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.


Archive - Afternoon Analemma for Athens

January 23, 2021

Analemma1600

Every weekend we present a notable item from our archives. This EPOD
was originally published January 23, 2004.

Provided by: Anthony Ayiomamitis
Summary authors & editors: Anthony Ayiomamitis; Jim Foster

The image above is a set of 44 multi-exposures on the same frame of
film taken from January through December of 2003, in Athens, Greece at
precisely 16:00:00 Local Meridian Time (the foreground was added
later). This analemma represents the motion of the Sun during the
course of one year as observed in the late afternoon. As a result of
the Earth's tilt about its axis (23.5 degrees) and its elliptical orbit
about the Sun, the position of the Sun in the sky changes from one day
to the next, even when observed at the same time on each day of the
year. Furthermore, the figure 8 loop the Sun makes in the sky over a
12-month period (analemma) will be inclined at different angles
depending on one's geographical latitude. The latitude of Athens is
approximately 38 degrees. Imaging the Sun over a given location for an
entire year is a demanding photographic accomplishment indeed -- few
such attempts have been successful.


Related EPODs

Archive - Afternoon Analemma for Athens Sunspot Sequence AR2781
in 8 days Archive - Sunspots Analemma from Albusciago, Italy
Annular Eclipse of December 26, 2019 December Solstice from
Space
More...

Sun Links

* NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory
* NASA Solar Eclipse Page
* NOAA Solar Calculator
* The Sun-Earth Connection: Heliophysics
* The Sunspot Cycle
* Solar System Exploration: The Sun
* The Sun Now
* This Week’s Sky

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 5 weeks, 3 days, 21 hours, 27 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.


Sun Setting Behind Mount Etna

February 23, 2021

Marcella_SunandEtna

Photographer: Marcella Pace
Summary Author: Marcella Pace

The photos above show the Sun setting behind the Mount Etna
(10,892 ft or 3,320 m) summit crater complex in Sicily, Italy. It’s a
composition of two shots from the same location without changing the
frame; one of the Sun using a solar filter, one with no filter for when
the Sun had moved out of frame. I calculated the ideal position to get
the most dramatic shot. Note that although no sunspots are visible
here, the solar disk was partially obscured by smoke from the
volcano's multiple summit craters. When these photos were snapped, and
during the days before, there was activity from the Voragine Crater
as well as blasts and discontinuous emissions of ash from the Northeast
Crater and the New Southeast Crater. Photos taken on February 18, 2020.
Click here to see a video showing how refraction deforms the edge
of the solar disk.

Photo Details: Canon SX 60Hs camera. With Sun - 247 mm; 1/6 second
exposure; f/8; ISO 100 and astrosolar filter. No filter – 247 mm; f/8;
ISO 100. The video was shot with a Nikon Coolpix P1000 camera; equipped
with an astrosolar filter; Nikon D7100 lens; sequence of 720 photos at
one-second intervals; f/20; 1/350-second exposure; ISO 100.
* Mount Etna, Italy Coordinates: 37.75034, 14.99416

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Sun Setting Behind Mount Etna Exact Time of Sunrise and Sunset
Total Solar Eclipse of December 14, 2020 Archive - Afternoon
Analemma for Athens Sunspot Sequence AR2781 in 8 days Archive -
Sunspots
More...

Sun Links

* NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory
* NASA Solar Eclipse Page
* NOAA Solar Calculator
* The Sun-Earth Connection: Heliophysics
* The Sunspot Cycle
* Solar System Exploration: The Sun
* The Sun Now
* This Week’s Sky

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 9 weeks, 6 days, 21 hours, 27 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.


Lofoten Islands, Norway

March 23, 2021

Alvaro Loften Islands

Photographer: Alvaro Perez
Summary Authors: Alvaro Perez; Stu Witmer

The Lofoten Islands, seen above, lie off the coast of Norway above
the Arctic Circle. A climate provided by the passing Gulf
Stream gives these islands warmer temperatures than other places at the
same latitude such as Alaska or Greenland.

Lofoten is known for its distinctive scenery. Its mountains are part of
the Scandinavian Caledonides range that runs south from the
northern tip of Norway. The geology of the islands is complex
containing primarily granitic basement rocks of the
Transscandinanavian igneous belt.

First inhabited over 7,000 years ago the islands were covered with
large birch and pine forests, home to such wildlife as bears, deer and
beavers. Grain was grown here as early as 4,000 years ago. Photo taken
February 19, 2018.
* Hamnøy, Norway Coordinates: 67.94759, 13.13138

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Geography Links

* Atlapedia Online
* CountryReports
* GPS Visualizer
* Holt Rinehart Winston World Atlas
* Mapping Our World
* Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
* Types of Land
* World Mapper

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 13 weeks, 6 days, 20 hours, 27 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.


Guatemalan Volcanoes

April 23, 2021

_DSC5148 (FILEminimizer)

Cindy_Guatemala volcanoes

Photographers: David Rojas; Cindy Mariela Lorenzo
Summary Author: David Rojas

The photo at top showing a spectacular sunrise was captured from
the Acatenango volcano (foreground) in Guatemala, at an elevation
of 11,500 ft (3,505 m). It was taken on January 24, 2021. Note that the
luminous area at right center is a lava flow on the flank of the
Pacaya volcano (8,373 ft or 2,552 m). Volcanic activity in this
region has increased in the past several months. The bottom photo shows
a twilight view of a number of Guatemalan volcano summits as
observed on December 9, 2019.
* Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala Coordinates: 14.3823, -90.6015

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Geology Links

* Earthquakes
* Geologic Time
* Geomagnetism
* General Dictionary of Geology
* Mineral and Locality Database
* Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness
* This Dynamic Earth
* USGS
* USGS Ask a Geologist
* USGS/NPS Geologic Glossary
* USGS Volcano Hazards Program

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 1 week, 2 days, 22 hours, 42 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.


Triangular Shadow Cast on the Strait of Messina

June 23, 2021

IMG_1508-Pano-2-Modifica-Modifica-2

Photographer: Fabio Di Stefano

Summary Author: Fabio Di Stefano & Cadan Cummings

This astonishing view from atop Mount Dinnammare overlooks the city
of Messina, Italy, located on the eastern edge of the island of
Sicily. Separating mainland Italy and Sicily, the 3.2 mi (5.1 km)
wide Strait of Messina seen at the base of the mountain connects
the Tyrrhenian Sea and Ionian Sea. This photograph taken at
sunset on August 7, 2018, adds extra dimension to the picturesque
landscape from Mount Dinnammare casting what appears to be a triangular
shadow over the strait. This shadow is due to Sun angle on the
horizon and perspective exaggerating the shape cast from the rugged
landscape on the comparably flat landscape below. Note that shadows
such as this are only observed when the Sun is low in the sky and an
abundance of dust is present in the atmosphere. The airborne dust
outside of the shadow acts to scatter sunlight, but inside of the
shadow scattered sunlight is absent. Even mountains that have flat tops
when projected in this manner appear to have triangular shadows.

Photo Details: Overview of two shots taken with a Canon EOS M6 and a
Tokina 11-6mm f / 2.8 IF DX lens. ISO 200, f / 8, 1/80 " exposure, 11mm
focal length.
* Mount Dinnammare, Messina, Italy: 38.160249, 15.464369

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of December 14, 2020
More...

Sun Links

* NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory
* NASA Solar Eclipse Page
* NOAA Solar Calculator
* The Sun-Earth Connection: Heliophysics
* The Sunspot Cycle
* Solar System Exploration: The Sun
* The Sun Now
* This Week’s Sky

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

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 6 weeks, 5 days, 12 hours, 15 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.


Arcus Cloud over the Villa Gesell Province of Buenos Aires

July 23, 2021

_D2_4106 Panorama

Photographer: Christian Grosso

Summary Authors: Christian Grosso; Jim Foster

Featured above is a panoramic view of a severe storm that slammed
into the Villa Gesell Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on February
14, 2021. The rounded cloud formation is known as an arcus cloud.
In this case, since it appears to be affixed to the base of the parent
thunderstorm, it’s called a shelf cloud. A roll cloud is
detached from its parent storm. These clouds take shape along the
leading edge of approaching thunderstorm cells as cool air from strong
downdrafts is pushed into the warmer and moister air that’s feeding
the storm.

Photos details: panorama of 9 photos; Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera; 1/40
sec. exposure; f / 4; ISO 160; 17 mm focal length; Canon EF17-40mm f /
4L USM lens; 19:30 local time.
* Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires, Argentina Coordinates: -37.29969,
-57.00049

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Overshooting Storm Top
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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 11 weeks, 12 hours, 15 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.


Midnight Drama

August 23, 2021


PSX_20210610_091127 (1)

Photographer: Soumyadeep Mukherjee

Summary Authors: Soumyadeep Mukherjee

The state of West Bengal, along with other parts of India, has seen
a surge in the number of lightning strikes in 2021. Actually, the
number of strikes has been increasing over the past several years.
Meteorologists aren’t sure of the cause, however, one theory points to
increased air pollution, at least in areas where wildfires are
prevalent.

On June 8 of this year, the state of West Bengal alone recorded the
death of 26 people due to cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. Photo
taken on June 9, 2021, in Kolkata, India.
Photo details: This image is a stack of 13 separate images; Nikon D5600
camera; 18-55 mm lens; f/6.3; 30 seconds exposure; ISO 100; 20 mm.
Adobe Camera Raw, Photoshop.
* Kolkata, India Coordinates: 22.5726, 88.3639

Related EPODs

Midnight Drama Contrail Shadow Over Braunfels, Germany
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Grim Clouds over the Paris Skyline Altocumulus Cloud Deck Above
Varese, Italy
More...

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 15 weeks, 3 days, 12 hours, 15 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)