenGate National Recreation Area (@goldengatenationalparks), which hugs the #California coastline for nearly 90 miles and is one of the world’s largest national parks. Photo courtesy of Aron Cooperman (@lastlightbender). by usinterior
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Check out this bighorn sheep escalator! Once endangered and wary of human contact, the small number of desert #bighornsheep in #Colorado #NationalMonument are often hard to find, making this picture incredible and unique. Photo by Molly Murphy, #NationalPark Service. #squadgoals by usinterior
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M82: Galaxy with a Supergalactic Wind M82: Galaxy with a Supergalactic Wind
What's lighting up the Cigar Galaxy? M82, as this irregular galaxy is also known, was stirred up by a recent pass near large spiral galaxy M81. This doesn't fully explain the source of the red-glowing outwardly expanding gas, however. Evidence indicates that this gas is being driven out by the combined emerging particle winds of many stars, together creating a galactic superwind. The featured photographic mosaic highlights a specific color of red light strongly emitted by ionized hydrogen gas, showing detailed filaments of this gas. The filaments extend for over 10,000 light years. The 12-million light-year distant Cigar Galaxy is the brightest galaxy in the sky in infrared light, and can be seen in visible light with a small telescope towards the constellation of the Great Bear (Ursa Major). via NASA http://ift.tt/20NADOn
Feb 21, 2016
In the heart of #California’s #SierraNevada is one of the most awe-inspiring sights: The giant sequoia groves in #Sequoia and #KingsCanyon National Parks. 🌲 These towering trees are some of the world’s largest (by volume). They are as tall as an average 26-story building, and their bases can exceed the width of many city streets. This amazing pic of the snow-covered #GeneralSherman Tree covered is from the archives courtesy of Ed Cooper (@ed_cooper_photography). by usinterior
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Where Your Shadow Has Company Where Your Shadow Has Company
Want to take a relaxing interstellar vacation? Consider visiting Kepler-16b, a world in a binary star system. In fact Kepler-16b is the first discovered circumbinary planet. It was detected in a wide 229 day orbit around a close pair of cool, low-mass stars some 200 light-years away. The parent stars eclipse one another in their orbits, observed as a dimming of starlight. But Kepler-16b itself was discovered by following the additional very slight dimming produced during its transits. Like sci-fi planet Tatooine of Star Wars fame, two suns would set over its horizon. Still, Kepler 16b is probably not a Tatooine-like terrestrial desert world. Instead, Kepler 16b is thought to be a cold, uninhabitable planet with about the mass of Saturn and a gaseous surface ... so plan to dress accordingly. Or, choose another Visions of the Future vacation destination. via NASA http://ift.tt/1TwmINu
Feb 20, 2016
Is there a more photogenic place than #GrandTeton #NationalPark (@grandtetonnps) in #Wyoming? From overlooks like Schwabacher’s Landing, photographers can capture the iconic #mountains, the #SnakeRiver plain and the incredible interplay of #sunlight and #clouds. It’s truly an awe inspiring sight. Photo courtesy of Eric Bennett (@bennettfilm). by usinterior
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NGC 2403 in Camelopardalis NGC 2403 in Camelopardalis
Magnificent island universe NGC 2403 stands within the boundaries of the long-necked constellation Camelopardalis. Some 10 million light-years distant and about 50,000 light-years across, the spiral galaxy also seems to have more than its fair share of giant star forming HII regions, marked by the telltale reddish glow of atomic hydrogen gas. The giant HII regions are energized by clusters of hot, massive stars that explode as bright supernovae at the end of their short and furious lives. A member of the M81 group of galaxies, NGC 2403 closely resembles another galaxy with an abundance of star forming regions that lies within our own local galaxy group, M33 the Triangulum Galaxy. Spiky in appearance, bright stars in this colorful galaxy portrait of NGC 2403 are in the foreground, within our own Milky Way. via NASA http://ift.tt/1PWr22G
Feb 19, 2016
#Sunrise, snow and clouds mingle in this spellbinding photo of Canyonlands #NationalPark in #Utah. Photographer and freeskier Simon Dumont (@simondumont) woke up at 5:30 AM to capture this gorgeous view beneath the curving arm of @CanyonlandsNPS’s iconic Mesa Arch -- arriving in time to catch what he describes as “some of the best sunrise shots of my life.” Photo courtesy of Simon Dumont (@simondumont). by usinterior
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Wish you were still sleeping? A crescent #moon rises over snowy marshes and the last rays of an orange-pink #sunset at Bombay Hook National #WildlifeRefuge. Located along the coast of #Delaware, this @usfws refuge protects one of the largest remaining expanses of tidal salt marsh in the mid-Atlantic region. Photo courtesy of Tim Williams. by usinterior
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Hitomi Launches Hitomi Launches
On February 17 at 5:45pm JST this H-IIA rocket blasted skyward from JAXA's Tanegashima Space Center located off the southern coast of Japan, planet Earth. Onboard was the ASTRO-H X-ray astronomy satellite, now in orbit. Designed to explore the extreme cosmos from black holes to massive galaxy clusters, the satellite observatory is equipped with four cutting-edge X-ray telescopes and instruments sensitive to photon energies from 300 to 600,000 electron volts. By comparison, visible light photon energies are 2 to 3 electron volts. Following a tradition of renaming satellites after their successful launch, ASTRO-H has been newly dubbed "Hitomi", inspired by an ancient legend of dragons. Hitomi means "the pupil of the eye". via NASA http://ift.tt/1Qo1pqI
Feb 18, 2016
For a short time in February -- if the conditions are perfect -- #HorsetailFall at #Yosemite National Park in #California looks like lava falling down the side of #ElCapitan. Visitors flock to the park every year to see this phenomenon, which happens when #sunset hits the #waterfall at just the right angle, illuminating the water in brilliant reds and oranges. It’s a spectacular sight reminiscent of @yosemitenps's historic #Firefall! Photo from February 13 courtesy of Jason Shaw (@ufjason99). by usinterior
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Cotton-candy yellows and pinks color the hills of #Badlands #NationalPark (@badlandsnps) in #SouthDakota. The Badlands’ striking formations contain one of the world’s richest #fossil beds, carrying clues to ancient mammals like rhinos and saber-toothed cats that once roamed here. Photo by Brenda Bergman (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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Milky Way over the Pinnacles in Australia Milky Way over the Pinnacles in Australia
What strange world is this? Earth. In the foreground of the featured image are the Pinnacles, unusual rock spires in Nambung National Park in Western Australia. Made of ancient sea shells (limestone), how these human-sized picturesque spires formed remains unknown. In the background, just past the end of the central Pinnacle, is a bright crescent Moon. The eerie glow around the Moon is mostly zodiacal light, sunlight reflected by dust grains orbiting between the planets in the Solar System. Arching across the top is the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy. Many famous stars and nebula are also visible in the background night sky. The featured 29-panel panorama was taken and composed last September after detailed planning that involved the Moon, the rock spires, and their corresponding shadows. Even so, the strong zodiacal light was a pleasant surprise. via NASA http://ift.tt/1Sy9BuV
Feb 17, 2016
Taken from #DiscoveryPoint, this photo captures the incredible grandeur of Crater Lake #NationalPark in the winter. Deep in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, the upper elevation of the park can lead to extreme snowfalls. The deepest snow depth ever recorded in #Oregon was 242 inches at the rim area of #CraterLake. Photo by Greg Nyquist (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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In 2000, the Northern Channel Islands #fox populations in Southern #California were experiencing massive declines. Thanks to conservation work, populations are now soaring -- making this the fastest recovery for any mammal in the United States and another #WildlifeWin. 🐺 Photo courtesy of Chuck Graham. by usinterior
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A wild #river runs between two jagged #mountains at Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, creating a doorway to a #wilderness of glacier-carved valleys and aurora-lit night skies. This vast landscape lies north of the #Arctic Circle and has no roads or trails -- making for adventurous exploration. Photo by Carl Johnson, #NationalPark Service. by usinterior
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Star Forming Region S106 Star Forming Region S106
Massive star IRS 4 is beginning to spread its wings. Born only about 100,000 years ago, material streaming out from this newborn star has formed the nebula dubbed Sharpless 2-106 Nebula (S106), featured here. A large disk of dust and gas orbiting Infrared Source 4 (IRS 4), visible in brown near the image center, gives the nebula an hourglass or butterfly shape. S106 gas near IRS 4 acts as an emission nebula as it emits light after being ionized, while dust far from IRS 4 reflects light from the central star and so acts as a reflection nebula. Detailed inspection of a recent infrared image of S106 reveal hundreds of low-mass brown dwarf stars lurking in the nebula's gas. S106 spans about 2 light-years and lies about 2000 light-years away toward the constellation of the Swan (Cygnus). via NASA http://ift.tt/1VjGAB9
Feb 16, 2016
The rugged beauty of Mount Williamson looms over #Manzanar National Historic Site in #California. Established to preserve the stories of the internment of nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II, Manzanar serves as a reminder of a dark period in our #history. Photo by Susan Fouts (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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White Rock Fingers on Mars White Rock Fingers on Mars
What caused this unusual light rock formation on Mars? Intrigued by the possibility that they could be salt deposits left over as an ancient lakebed dried-up, detailed studies of these fingers now indicate a more mundane possibility: volcanic ash. Studying the exact color of the formation indicated the possible volcanic origin. The light material appears to have eroded away from surrounding area, indicating a very low-density substance. The stark contrast between the rocks and the surrounding sand is compounded by the unusual darkness of the sand. The featured picture was taken with the Thermal Emission Imaging System on the Mars Odyssey, the longest serving spacecraft currently orbiting Mars. The image spans about 10 kilometers inside a larger crater. via NASA http://ift.tt/1KRtuuD
Feb 15, 2016
Happy #PresidentsDay! What better way to celebrate our first president’s birthday -- George Washington -- than with this gorgeous photo of the monument built to honor him. A 555-foot marble obelisk, the #WashingtonMonument towers over #WashingtonDC. Photo by Jeff Norman (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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A Heart Shaped Lenticular Cloud A Heart Shaped Lenticular Cloud
Can a cloud love a mountain? Perhaps not, but on a Valentine's Day like today, one might be prone to seeing heart-shaped symbols where they don't actually exist. A fleeting pareidolia, the featured heart was really a lenticular cloud that appeared one morning last July above Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand. A companion video shows the lenticular cloud was mostly stationary in the sky but shifted and vibrated with surrounding winds. The cloud's red color was caused by the Sun rising off the frame to the right. Lenticular clouds are somewhat rare but can form in air that passes over a mountain. Then, vertical eddies may form where rising air cools past the dew point causing water carried by the air to condense into droplets. Unfortunately, this amazing sight made the fascinated videographer late for breakfast. via NASA http://ift.tt/1og4vHA
Feb 14, 2016
America’s #publiclands are wonderful places to love and be in love. Every year thousands get engaged and married in national parks, wildlife refuges and scenic wildernesses. Check out DOI.gov for a cute video of proposals and weddings on public lands. Thanks to everyone who shared their photos and helped make our #ValentinesDay video! Photo of #LassenVolcanic National Park (@lassennps) by Kevin Sweeney. by usinterior
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Yutu on a Little Planet Yutu on a Little Planet
Tracks lead to a small robot perched near the top of this bright little planet. Of course, the planet is really the Moon. The robot is the desk-sized Yutu rover, leaving its looming Chang'e 3 lander after a after a mid-December 2013 touch down in the northern Mare Imbrium. The little planet projection is a digitally warped and stitched mosaic of images from the lander's terrain camera covering 360 by 180 degrees. Ultimately traveling over 100 meters, Yutu came to a halt in January 2014. The lander's instruments are still working though, after more than two years on the lunar surface. Meanwhile, an interactive panoramic version of this little planet is available here. via NASA http://ift.tt/2112D33
Feb 13, 2016
One of the most dramatic sunrises we ever seen over #RockyMountain National Park in #Colorado. Erik Page (@erik.page) took this pic two weeks ago on a cold, windy morning. But it was all worth it. Of the moment, Erik says, “Sometimes you get a wild hair to go on a #sunrise adventure, and the sky just so happens to go thermonuclear!” Photo @rockynps courtesy of Erik Page (@erik.page). by usinterior
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Feb 12, 2016
Happy 207th Birthday to President #AbrahamLincoln. 🎩 Remembered as the “Great Emancipator” and the “Man Who Saved the Union,” the legacy of #Lincoln lives on in our commitment to unity and equality. His memorial in #WashingtonDC is a popular national park and one of the finest pieces of public art in the world. Photo courtesy of Andrew S. Geraci (@drewgiggity). by usinterior
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The Browns Canyon #NationalMonument protects a breathtaking section of #Colorado’s upper Arkansas River Valley. Established last February, the 21,000+-acre monument preserves rugged granite cliffs, colorful rock outcroppings and mountain vistas. #BrownsCanyon boasts world-class recreational opportunities and is one of the most popular whitewater destinations in the country. #Sunrises are pretty spectacular too. Be sure to follow @Whitehouse today for more incredible views of the public lands that President Obama has protected for future generations. by usinterior
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Here’s a gorgeous pic from #MojaveTrails National Monument -- one of three new #nationalmonuments that President Obama designated today. To celebrate, we're taking over @whitehouse today and showcasing amazing views of some of the national monuments President Obama has protected. Mojave Trails is a stunning mosaic of rugged mountain ranges, ancient lava flows and spectacular sand dunes. The other new national monuments are Sand to Snow, which includes lush desert oases, significant archeological sites and 30 miles of the world-famous #PacificCrestTrail, and Castle Mountains, home to some of the finest Joshua tree forest and native desert grassland in the #MojaveDesert. These new monuments protect 1.8 million acres of spectacular landscapes, fragile wildlife habitat, unique historic resources and important cultural sites -- ensuring that all Americans can enjoy the unique beauty of the #California desert for generations to come. Photo by Bob Wick, @mypubliclands. #findyourpark by usinterior
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LIGO Detects Gravitational Waves from Merging Black Holes LIGO Detects Gravitational Waves from Merging Black Holes
Gravitational radiation has been directly detected. The first-ever detection was made by both facilities of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Washington and Louisiana simultaneously last September. After numerous consistency checks, the resulting 5-sigma discovery was published today. The measured gravitational waves match those expected from two large black holes merging after a death spiral in a distant galaxy, with the resulting new black hole momentarily vibrating in a rapid ringdown. A phenomenon predicted by Einstein, the historic discovery confirms a cornerstone of humanity's understanding of gravity and basic physics. It is also the most direct detection of black holes ever. The featured illustration depicts the two merging black holes with the signal strength of the two detectors over 0.3 seconds superimposed across the bottom. Expected future detections by Advanced LIGO and other gravitational wave detectors may not only confirm the spectacular nature of this measurement but hold tremendous promise of giving humanity a new way to see and explore our universe. via NASA http://ift.tt/20Xw6La
Feb 11, 2016
From the bottom of the deepest glacial fjord to the summit of its highest peak, #GlacierBay #NationalPark encompasses some of our continent's most amazing scenery and wildness. The park covers 3.3 million acres and is the highlight of #Alaska’s Inside Passage. Photo by Melissa Machonis (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1KJd86Z
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