Poseidon’s Supermoon
The supermoon (full Moon’s closest approach of the year to Earth) hangs brightly over the Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion, south of Athens, around twilight on Saturday evening May 5, 2012. Photograph by Anthony Ayiomamitis, TWAN
Ouarkziz Impact Crater
The Ouarkziz Impact Crater was formed by a meteor impact less than 70 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era, or “Age of Dinosaurs.” Is located in northwestern Algeria, close to the border with Morocco.
A spring bloom
A spring bloom of phytoplankton was captured in this SPOT-5 image off of Ireland’s northwest coast, North Atlantic Ocean. In lower-right, we can see part of County Mayo’s coast – which appears pink in the false-colour image. Credits: CNES/Spot Image/ESA
Broken Sea
The partially broken sea ice pack in Greenland ice cap, below NASA’s ER-2 can be clearly seen through the pilot’s cockpit viewing sight during one of the MABEL laser altimeter validation flights. Image Credit: NASA
Hottest Spots on Earth by Satellite
The map above shows global maximum land surface (or skin) temperatures from 2003 to 2009, as measured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites.
Supermoon this weekend
On Saturday, May 5, 2012 the Moon could appear as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than other full Moons of 2012. This weekend will provide the full Moon’s closest approach of the year to Earth.
Morning, Moon and Mercury
Moon and Mercury the pair rose together in predawn skies above the city lights of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia, climbing high above the horizon along a steeply inclined ecliptic plane. Image Credit Stephen Mudge, Stephen’s email
Sunny Skies over the Antarctic Peninsula
Sunny skies and westerly winds prevailed over the Antarctic Peninsula on April 24, 2012. Cloudy weather had just moved out, and temperatures rose well above freezing as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite passed overhead and captured a natural-color image acquired April 24, 2012(top). NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen
Eight Lightning Bolts Striking San Francisco
In this picture we see all four towers of San Francisco’s Bay Bridge being struck by lightning. “This shot has been on my list since moving to San Francisco. Unfortunately, I’ve only seen lightning 3 times in the 2 years I’ve lived here. Tonight, I got lightning in 3 separate 20 second exposures. This is a single exposure.” Photographer Phil Mcgrew
