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Apr 30, 2016
Bathed in starlight from the #MilkyWay, the unique rock formations of #Badlands #NationalPark in #SouthDakota glow in the darkness. The ancient landscape and fascinating fossil beds make this place seem timeless. This stunning photo was the winner in the night sky category of the Share the Experience photo contest, which gives amateur photographers the chance to showcase their skills by capturing the beauty of the nation’s public lands. Submit your pics and maybe next year, you’ll be a winner! Photo @badlandsnps by Erik Fremstad (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #findyourpark #usinterior by usinterior
Fermi's Gamma-ray Moon Fermi's Gamma-ray Moon
If you could only see gamma-rays, photons with up to a billion or more times the energy of visible light, the Moon would be brighter than the Sun! That startling notion underlies this novel image of the Moon, based on data collected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope's Large Area Telescope (LAT) instrument during its first seven years of operation (2008-2015). Fermi's gamma-ray vision doesn't distinguish details on the lunar surface, but a gamma-ray glow consistent with the Moon's size and position is clearly found at the center of the false color map. The brightest pixels correspond to the most significant detections of lunar gamma-rays. Why is the gamma-ray Moon so bright? High-energy charged particles streaming through the Solar System known as cosmic rays constantly bombard the lunar surface, unprotected by a magnetic field, generating the gamma-ray glow. Because the cosmic rays come from all sides, the gamma-ray Moon is always full and does not go through phases. The first gamma-ray image of the Moon was captured by the EGRET instrument onboard the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory, launched 25 years ago. via NASA http://ift.tt/1NFCW5y
Apr 29, 2016
Let’s end #ArborDay with majestic ponderosa pine trees offering a window to a gorgeous view of Yosemite Falls at #Yosemite #NationalPark (@yosemitenps) in #California. Cascading more than 2,400 feet above Yosemite Valley, it’s the tallest #waterfall in North America. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Nguyen (@tiffpenguin). #findyourpark #usinterior by usinterior
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Happy #ArborDay! Here’s a magical photo of sunlight creeping through the towering trees at Redwood National and State Parks (@redwoodnps). This Northern #California landmark protects the tallest trees 🌲 on Earth. The protected valleys and alluvial flats found along streams and creeks provide ideal growing conditions for the coast #redwood with many trees exceeding 300 feet tall. Photo by Jessica Watz (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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A Dust Angel Nebula A Dust Angel Nebula
The combined light of stars along the Milky Way are reflected by these cosmic dust clouds that soar some 300 light-years or so above the plane of our galaxy. Dubbed the Angel Nebula, the faint apparition is part of an expansive complex of dim and relatively unexplored, diffuse molecular clouds. Commonly found at high galactic latitudes, the dusty galactic cirrus can be traced over large regions toward the North and South Galactic poles. Along with the refection of starlight, studies indicate the dust clouds produce a faint reddish luminescence, as interstellar dust grains convert invisible ultraviolet radiation to visible red light. Also capturing nearby Milky Way stars and an array of distant background galaxies, the deep, wide-field 3x5 degree image spans about 10 Full Moons across planet Earth's sky toward the constellation Ursa Major. via NASA http://ift.tt/1QCgbtZ
Apr 28, 2016
It’s rare enough to see one #bighornsheep, let alone a group posing against the perfect backdrop of a dreamy pastel #sunset! This amazing photo of #JoshuaTree #NationalPark (@joshuatreenps) in #California by Koustubh Kulkarni won second place in the Share the Experience photo contest, which gives amateur photographers the chance to showcase their skills by capturing the beauty of the nation’s public lands. For more winning @share_the_experience photos, check out @cbsthismorning. Of the experience, Kulkarni says: “My wife first spotted the bighorn sheep in distance. As we approached they got curious about us as much as we were about them and chose a high perch to observe their oncoming visitors. Their perch could not have been better as it had a backdrop of the setting sun with the sky shaded in beautiful hues of orange, yellow, pink and blue. The magnificent backdrop was just perfect and in this picture it almost looks like the sheep stopped to pose for us.” Photo by Koustubh Kulkarni (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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Here’s a spectacular #sunrise over #ReflectionCanyon -- a surreal landscape of the twisting and winding #ColoradoRiver through colorful sandstone cliffs. This amazing photo, captured by Yang Lu, is the grand prize winner of the Share the Experience photo contest, an honor that means his photo appear on the 2017 America the Beautiful public lands pass. To celebrate this announcement, we’re taking over @cbsthismorning today, sharing an exclusive look at the winning @share_the_experience photos. For Yang, photography isn’t just about recreation, it’s also to inspire people to explore these special areas. Yang took this photo during a two-day backpacking trip to Reflection Canyon, which is located in a remote area at #GlenCanyon National Recreation Area in #Utah. “We did not see anybody for two days. There is no trail; we depended on my research,” Yang says of the experience. Yang visited during the winter when the temperature and water levels were low -- thanks to meticulous planning, Yang’s efforts paid off. The curves and those formations -- I have never seen anywhere.” Photo by Yang Lu (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #findyourpark #usinterior by usinterior
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Omega Centauri: The Brightest Globular Star Cluster Omega Centauri: The Brightest Globular Star Cluster
This huge ball of stars predates our Sun. Long before humankind evolved, before dinosaurs roamed, and even before our Earth existed, ancient globs of stars condensed and orbited a young Milky Way Galaxy. Of the 200 or so globular clusters that survive today, Omega Centauri is the largest, containing over ten million stars. Omega Centauri is also the brightest globular cluster, at apparent visual magnitude 3.9 it is visible to southern observers with the unaided eye. Cataloged as NGC 5139, Omega Centauri is about 18,000 light-years away and 150 light-years in diameter. Unlike many other globular clusters, the stars in Omega Centauri show several different ages and trace chemical abundances, indicating that the globular star cluster has a complex history over its 12 billion year age. via NASA http://ift.tt/1WpI4MP
Apr 27, 2016
A stray stormcloud chases the #moon above the famous hoodoos of #BryceCanyon #NationalPark in #Utah. Hoodoos -- also called “goblins” -- appear as tall, skinny spires of rock sticking up from the bottom of dry basins and range in size from the height of a person to as large as a 10-story building! Nowhere in the world has more #hoodoos than @brycecanyonnps. Photo by photobylitho from @USInterior’s America’s Public Lands group on Flickr. by usinterior
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Last Saturday, national parks across the country organized Instameets to celebrate #NationalPark Week. Thanks to all who joined us at #Shenandoah in #Virginia. Even with the cold and rain earlier in the day, the view was pretty nice. What national park do you want to see an Instameet at next? Photo by Brett Raeburn, National Park Service. #ShenNPS #FindYourPark #LifeOnEarthWWIM13 by usinterior
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Add a river #adventure to your #bucketlist! Float down Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River. With its headwaters in the White Mountains, #BeaverCreek is a short 50-mile trip from Fairbanks, #Alaska. The #river flows west past the jagged limestone ridges of the White Mountains before flowing to the north and east, where it enters the Yukon Flats and joins the Yukon River. It’s a long trip and requires a lot of planning, but you won’t regret it. Photo by Bob Wick, @mypubliclands . by usinterior
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NGC 6872: A Stretched Spiral Galaxy NGC 6872: A Stretched Spiral Galaxy
What makes this spiral galaxy so long? Measuring over 700,000 light years across from top to bottom, NGC 6872, also known as the Condor galaxy, is one of the most elongated barred spiral galaxies known. The galaxy's protracted shape likely results from its continuing collision with the smaller galaxy IC 4970, visible just above center. Of particular interest is NGC 6872's spiral arm on the upper left, as pictured here, which exhibits an unusually high amount of blue star forming regions. The light we see today left these colliding giants before the days of the dinosaurs, about 300 million years ago. NGC 6872 is visible with a small telescope toward the constellation of the Peacock (Pavo). via NASA http://ift.tt/1reZNLn
Apr 26, 2016
One of the most photogenic places on earth, #GrandTeton #NationalPark in #Wyoming never disappoints. With a total height of over 13,000 feet, the mountains tower 7,000 feet over the #SnakeRiver Valley. Created by geologic forces over the course of 10 million years, don’t you think it’s about time you saw @grandtetonnps for yourself? Photo by Michel Hersen (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark #usinterior by usinterior
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If you want to be the first person to see the #sunrise in the continental U.S., you’ll need to take an early #hike up #CadillacMountain in #Acadia National Park (@AcadiaNPS). As the sun peeks above the horizon and lights the #Maine coastline, you’ll be treated to this #gorgeous scene. Consider it a daily dose of nature’s love. Photo by #NationalPark Service. by usinterior
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Simeis 147: Supernova Remnant Simeis 147: Supernova Remnant
It's easy to get lost following the intricate strands of the Spaghetti Nebula. A supernova remnant cataloged as Simeis 147 and Sh2-240, the glowing gas filaments cover nearly 3 degrees -- 6 full moons -- on the sky. That's about 150 light-years at the stellar debris cloud's estimated distance of 3,000 light-years. This sharp composite includes image data taken through a narrow-band filter to highlight emission from hydrogen atoms tracing the shocked, glowing gas. The supernova remnant has an estimated age of about 40,000 years, meaning light from the massive stellar explosion first reached Earth about 40,000 years ago. But the expanding remnant is not the only aftermath. The cosmic catastrophe also left behind a spinning neutron star or pulsar, all that remains of the original star's core. via NASA http://ift.tt/1rcmIXv
Apr 25, 2016
The colorful landscape at #VermillionCliffs #NationalMonument in #Arizona looks like an imaginary creation from a Dr. Suess book. In real life, the brilliant red, orange and white bands of Lollipop Rock -- the iconic geologic formation of the #WhitePocket area -- display enticing curves stretching to cloudless skies. White Pocket is a great area to check out as an alternative to The Wave. Photo courtesy of Scotty Perkins (@scottyperkinsphoto). by usinterior
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M16: Pillars of Star Creation M16: Pillars of Star Creation
Newborn stars are forming in the Eagle Nebula. This image, taken with the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995, shows evaporating gaseous globules (EGGs) emerging from pillars of molecular hydrogen gas and dust. The giant pillars are light years in length and are so dense that interior gas contracts gravitationally to form stars. At each pillars' end, the intense radiation of bright young stars causes low density material to boil away, leaving stellar nurseries of dense EGGs exposed. The Eagle Nebula, associated with the open star cluster M16, lies about 7000 light years away. The pillars of creation were imaged again in 2007 by the orbiting Spitzer Space Telescope in infrared light, leading to the conjecture that the pillars may already have been destroyed by a local supernova, but light from that event has yet to reach the Earth. via NASA http://ift.tt/1WPb4Ow
Apr 24, 2016
Milky Way in Moonlight Milky Way in Moonlight
A waning crescent moon, early morning twilight, and Al Hamra's city lights on the horizon can't hide the central Milky Way in this skyscape from planet Earth. Captured in a single exposure, the dreamlike scene looks southward across the region's grand canyon from Jabal Shams (Sun Mountain), near the highest peak in Oman, on the Arabian Peninsula. Mist, moonlight, and shadows still play along the steep canyon walls. Dark rifts along the luminous band of the Milky Way are the galaxy's cosmic dust clouds. Typically hundreds of light-years distant, they obscure starlight along the galactic plane, viewed edge-on from the Solar System's perspective. via NASA http://ift.tt/1SDb1W1
Apr 23, 2016
Whoa! This stunning shot might look too good to be true, but photographer Jeff Berkes planned this shot a year in advance. It definitely paid off. Taken on September 27, 2015, it shows #OldFaithful Geyser at #Yellowstone #NationalPark in #Wyoming glowing in the orange light of a #lunareclipse. At 8:13 pm, the moon entered maximum eclipse and at 8:15 pm, @yellowstonenps's famous geyser erupted. As Jeff said, “The stars literally aligned this night for me.” This 10-second single exposure courtesy of Jeff Berkes (@jeffberkesphoto). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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NGC 7635: The Bubble Nebula NGC 7635: The Bubble Nebula
Blown by the wind from a massive star, this interstellar apparition has a surprisingly familiar shape. Cataloged as NGC 7635, it is also known simply as The Bubble Nebula. Although it looks delicate, the 7 light-year diameter bubble offers evidence of violent processes at work. Above and left of the Bubble's center is a hot, O-type star, several hundred thousand times more luminous and around 45 times more massive than the Sun. A fierce stellar wind and intense radiation from that star has blasted out the structure of glowing gas against denser material in a surrounding molecular cloud. The intriguing Bubble Nebula and associated cloud complex lie a mere 7,100 light-years away toward the boastful constellation Cassiopeia. This sharp, tantalizing view of the cosmic bubble is a composite of Hubble Space Telescope image data from 2016, released to celebrate the 26th anniversary of Hubble's launch. via NASA http://ift.tt/1WK50qB
Apr 22, 2016
At Interior every day is #EarthDay as we work to protect the lands and waters that belong to all Americans and ensure a bright future for our shared heritage. At Everglades National Park in Florida were helping restore historic water flows and wildlife habitat and working to understand the impacts of climate change. Photo by Glenn Nagel (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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The Comet the Owl and the Galaxy The Comet the Owl and the Galaxy
Comet C/2014 S2 (PanSTARRS) poses for a Messier moment in this telescopic snapshot from April 18. In fact it shares the 1.5 degree wide field-of-view with two well-known entries in the 18th century comet-hunting astronomer's famous catalog. Outward bound and sweeping through northern skies just below the Big Dipper, the fading visitor to the inner Solar System was about 18 light-minutes from our fair planet. Dusty, edge-on spiral galaxy Messier 108 (upper right) is more like 45 million light-years away. A planetary nebula with an aging but intensely hot central star, the owlish Messier 97 is only about 12 thousand light-years distant though, still well within our own Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers expect the orbit of this comet PanSTARRS to return it to the inner Solar System around the year 4226. via NASA http://ift.tt/1pkHliR
Apr 21, 2016
Happy birthday #JohnMuir -- the OG conservationist and Father of the National Parks! Thanks to Muir majestic places like #Sequoia & #KingsCanyon #nationalparks (@sequoia_kingscanyon_np) in #California are protected for generations to come. Theres no better way to celebrate Muirs legacy than by getting outside and enjoying our nations spectacular #publiclands. Photo by Jeff Sambur (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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Shenandoah National Park in #Virginia is home to #wildlife like this cute fawn who wandered away from its mother to munch on spring plants. To share more #NationalPark experiences like this one join us for a @ShenandoahNPS #Instameet on Saturday April 23 as part of our National Park Week celebrations. We'll meet at the Stonyman Trail parking lot (Mile 41.7 on the Skyline Drive) at 4:30 pm ET and take pictures along the way. Everyone is welcome to join the fun and we hope to see you there! #FindYourPark #ShenNPS #LifeOnEarthWWIM13 Photo by Andrew Sentipal (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1VmVQkm
Galaxy Einstein Ring Galaxy Einstein Ring
Can one galaxy hide behind another? Not in the case of SDP.81. Here the foreground galaxy, shown in blue in an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, acts like a huge gravitational lens, pulling light from a background galaxy, shown in red in an image taken in radio waves by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), around it, keeping it visible. The alignment is so precise that the distant galaxy is distorted into part of a ring around the foreground galaxy, a formation known as an Einstein ring. Detailed analysis of the gravitational lens distortions indicate that a small dark satellite galaxy participates in the deflections, bolstering indication that many satellite galaxies are quite dim and dominated by dark matter. That small galaxy is depicted by a small white dot on the left. Although spanning only a few arcseconds, the featured Einstein ring is really tens of thousands of light years across. via NASA http://ift.tt/1S9NY2Z
Apr 20, 2016
#Snow-dusted peaks frame St. Mary Lake in this iconic view of #Glacier #NationalPark in #Montana. Photographer Derek Bennington hiked five miles to capture this photo -- in the summer months a drive along Going-to-the-Sun Road provides some of the most incredible vistas in @glaciernps. Photo courtesy of Derek Bennington (@benningtondt). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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With the glow of the #MilkyWay and the #northernlights above you camping at Mount Rainier #NationalPark in #Washington beats any 5 hotel. From snowy mountaintops to flower carpeted valleys #MountRainier is a nature lovers paradise. Photo @mountrainiernps by Devin Monas (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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Apr 19, 2016
Perched at the crest of the #Cascade Mountain Range in #Oregon is a one-of-a-kind landscape: #CraterLake #NationalPark. No place else in the world combines a deep blue lake sheer cliffs and picturesque islands. And to see it illuminated under the bright night sky is something else. Photo courtesy of Adam McKibben (@adammckibben). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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Looking for a National Park Week #adventure? Photographer Jonathan Irish (@jonathan_irish) recommends #GuadalupeMountains #NationalPark (@guadalupemountainsnps) in #Texas. Besides stunning mountains and rolling plains #sunset over the #sanddunes is quite an experience. You aren't really sure what to expect until you see these striking dunes unfold on the horizon. I was lucky enough to see a beautiful sunset here which took my breath away. The hike back to the car by myself in the dark with coyotes howling all around was quite interesting. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Irish. #findyourpark by usinterior
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Apr 18, 2016
Watching the #sunset over the #VirginRiver at #Zion National Park in #Utah is magical. It’s also what inspired Aaron (@patagoniatothenorthpole) to visit every #nationalpark in the U.S. Photo @zionnps courtesy of Aaron (@patagoniatothenorthpole). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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It looks like this #mink is having a rough Monday. Mink in #Alaska are larger and darker than most weasels. They can hunt on land and water, preying on fish, rodents, birds and insects. Mostly solitary, they only gather during breeding season in the #spring. Hopefully, a little romance will put this one in a better mood. Photo from #LakeClark National Park & #Preserve (@lakeclarknps) by J. Mills, #NationalPark Service. by usinterior
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Asperatus Clouds Over New Zealand Asperatus Clouds Over New Zealand
What kind of clouds are these? Although their cause is presently unknown, such unusual atmospheric structures, as menacing as they might seem, do not appear to be harbingers of meteorological doom. Known informally as Undulatus asperatus clouds, they can be stunning in appearance, unusual in occurrence, are relatively unstudied, and have even been suggested as a new type of cloud. Whereas most low cloud decks are flat bottomed, asperatus clouds appear to have significant vertical structure underneath. Speculation therefore holds that asperatus clouds might be related to lenticular clouds that form near mountains, or mammatus clouds associated with thunderstorms, or perhaps a foehn wind -- a type of dry downward wind that flows off mountains. Such a wind called the Canterbury arch streams toward the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. The featured image, taken above Hanmer Springs in Canterbury, New Zealand, in 2005, shows great detail partly because sunlight illuminates the undulating clouds from the side. via NASA http://ift.tt/1STbQ7v
Apr 17, 2016
When visiting #GlenCanyon National Recreation Area in #Arizona, take a short 1.5 mile round-trip hike to see #HorseshoeBend -- one of the most photographed and awe-inspiring spots on the #ColoradoRiver. No matter how many times you’ve visited, you’re guaranteed to see something new. The colors of the rocks change throughout the day as shadows move in and out of the canyons and the river shines in different shades of green and blue. We promise, you won’t regret making the trip. Photo by David Long (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System
Want to take a fast trip to the edge of the Solar System? Consider a ride on a Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS). The concept is currently being tested and it might take only 10 to 15 years to make the trip of over 100 Astronomical Units (15 billion kilometers). That's fast compared to the 35 years it took Voyager 1, presently humanity's most distant spacecraft, to approach the heliopause or outer boundary of the influence of the solar wind. HERTS would use an advanced electric solar sail that works by extending multiple, 20 kilometer or so long, 1 millimeter thin, positively charged wires from a rotating spacecraft. The electrostatic force generated repels fast moving solar wind protons to create thrust. Compared to a reflective solar light sail, another propellantless deep space propulsion system, the electric solar wind sail could continue to accelerate at greater distances from the Sun, still developing thrust as it cruised toward the outer planets. via NASA http://ift.tt/1QdRu6U
Apr 16, 2016
#Colorado #NationalMonument is a stunning landscape of #canyons, towers and plateaus. The only thing better than taking in this remarkable panorama is seeing it filled with #clouds ☁️. This dramatic event, known as a #cloudinversion, was captured in 2012. Photo by Randy Langstraat (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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Mercury and Crescent Moon Set Mercury and Crescent Moon Set
Innermost planet Mercury and a thin crescent Moon are never found far from the Sun in planet Earth's skies. Taken near dusk on April 8, this colorful evening skyscape shows them both setting toward the western horizon just after the Sun. The broad Tagus River and city lights of Lisbon, Portugal run through the foreground under the serene twilight sky. Near perigee or closest approach to Earth, the Moon's bright, slender crescent represents about 3 percent of the lunar disk in sunlight. Of course as seen from the Moon, a nearly full Earth would light up the lunar night, and that strong perigee earthshine makes the rest of the lunar disk visible in this scene. Bright Mercury stays well above the western horizon at sunset for northern skywatchers in the coming days. The fleeting planet reaches maximum elongation, or angular distance from the Sun, on April 18. But Mercury will swing back toward the Sun and actually cross the solar disk on May 9, the first transit of Mercury since November 8, 2006. via NASA http://ift.tt/1SPzS3h
Apr 15, 2016
Maze Overlook offers unbeatable views of Canyonlands National Park (#Utah) that stretches for miles. Explore #Canyonlands’ amazing landscape for free all next week! To celebrate the #NationalPark Week, all national parks are waiving entrance fees on April 16-24. #Sunset photo by Weston Shirey (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1YyB52Q
The day’s last light illuminates the striking desert landscape of #BigBend #NationalPark in Texas. While deserts can seem empty at first glance, they’re full of life -- @bigbendnps boasts more types of birds, bats and cacti than any other national park in the United States! Head to Big Bend to see what life you can find near meandering rivers and sky island ridge tops. #Sunset photo by Carol Hutchison (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1SficjW
Full Venus and Crescent Moon Rise Full Venus and Crescent Moon Rise
Inner planet Venus and a thin crescent Moon are never found far from the Sun in planet Earth's skies. Taken near dawn on April 6, this timelapse composite shows them both rising just before the Sun. The mountaintop Teide Observatory domes on the fortunate island of Tenerife appear in silhouette against the twilight. In fact, the series of telephoto exposures follows the occultation of Venus by the Moon in three frames. Far from Earth in its orbit and in a nearly full phase, Venus was 96 percent illuminated. Near perigee or closest approach to Earth, the Moon's slender crescent represents about 2 percent of the lunar disk in sunlight. Seen in the first two exposures, the brilliant morning star only vanishes in the third as it winks out behind the bright lunar limb. Five minutes of the dramatic occultation at dawn is compressed into 15 seconds in this timelapse video (vimeo). via NASA http://ift.tt/1Q9tq54
Apr 14, 2016
Bright pink and orange colors decorate a #sunset sky above #CraterLake #NationalPark in #Oregon. #Snowshoeing around the rim of Crater Lake is the perfect way to experience this stunning volcanic feature -- at nearly 2,000 feet, it’s the deepest lake in the United States! Photo by Ryan OKeven (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1SdgqQk
Orion in Red and Blue Orion in Red and Blue
When did Orion become so flashy? This colorful rendition of part of the constellation of Orion comes from red light emitted by hydrogen and sulfur (SII), and blue-green light emitted by oxygen (OIII). Hues on the featured image were then digitally reassigned to be indicative of their elemental origins -- but also striking to the human eye. The breathtaking composite was painstakingly composed from hundreds of images which took nearly 200 hours to collect. Pictured, Barnard's Loop, across the image bottom, appears to cradle interstellar constructs including the intricate Orion Nebula seen just right of center. The Flame Nebula can also be quickly located, but it takes a careful eye to identify the slight indentation of the dark Horsehead Nebula. As to Orion's flashiness -- a leading explanation for the origin of Barnard's Loop is a supernova blast that occurred about two million years ago. via NASA http://ift.tt/1qoEpma
Apr 13, 2016
#Sequoia and #KingsCanyon National Parks have it all -- huge mountains, alpine lakes and breathtaking views. The brilliantly blue Bullfrog Lake is a great place to take a breather while backpacking along the Rae Lakes Loop, one of the most popular hikes in #California’s #SierraNevada. April 16-24 visit all national parks -- including @sequoia_kingscanyon_np -- for free in celebration of #NationalPark Week! Photo by David Palefsky (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). #FindYourPark by usinterior
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Sacred to more than a dozen Native American tribes, #DevilsTower #NationalMonument (@devilstowernps) in #Wyoming was originally called “Bear’s Lodge” or “Bear’s Tipi.” Its otherworldly appearance played a role in origin stories and the legends of heroes. Rising 600 feet above the surrounding plains, it is an impressive and moving sight. Photo of a #lightning strike over the monument by Judit Fabian (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1V1qH5J
Combined Solar Eclipse Corona from Earth and Space Combined Solar Eclipse Corona from Earth and Space
Sometimes, a total eclipse is a good time to eye the Sun. Taking advantage of an unusual juxtaposition of Earth, Moon and Sun, the featured image depicts the total solar eclipse that occurred last month as it appeared -- nearly simultaneously -- from both Earth and space. The innermost image shows the total eclipse from the ground, with the central pupil created by the bright Sun covered by a comparatively dark Moon. Surrounding the blocked solar disk is the tenuous corona of Sun imaged in white light, easily visible from the ground only during an eclipse. Normally, this corona is hard to track far from the Sun, but the featured montage matches it to false-colored observations of the Sun from NASA and ESA's space-based, Sun-orbiting, Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). Observations like this allow the study of the constantly changing magnetic activity both near and far from the Sun, the same activity that ultimately drives Earth's auroras. via NASA http://ift.tt/1N6evht
Apr 12, 2016
Shenandoah National Park in #Virginia has some spectacular views, and we want to share them with you! Join us for a @Shenandoahnps #Instameet on Saturday, April 23, as part of our National Park Week celebrations. We'll meet at the Stonyman Trail parking lot at 4:30 pm ET and take pictures while hiking to the viewpoint. Anyone with a camera or camera phone is welcome. We hope to see you there! #ShenNPS #FindYourPark #LifeOnEarthWWIM13 Photo of a North Marshall Hiker at #Shenandoah by #NationalPark Service. by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1YsyY0v
Today, President Obama designated a new #nationalmonument honoring the struggle for women’s equality -- the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument in #WashingtonDC. One of the oldest standing houses near the U.S. Capitol, the newest monument permanently protects the iconic Sewall-Belmont House that served as the headquarters for the National Woman’s Party, which fought to advance women’s rights throughout the 20th century. #equalpay #findyourpark #equalpayday by usinterior
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The Comet and the Star Cluster The Comet and the Star Cluster
Comet Linear has become unexpectedly bright. The comet, discovered in 2000, underwent a 100-fold outburst just a week before it passed a mere 14 lunar distances from Earth late last month. The comet was captured here last week at about magnitude 6 -- just bright enough to be seen by the unaided eye -- passing in front of the distant globular star cluster M14. Comet 252/P LINEAR is one of a rare group of comets that vacillate between the Earth and Jupiter every 5 years. How the comet will evolve from here is unknown, but hopes run high that it will remain a good object for binoculars in northern skies for the next week or two. via NASA http://ift.tt/1TMdBrU
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