#Sunrise over #GrandCanyon #NationalPark in #Arizona is definitely worth getting up early to see. Steven Hirsch (@golfeardoc) captured this incredible photo from Navajo Point -- the highest overlook on @grandcanyon’s South Rim. Just a few minutes west of the Desert View Watchtower, this viewpoint offers panoramic vistas to the west and a view north up the Colorado River. Photo courtesy of Steven Hirsch (@golfeardoc). by usinterior

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A Blue Blood Moon A Blue Blood Moon

This sharp telescopic snapshot caught late September's Harvest Moon completely immersed in Earth's dark umbral shadow, at the beginning of a total lunar eclipse. It was the final eclipse in a tetrad, a string of four consecutive total lunar eclipses. A dark apparition of the Full Moon near perigee, this total eclipse's color was a deep blood red, the lunar surface reflecting light within Earth's shadow filtered through the lower atmosphere. Seen from a lunar perspective, the reddened light comes from all the sunsets and sunrises around the edges of a silhouetted Earth. But close to the shadow's edge, the limb of the eclipsed Moon shows a distinct blue hue. The blue eclipsed moonlight is still filtered through Earth's atmosphere though, originating as rays of sunlight pass through layers high in the upper stratosphere, colored by ozone that scatters red light and transmits blue. via NASA http://ift.tt/1WDpRKr

Can you believe this picture from #HawaiiVolcanoes #NationalPark? As water runs into the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, intense heat from the lava pool quickly turns it into steam, offering a canvas for flames and moonlight to color. It’s an extraordinary sight in a place of natural wonder and cultural importance. The crater’s name translates into “house of eternal flame” and it is known as the home of the goddess Pele, the creator of new land. Photo by Eric Leifer (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior

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Charon: Moon of Pluto Charon: Moon of Pluto

A darkened and mysterious north polar region informally known as Mordor Macula caps this premier high-resolution portrait of Charon, Pluto's largest moon. Captured by New Horizons near its closest approach on July 14, the image data was transmitted to Earth on September 21. The combined blue, red, and infrared data is processed to enhance colors, following variations in surface properties with a resolution of about 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles). In fact, Charon is 1,214 kilometers (754 miles) across, about 1/10th the size of planet Earth but a whopping 1/2 the diameter of Pluto itself. That makes it the largest satellite relative to its planet in the solar system. This remarkable image of Charon's Pluto-facing hemisphere shows a clearer view of an apparently moon-girdling belt of fractures and canyons that seems to separate smooth southern plains from varied northern terrain. via NASA http://ift.tt/1N8fMU6

Isn’t #LakeClark #NationalPark stunning this time of year? Photo from @LakeClarkNPS’s #CrescentLake, showing the short Alaskan fall in full effect as snow begins to creep down the mountains of the Chigmit mountain range. Photo courtesy of Dan Wood (@whatsupdan). by usinterior

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The colorful hills, flat-topped mesas and sculptured buttes of the #PaintedDesert in #PetrifiedForest #NationalPark are primarily made up of river sediment deposited over 200 million years ago. Erosion has shaped intriguing landforms and the rocks reveal an enthralling chronicle of time that is unfolding and ever-changing. Protecting much of this unique landscape in #Arizona has been made possible through $15 million in funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Established by Congress in 1965, the fund uses earning from offshore oil and gas leasing -- not taxpayer dollars -- to protect lands, waters and historic sites. It is a critical tool for preserving our nation’s natural beauty and cultural identity. For the first time in 50 years, Congress has allowed the fund to expire, putting my tool in jeopardy that is essential for ensuring that Americans have access to #parksforall. by usinterior

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Eclipsed in Southern Skies Eclipsed in Southern Skies

This stunning panorama in southern skies was recorded on the colorful night of September 27/28 from Carnegie Las Campanas Observatory. A diffuse glow and dark rifts of the central Milky Way hang over domes of the twin 6.5 meter Magellan telescopes. But most eye-catching is the deep red glow of the Moon. Immersed in Earth's shadow during the much anticipated perigee-total-lunar eclipse, the Moon's surface reflects the light of sunsets and sunrises scattered and refracted into the planet's cone-shaped umbra. Along with the dramatic hue of the eclipsed Moon, other colors of that night captured by the sensitive digital camera include the red and green shades of atmospheric airglow. Viewers can also spot the Andromeda Galaxy below the Moon, seen as a tiny smudge through the reddish airglow and lights along the horizon. The Magellanic Clouds, satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, join in at the far left of the full panorama frame. via NASA http://ift.tt/1hcunj1

Happy 125th birthday to #Yosemite #NationalPark! On this day in 1890, Congress created @yosemitenps, which is best known for its towering granite monoliths and breathtaking waterfalls. Pictured here is #YosemiteValley -- the late afternoon sun created a rainbow in #BridalveilFalls. Photo by Perry Foutch (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior

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An amazing view of Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park. During battles spread out over years, the #CivilWar raged on these #Virginia forests and fields. More than a 150 years after the guns fell silent, these battlefields -- preserved for their historical importance -- now serve as critical natural landscapes and habitat for wildlife. Land and Water Conservation Fund is helping keep America’s history alive. Thanks to money from the fund, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania park was able to protect nearly 5,720 acres of historic landscape. Across the country, the fund has helped state and local governments preserve over 21,000 acres of battlefields and cultural sites, ensuring that we can continue to learn from these hallowed grounds. #parksforall #SunriseThisMorning Photo courtesy of Buddy Secor. by usinterior

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Seasonal Streaks Point to Recent Flowing Water on Mars Seasonal Streaks Point to Recent Flowing Water on Mars

What creates these changing streaks on Mars? Called Recurring Slope Linea (RSL), these dark features start on the slopes of hills and craters but don't usually extend to the bottom. What's even more unusual is that these streaks appear to change with the season, appearing fresh and growing during warm weather and disappearing during the winter. After much study, including a recent chemical analyses, a leading hypothesis has emerged that these streaks are likely created by new occurrences of liquid salty water that evaporates as it flows. The source for the briny water is still unclear, with two possibilities being condensation from the Martian atmosphere and underground reservoirs. An exciting inference is that if these briny flows are not too salty, they may be able to support microbial life on Mars even today. The featured image of a hill inside Horowitz Crater was investigated by instruments aboard the robotic Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter that has been returning data from Mars since 2006. via NASA http://ift.tt/1KK6r1d