via Instagram http://ift.tt/16QKnCl
Feb 10, 2015
Located in the heart of the South Pacific, National Park of #AmericanSamoa offers an escape from the everyday. National Park of American Samoa is like no other national park in the U.S. and is the only one in the Southern Hemisphere. One of the most remote parks, @np_american_samoa includes sections of three volcanic islands -- Tutuila, Ta’ū, and Ofu -- most of which are rainforest. With a bit of explorer's spirit, you can discover secluded villages, observe tropical forest plants and wildlife, snorkel coral reefs and explore the magnificent island and sea vistas. #NationalPark Service photo. by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1ILYfiE
Layered Rocks near Mount Sharp on Mars Layered Rocks near Mount Sharp on Mars
What caused these Martian rocks to be layered? The leading hypothesis is an ancient Martian lake that kept evaporating and refilling over 10 million years -- but has now remained dry and empty of water for billions of years. The featured image, taken last November by the robotic Curiosity rover, shows one-meter wide Whale Rock which is part of the Pahrump Hills outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp. Also evident in the image is cross-bedding -- rock with angled layers -- which were likely facilitated by waves of sand. Curiosity continues to find many layered rocks like this as it continues to roll around and up 5.5-km high Mount Sharp. via NASA http://ift.tt/1C9JGz1
Feb 9, 2015
Need a break from the cold weather impacting much of the U.S.? All this week, we’re featuring some of America’s beautiful (and warm) public lands that’ll help take the chill off of winter. The first warm-weather destination: Dry Tortugas #NationalPark in #Florida. Located almost 70 miles west of Key West, the 100-square mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, the #DryTortugas is known the world over as the home of magnificent Fort Jefferson, picturesque blue waters, superlative coral reefs that are great for snorkeling and the vast assortment of bird life that frequent the area. Photo by Stan Ford (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1AOLVdl
Carina Nebula Dust Pillar Carina Nebula Dust Pillar
This cosmic pillar of gas and dust is nearly two light-years wide. The structure lies within one of our galaxy's largest star forming regions, the Carina Nebula, shining in southern skies at a distance of about 7,500 light-years. The pillar's convoluted outlines are shaped by the winds and radiation of Carina's young, hot, massive stars. But the interior of the cosmic pillar itself is home to stars in the process of formation. In fact, a penetrating infrared view shows the pillar is dominated by two, narrow, energetic jets blasting outward from a still hidden infant star. The above featured visible light image was made in 2009 using the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3. via NASA http://ift.tt/1D9Mb5O
Feb 8, 2015
Feb 7, 2015
Here's your daily dose of cute: Two baby bobcats with their mother at #BlackCanyon of the #Gunnison #NationalPark in #Colorado. Sometimes called wildcats, bobcats are roughly twice as big as the average house cat. They have long legs, large paws, and tufted ears, and get their name for their tail, which appears to be cut or "bobbed." Female bobcats typically have 2-4 kittens. Usually born in spring, the kittens begin traveling with mom within a few months and hunting on their own by fall. by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1FiK9zV
Jupiter Triple-Moon Conjunction Jupiter Triple-Moon Conjunction
Our solar system's ruling giant planet Jupiter and 3 of its 4 large Galilean moons are captured in this single Hubble snapshot from January 24. Crossing in front of Jupiter's banded cloud tops Europa, Callisto, and Io are framed from lower left to upper right in a rare triple-moon conjunction. Distinguishable by colors alone icy Europa is almost white, Callisto's ancient cratered surface looks dark brown, and volcanic Io appears yellowish. The transiting moons and moon shadows can be identified by sliding your cursor over the image, or following this link. Remarkably, two small, inner Jovian moons, Amalthea and Thebe, along with their shadows, can also be found in the sharp Hubble view. The Galilean moons have diameters of 3,000 to 5,000 kilometers or so, comparable in size to Earth's moon. But odd-shaped Amalthea and Thebe are only about 260 and 100 kilometers across respectively. via NASA http://ift.tt/1Dl6RIJ
Feb 6, 2015
Wild Goose Island overlook along Going-to-the-Sun-Road is one of the most popular photography spots at Glacier #NationalPark (@glaciernps) in #Montana. It offers stunning views of tiny Wild Goose Island in the middle of St. Mary Lake with the #Glacier's iconic mountains in the background. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Alfafara (@ralfafara). by usinterior
via Instagram http://ift.tt/1zYpilc
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)