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SSV Phoenix Animation Collec
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1. Mars (global views, data
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11/1/06
Red Giant Plunging Through S
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| Title |
Red Giant Plunging Through Space |
| Description |
This image from the Spitzer Space Telescope (left panel) shows the "bow shock" of a dying star named R Hydrae (R Hya) in the constellation Hydra. Bow shocks are formed where the stellar wind from a star are pushed into a bow shape (illustration, right panel) as the star plunges through the gas and dust between stars. Our own Sun has a bow shock, but prior to this image one had never been observed around this particular class of red giant star. R Hya moves through space at approximately 50 kilometers per second. As it does so, it discharges dust and gas into space. Because the star is relatively cool, that ejecta quickly assumes a solid state and collides with the interstellar medium. The resulting dusty nebula is invisible to the naked eye but can be detected using an infrared telescope. This bow shock is 16,295 AU from the star to the apex and 6,188 AU thick. 1 AU is the distance between the Sun and the Earth. The mass of the bow shock is about 400 times the mass of the Earth. The false-color Spitzer image shows infrared emissions at 70 microns. Brighter colors represent greater intensities of infrared light at that wavelength. The location of the star itself is drawn onto the picture in the black "unobserved" region in the center. |
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Viking Checkup
| title |
Viking Checkup |
| date |
05.20.1971 |
| description |
A technician checks the soil sampler on an earlier generation of Mars lander - Viking - in this 1971 photo. Viking 1 became the first spacecraft to land safely on Mars on July 20, 1976. The robotic arm scooped samples of the Martian soil, emptied it into a hopper on the lander, which analyzed it with three scientific instruments. NASA's Viking Lander was designed, fabricated, and tested by the Martin Marietta Corp. of Denver, Colorado, under the direction of the Viking Progect Office at Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. The lander drew heavily on the experience gained from the Ranger, Surveyor and the Apollo Programs in the areas of radar, altimeters, facsimile, cameras, soil samplers and landing gear. *Image Credit*: NASA |
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Viking I Spacecraft in Clean
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| title |
Viking I Spacecraft in Cleanroom |
| description |
The planetary landing spacecraft Viking, which includes stereo cameras, a weather station, an automated stereo analysis laboratory and a biology instrument that can detect life, under assembly at Martin Marietta Aerospace near Denver, Colorado. This Viking spacecraft will travel more than 460 million miles from Earth to a soft landing on Mars in 1976 to explore the surface and atmosphere of the red planet. Martin Marietta is prime and integration contractor for the Viking mission to NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. The lander will be powered by two nuclear generators. *Image Credit*: NASA |
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Olympus Mons, 1998
| title |
Olympus Mons, 1998 |
| date |
04.25.1998 |
| description |
Olympus Mons is a mountain of mystery. Taller than three Mount Everests and about as wide as the entire Hawaiian Island chain, this giant volcano is nearly as flat as a pancake. That is, its flanks typically only slope 20 to 50. The Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) obtained this spectacular wide-angle view of Olympus Mons on Mars Global Surveyor's 263rd orbit, around 10:40 p.m. PDT on April 25, 1998. In the view presented here, north is to the left and east is up. The spacecraft was traveling from north to south (left to right). Although the camera looks straight down (towards the nadir) and cannot be pointed to the side, the wide angle camera has such a large field of view (it sees from horizon to horizon) that, in effect, it provides side looking views. Unlike some other MOC images, that have had to be warped to provide a view as if seen from a certain direction and altitude, this image shows what the camera saw without additional processing. It is easy to imagine that you are looking out a window at the surface of Mars from about 900 km (560 miles) up. The image was taken on a cool, crisp winter morning. The west side of the volcano (lower portion of view, above) was clear and details on the surface appear very sharp. The skies above the plains to the east of Olympus Mons (upper portion of view) were cloudy. Clouds were lapping against the lower east flanks of this 26 kilometers (16 miles) high volcano, but the summit skies were clear. When Mars Global Surveyor attains its Mapping Orbit in March 1999, the MOC wide angle camera system will be used to make daily, global maps of martian clouds and weather systems. The wide angle images will resemble weather satellite pictures of Earth, and will help the Mars science teams plan their observations and test computer-driven Mars weather prediction models. Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO. Image Note: This color picture was made using MOC red wide angle image 26301 and blue wide angle image 26302. The green channel was synthesized by averaging the red and blue bands. Color is not the true color of Mars as it would appear to the human eye (the actual colors would be more pale and contrast more subdued) *Image Credit*: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
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High-Resolution MOC Image of
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| title |
High-Resolution MOC Image of Phobos |
| date |
08.19.1998 |
| description |
This image of Phobos, the inner and larger of the two moons of Mars, was taken by the Mars Global Surveyor on August 19, 1998. This image shows a close-up of the largest crater on Phobos, Stickney, 10 kilometers (6 miles) in diameter. Individual boulders are visible on the near rim of the crater, and are presumed to be ejecta blocks from the impact that formed Stickney. Some of these boulders are enormous - more than 50 meters (160 feet) across. Also crossing at and near the rim of Stickney are shallow, elongated depressions called grooves. This crater is nearly half the size of Phobos and these grooves may be fractures caused by its formation. Phobos was observed by both the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) and Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES). This image is one of the highest resolution images (4 meters or 13 feet per picture element or pixel) ever obtained of the Martian satellite. Malin Space Science Systems, Inc. and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Thermal Emission Spectrometer is operated by Arizona State University and was built by Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO. *Image Credit*: Erich Karkoschka (University of Arizona Lunar & Planetary Lab) and NASA |
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Genesis Assembly
| title |
Genesis Assembly |
| description |
Technicians wearing 'bunny suits' to avoid contaminating the spacecraft install radiation shielding on the Genesis spacecraft. They are working in Lockheed Martin's Denver, Colo., highbay facility. The the shielding protects electronic components need from radiation emitted by the Sun. *Image Credit*: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
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Odyssey over Mars' South Pol
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| title |
Odyssey over Mars' South Pole |
| description |
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft passes above Mars' south pole in this artist's concept illustration. The spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since October 24, 2001. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Mars Odyssey mission for the NASA Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. The gamma-ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and Institute for Space Research, which provided the high-energy neutron detector, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico, which provided the neutron spectrometer. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. *Image Credit*: NASA/JPL |
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Mars Climate Orbiter
| Title |
Mars Climate Orbiter |
| Full Description |
The Mars Surveyor '98 Climate Orbiter is shown here during acoustic tests that simulate launch conditions. The orbiter was to conduct a two year primary mission to profile the Martian atmosphere and map the surface. To carry out these scientific objectives, the spacecraft carried a rebuilt version of the pressure modulated infrared radiometer, lost with the Mars Observer spacecraft, and a miniaturized dual camera system the size of a pair of binoculars, provided by Malin Space Science Systems, Inc., San Diego, California. During its primary mission, the orbiter was to monitor Mars atmosphere and surface globally on a daily basis for one Martian year (two Earth years), observing the appearance and movement of atmospheric dust and water vapor, as well as characterizing seasonal changes of the planet's surface. Imaging of the surface morphology would also provide important clues about the planet's climate in its early history. The mission was part of NASA's Mars Surveyor program, a sustained program of robotic exploration of the red planet, managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. Lockheed Martin Astronautics was NASA's industrial partner in the mission. Unfortunately, Mars Climate Orbiter burned up in the Martian atmosphere on September 23, 1999, due to a metric conversion error that caused the spacecraft to be off course. |
| Date |
05/27/1998 |
| NASA Center |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
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Technician Checks Soil Sampl
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| Title |
Technician Checks Soil Sampler on Viking Lander |
| Full Description |
A technician checks the soil sampler of the Viking lander. An arm will scoop up a sample of the Martian soil, empty it into a hopper on the lander which will route the sample to each of the three scientific instruments, biology, gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer and water analysis. NASA's Viking Lander was designed, fabricated, and tested by the Martin Marietta Corp. of Denver, Colorado, under the direction of the Viking Progect Office at Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. The Lander drew heavily on the experience gained from the Ranger, Surveyor and the Apollo Programs in the areas of radar, altimeters, facsimile, cameras, soil samplers, landing gear, etc. |
| Date |
05/20/1971 |
| NASA Center |
Headquarters |
|
Viking I Spacecraft in Clean
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| Title |
Viking I Spacecraft in Cleanroom |
| Full Description |
The planetary landing spacecraft Viking, which includes stereo cameras, a weather station, an automated stereo analysis laboratory and a biology instrument that can detect life, is under assembly at Martin Marietta Aerospace near Denver, Colorado. This Viking spacecraft will travel more than 460 million miles from Earth to a soft landing on Mars in 1976 to explore the surface and atmosphere of the red planet. Martin Marietta is prime and integration contractor for the Viking mission to NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. The lander will be powered by two nuclear generators. |
| Date |
05/01/1974 |
| NASA Center |
Headquarters |
|
NO2 concentration over the U
…
| Title |
NO2 concentration over the United States from September 24, 2004, through November 7, 2004 |
| Abstract |
Nitrogen dioxide, NO2, is a traffic-related pollutant. Emmisions are generally highest in urban rather than rural areas. Annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in urban areas are generally in the range 10-45 ppb, and lower in rural areas. Levels vary significantly throughout the day, with peaks generally occurring twice daily as a consequence of rush hour traffic. Concentrations can be as high as 200 ppb. Particulate matter is very fine and can be carried deep into the lungs where they can cause inflammation and a worsening of the condition of people with heart and lung disease. Further, the problem is not necessarily concentrated in the inner cities. Because many major road / motorway interchange complexes are situated in semi-rural areas, under conditions of near-stationary traffic, a rapid build-up of engine exhaust pollution can occur, which if the low-level atmospheric conditions are correct, will not be dispersed. |
| Completed |
2004-12-02 |
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Denver Flyby
| Title |
Denver Flyby |
| Abstract |
These images show the city of Denver as seen by Landsat. The shortwave infrared (TM band 5), infrared (TM band 4), and visible green (TM band 2) channels are displayed in the images as red, green, and blue respectively. In this combination, barren and/or recently cultivated land appears red to pink, vegetation appears green, and water is dark blue. |
| Completed |
1999-04-09 |
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Denver Flyby
| Title |
Denver Flyby |
| Abstract |
These images show the city of Denver as seen by Landsat. The shortwave infrared (TM band 5), infrared (TM band 4), and visible green (TM band 2) channels are displayed in the images as red, green, and blue respectively. In this combination, barren and/or recently cultivated land appears red to pink, vegetation appears green, and water is dark blue. |
| Completed |
1999-04-09 |
|
Denver Flyby
| Title |
Denver Flyby |
| Abstract |
These images show the city of Denver as seen by Landsat. The shortwave infrared (TM band 5), infrared (TM band 4), and visible green (TM band 2) channels are displayed in the images as red, green, and blue respectively. In this combination, barren and/or recently cultivated land appears red to pink, vegetation appears green, and water is dark blue. |
| Completed |
1999-04-09 |
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X-24B in flight and landing
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X-24B landing on runway 04 a
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X-24B launch - air drop from
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X-24B launch from B-52 mothe
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Skylab Multiple Docking Adap
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| Name of Image |
Skylab Multiple Docking Adapter Cone Area and Axial Docking Turnel |
| Date of Image |
1971-08-01 |
| Full Description |
This August 1971 interior photograph of Skylab's Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) flight article, undergoing outfitting at the Martin-Marietta Corporation's Space Center facility in Denver, Colorado, shows the forward cone area and docking tunnel (center) that attached to the Apollo Command Module. Designed and manufactured by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the MDA housed the control units for the Apollo Telescope Mount, Earth Resources Experiment Package, and Zero-Gravity Materials Processing Facility and provided a docking port for the Apollo Command Module. |
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Skylab Multiple Docking Adap
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| Name of Image |
Skylab Multiple Docking Adapter-Interior View |
| Date of Image |
1971-12-01 |
| Full Description |
This interior photograph of Skylab's multiple docking adapter (MDA) flight article, then undergoing outfitting at the Martin Marietta Corporation's Space Center facility in Denver, Colorado, shows the forward cone area and docking turnel (center) that attached to the Apollo Command Module. Designed and manufactured by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the MDA housed the control units for the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM), Earth Resources Experiment Package (EREP), and Zero-Gravity Materials Processing Facility and provided a docking port for the Apollo Command Module. |
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Skylab Multiple Docking Adap
…
| Name of Image |
Skylab Multiple Docking Adapter - Interior Aft View |
| Date of Image |
1972-09-01 |
| Full Description |
This September 1972 photograph shows the internal configuration of Skylab's Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) flight article as it appeared during the Crew Compartment and Function Review at the Martin-Marietta Corporation's Space Center facility in Denver, Colorado. Designed and manufactured by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the MDA housed a number of experiment control and stowage units and provided a docking port for the Apollo Command Module. |
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Skylab Multiple Docking Adap
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| Name of Image |
Skylab Multiple Docking Adapter at Martin Marietta |
| Date of Image |
1971-07-01 |
| Full Description |
Workmen at the Martin Marietta Corporation's Space Center in Denver, Colorado, position Skylab's Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) flight article in the horizontal transportation fixture. Designed and manufactured by the Marshall Space Flight Center and outfitted by Martin Marietta, the MDA housed the control units for the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM), Earth Resources Experiment Package (EREP), and Zero-Gravity Materials Processing Facility and provided a docking port for the Apollo Command Module. |
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Multiple Docking Adapter Fli
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| Name of Image |
Multiple Docking Adapter Flight Article at Martin Marietta |
| Date of Image |
1971-12-01 |
| Full Description |
Workmen at the Martin Marietta Corporation's Space Center facility in Denver, Colorado, lower the Skylab Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) flight article into the horizontal rotation fixture in preparation for the crew compartment and function review. Designed and manufactured by the Marshall Space Flight Center and outfitted by Martin Marietta, the MDA housed a number of experiment control and stowage units and provided a docking port for the Apollo Command Module. |
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Skylab Multiple Docking Adap
…
| Name of Image |
Skylab Multiple Docking Adapter - Internal Forward View |
| Date of Image |
1971-12-01 |
| Full Description |
This December 1971 photograph shows the internal configuration of Skylab's Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) flight article (forward view) as it appeared during the crew compartment and function review at the Martin-Marietta Corporation's Space Center Facility in Denver, Colorado. Designed and manufactured by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the MDA housed a number of experiment control and stowage units as well as providing a docking port for the Apollo Command module. |
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Skylab Multiple Docking Adap
…
| Name of Image |
Skylab Multiple Docking Adapter |
| Date of Image |
1971-12-01 |
| Full Description |
This December 1971 photograph shows the internal configuration of Skylab's Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) as it appeared during the Crew Compartment and Function Review at the Martin-Marietta Corporation's Space Center facility in Denver, Colorado. At left is the control and display console for the Apollo Telescope Mount. Designed and manufactured by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the MDA housed a number of experiment control and stowage units and provided a docking port for the Apollo Command Module. |
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Skylab Multiple Docking Adap
…
| Name of Image |
Skylab Multiple Docking Adapter - Internal Aft View |
| Date of Image |
1972-09-01 |
| Full Description |
This September 1972 photograph shows the internal configuration of Skylab's Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) flight article as it appeared during the Crew Compartment and Function Review at the Martin-Marietta Corporation's Space Center facility in Denver, Colorado. Designed and manufactured by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the MDA housed a number of experiment control and stowage units and provided a docking port for the Apollo Command Module. |
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Expedition Five Crew Onboard
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| Name of Image |
Expedition Five Crew Onboard Photo |
| Date of Image |
2002-06-18 |
| Full Description |
This is a photo of the Hayman Fire burning in the foothills southwest of Denver, Colorado, as viewed by an Expedition Five crewmember aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Astronauts use a variety of lenses and look angles as their orbits pass over the wildfires to document the long-distance movements of smoke from the fires as well as details of the burning areas. In this view, Littleton, Chatfield Lake, and the Arkansas River are all visible. |
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Russian Rocket Engine Test
| Name of Image |
Russian Rocket Engine Test |
| Date of Image |
1998-11-04 |
| Full Description |
NASA engineers successfully tested a Russian-built rocket engine on November 4, 1998 at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Advanced Engine Test Facility, which had been used for testing the Saturn V F-1 engines and Space Shuttle Main engines. The MSFC was under a Space Act Agreement with Lockheed Martin Astronautics of Denver to provide a series of test firings of the Atlas III propulsion system configured with the Russian-designed RD-180 engine. The tests were designed to measure the performance of the Atlas III propulsion system, which included avionics and propellant tanks and lines, and how these components interacted with the RD-180 engine. The RD-180 is powered by kerosene and liquid oxygen, the same fuel mix used in Saturn rockets. The RD-180, the most powerful rocket engine tested at the MSFC since Saturn rocket tests in the 1960s, generated 860,000 pounds of thrust. |
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Russian Rocket Engine Test
| Name of Image |
Russian Rocket Engine Test |
| Date of Image |
1998-11-04 |
| Full Description |
NASA engineers successfully tested a Russian-built rocket engine on November 4, 1998 at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Advanced Engine Test Facility, which had been used for testing the Saturn V F-1 engines and Space Shuttle Main engines. The MSFC was under a Space Act Agreement with Lockheed Martin Astronautics of Denver to provide a series of test firings of the Atlas III propulsion system configured with the Russian-designed RD-180 engine. The tests were designed to measure the performance of the Atlas III propulsion system, which included avionics and propellant tanks and lines, and how these components interacted with the RD-180 engine. The RD-180 is powered by kerosene and liquid oxygen, the same fuel mix used in Saturn rockets. The RD-180, the most powerful rocket engine tested at the MSFC since Saturn rocket tests in the 1960s, generated 860,000 pounds of thrust. The test was the first test ever anywhere outside Russia of a Russian designed and built engine. |
|
Russian Rocket Engine Test
| Name of Image |
Russian Rocket Engine Test |
| Date of Image |
1998-11-04 |
| Full Description |
NASA engineers successfully tested a Russian-built rocket engine on November 4, 1998 at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Advanced Engine Test Facility, which had been used for testing the Saturn V F-1 engines and Space Shuttle Main engines. The MSFC was under a Space Act Agreement with Lockheed Martin Astronautics of Denver to provide a series of test firings of the Atlas III propulsion system configured with the Russian-designed RD-180 engine. The tests were designed to measure the performance of the Atlas III propulsion system, which included avionics and propellant tanks and lines, and how these components interacted with the RD-180 engine. The RD-180 is powered by kerosene and liquid oxygen, the same fuel mix used in Saturn rockets. The RD-180, the most powerful rocket engine tested at the MSFC since Saturn rocket tests in the 1960s, generated 860,000 pounds of thrust. |
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Blizzard Hits Colorado
| Title |
Blizzard Hits Colorado |
| Description |
Parts of Colorado and Wyoming were engulfed in a record-setting blizzard between March 18 and 19, 2003. The Rocky Mountains were hammered with as much as 87 inches (7.25 feet) of snow in places, and Denver received about 30 inches, which shut down the airport and stranded motorists. Several people lost their lives in snow-related accidents, and more than one hundred roofs collapsed in Denver from the weight of the heavy, wet snow. Avalanche danger skyrocketed, and an avalanche blocked the road to a mountain ski resort, forcing guests and employees to sleep overnight on floors. The danger was too high for them to venture out onto the slopes. This false-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image shows the skies clearing over Colorado and Wyoming on Thursday afternoon (March 20, 2003) at the time of the Terra satellite overpass. In the image, snow on the ground is bright blue, liquid water clouds are white, vegetation is green, naturally bare ground is tan, and water is deep blue. The blanket of snow softens the sharp peaks of the Rockies that are normally visible. The storm left behind a blanket of snow that stretched from Wyoming and Nebraska (top left and right), through Colorado (center), and down into the peaks of New Mexico's Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the north-central part of the state. In Colorado, the snow reached well out into the plains. In a state desperate for water, the huge snowfall should provide some relief. However, with temperatures expected rise rapidly by the weekend in places like Denver, residents in the lower elevations must prepare themselves for flooding after what is being reported as the worst blizzard in the last century. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Colorado Snow
| Title |
Colorado Snow |
| Description |
By January 7, 2007, Colorado had endured three major snowstorms in as many weeks. The first [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14054 ] storm arrived on December 20. The second arrived on December 28, and the third struck on January 5. According to Denver's Channel 4 news station snow totals for the second storm [ http://cbs4denver.com/weatherblog/local_blogentry_363165702.html ] ranged from 15 to 70 centimeters (6 to 27.5 inches), and for the third storm [ http://cbs4denver.com/weatherblog/local_blogentry_005213333.html ] ranged from 9 to 37 centimeters (3.5 to 14.6 inches). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image on January 7, 2007. In this relatively cloud-free image, nearly the entire state of Colorado is buried under a blanket of snow. Only a small patch in the southwest corner of the state remains relatively dry. Snow cover extends well into Kansas and Nebraskanot surprising as the weekly snowstorms moved off in that direction. The metropolitan Denver area appears as a pale gray patch where buildings and paved surfaces interrupt the snow cover. Likewise, the mountains to the west of Denver carve meandering lines in the snow cover. The western portion of the state generally saw less snowfall than the eastern plains. As of January 8, 2007, a fourth weekly storm was predicted to hit the area a few days later. Added to the snow were high winds, with gusts up to 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour creating snowdrifts up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) high on the roads between Denver and Boulder, home to the University of Colorado. The drifts trapped some drivers for hours. According to the Rocky Mountain News, another unlucky group of drivers were buried in their cars when an avalanche covered part of U.S. Highway 40 in the Colorado mountains on January 6, 2006. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?AERONET_BSRN_BAO_Boulder ] of this region. |
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Rocky Mountain Fires
| Title |
Rocky Mountain Fires |
| Description |
Fire danger in many Western states ranges from high to extreme, and numerous wildfires have resulted from lightning strikes and human carelessness. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from June 9, 2002, shows (clockwise from top left) Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. Large fires detected by MODIS are (clockwise from left) the Big Wash and Sanford Fires in Utah, Long Canyon, Coal Seam, and Hayman, in Colorado, and the Ponil and Cherry Fires in New Mexico. In Colorado, the Hayman Fire is about 40 miles southwest of Denver, and was caused by an illegal campfire in Park County, according to reports from the USDA Forest Service. Smoke and soot are reaching Denver. Roads have been closed and several communities have been evacuated as the fire, which began on Saturday, June 8, grew to almost 20,000 acres by Monday. Also in Colorado, extreme fire behavior has brought the Coal Seam fire to the city of Glenwood Springs, and more than 20 residences have already been lost, with several hundred more threatened. The fire is likely to have started from a coal seam that has been burning underground since the 70s. The western and southern portions of the town have been evacuated. To the south, the Ponil Fire in northern New Mexico has continued to grow since it began as the result of lightning on June 2, and was 85,000 acres by Monday morning. Through the smoke a large burn scar isvisible. (A second burn scar straddles the Colorado-New Mexico border. This scar is from a previous fire called the Trinidad Complex.) Numerous historic structures as well as the town of Ute Park are threatened by the blaze. The Cherry Fire is burning in the Malpa¡s National Monument?the Badlands. Among the structures threatened is an adobe house designed by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Reports from the National Interagency Fire Center on these and other fires read like a script: ?Steep, rugged terrain, high winds, dry fuels, and limited accessibility are hampering containment efforts.? This promises to be an active season for firefighters across the western United States. Please note that the high-resolution scene provided here is 500 meters per pixel. For a copy of the scene at the sensor's fullest resolution, visit the MODIS Rapid Response Image Gallery. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Rocky Mountain Fires
| Title |
Rocky Mountain Fires |
| Description |
A large plume of smoke is streaming northeast from the Hayman Fire (north of center), southwest of Denver, Colorado. The fire, already 77,000 acres, is extremely active and still spreading north-northeast toward Denver. Although shifting winds slowed the fire?s progress, evacuation of thousands of residents is still a possibility. Other large fires shown are the Missionary Ridge Fire, north of Durango, Colorado (southwest of the Hayman Fire), and the Ponil Fire in northern New Mexico (south of the Hayman Fire). This image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite on June 10, 2002. Image courtesy Liam Gumley, Space Science and Engineering Center [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/datacenter/ ], University of Wisconsin-Madison |
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Rocky Mountain Fires
| Title |
Rocky Mountain Fires |
| Description |
Wildfires continue to rage across Colorado and the western United States. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA's Terra satellite shows the fires on the morning of Tuesday, June 11, 2002. Heavy smoke is visible southwest of Denver from the Hayman Fire. See high-resolution scene for an image of the entire state. Image courtesy of Liam Gumley, Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. |
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Rocky Mountain Fires
| Title |
Rocky Mountain Fires |
| Description |
This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Terra satellite shows the ongoing fire activity in the western United States on Wednesday, June 12, 2002. Several large fires (red dots) are burning in Utah (left of center), Colorado (right of center), and New Mexico (bottom right). In southwest Utah are the Big Wash and Sanford Fires. In Colorado, firefighters are battling (clockwise from top left) the Long Canyon, Coal Seam, Hayman, and Missionary Ridge Fires. In New Mexico are the Ponil (north) and Cherry (west) Fires. More than 500 firefighters are battling the Hayman Fire southwest of Denver, Colorado, and the Forest Service has requested 1,800 more to try to contain the now more than 90,000-acre fire which has forced over 5,000 people from their homes. At least twenty structures have been lost, but fortunately, there have been no serious injuries to date. The Forest Service has no official estimate of when the fire might be contained, and thousands more people remain on stand-by for possible evacuation. Elsewhere in Colorado, some residents were allowed to return to their homes in Glenwood Springs, as the threat from the Coal Seam Fire lessened, but the Missionary Ridge fire north of Durango is threatening several subdivisions. In New Mexico, the Ponil Fire is close to 90,000 acres and still growing, but there is currently no immediate threat to any homes or businesses. Please note that the high-resolution scene provided here is 500 meters per pixel. For a copy of the scene at the sensor's fullest resolution, visit the MODIS Rapid Response Image Gallery. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Rocky Mountain Fires
| Title |
Rocky Mountain Fires |
| Description |
Another 2,000 people have been evacuated from their homes less than 50 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado, bringing the total to more than 7,900. Although rain fell on Tuesday, June 18 and slowed the progress of the Hayman Fire (red dots to the right of center) somewhat, it was short lived. On Wednesday, the fire made significant advances on the eastern flank. More rain is forecast for Thursday. The fire was 136,000 acres on Thursday, June 20. Meanwhile, more than 1,700 people are evacuated from their homes north of Durango as the Missionary Ridge Fire in southwest Colorado continued to grow to more than 55,000 acres. At least forty structures have already been lost in this fire, which is only 25 percent contained. Additional fires are burning in the Medicine Bow Mountains in Wyoming (north), and in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains northeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico (south). This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite was captured on June 19, 2002, and shows smoky skies over much of eastern Colorado. Please note that the high-resolution scene provided here is 500 meters per pixel. For a copy of the scene at the sensor's fullest resolution, visit the MODIS Rapid Response Image Gallery. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Rocky Mountain Fires
| Title |
Rocky Mountain Fires |
| Description |
The Hayman Fire, which started on June 8, continues to burn in the Pike National Forest, 57 kilometers (35 miles) south-southwest of Denver. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the fire has consumed more than 100,000 acres and has become Colorado's worst fire ever. More than 50 neighborhoods have been evacuated, forcing more than 5,000 people from their homes. Erratic winds continue to produce extreme fire behavior. The fire is less than 50 percent contained and has already cost more than $11 million to combat. In this Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) image, acquired Sunday, June 16, 2002, at 10:30 a.m. MST, the dark blue area is charred vegetation and the green areas are healthy vegetation. Red areas are active fires, and the blue cloud at the top center is smoke. Standard clouds are white, and in the morning sunlight they are casting black shadows on the ground to their north and west. The image covers an area 32.2 kilometers wide by 35.2 kilometers tall (20.0 x 21.8 miles), and ASTER channels 8-3-2 in red, green, and blue are displayed. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] |
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Rocky Mountain Fires
| Title |
Rocky Mountain Fires |
| Description |
This photograph taken by the new International Space Station crew on June 18, 2002, shows the Hayman Fire burning in the foothills southwest of Denver. Astronauts use a variety of lenses and look angles as their orbits pass over wildfires to document the long-distance movements of smoke from the fires as well as details of the burning areas. In this perspective view, you can see Littleton, Chatfield Lake and the Arkansas River. Astronaut photograph ISS005-E-5419 was provided by the Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Laboratory at Johnson Space Center. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA-JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. |
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Rocky Mountain Fires
| Title |
Rocky Mountain Fires |
| Description |
This photograph taken by the new International Space Station crew on June 18, 2002, shows the eastern flank of the Hayman Fire burning in the foothills southwest of Denver. Astronauts use a variety of lenses and look angles as their orbits pass over wildfires to document the long-distance movements of smoke from the fires as well as details of the burning areas. In this detail view, you can see multiple smoke source points along the as the fire moves across the rough terrain. Astronaut photograph ISS005-E-5416 was provided by the Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Laboratory at Johnson Space Center. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA-JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. |
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Snow Storm in Colorado
| Title |
Snow Storm in Colorado |
| Description |
A big snowstorm brought much-needed moisture to the state of Colorado on January 19, 2006. As reported by the Rocky Mountain News, before the storm, the state's assistant climatologist had warned that drought was beginning to affect the foothills west of the Denver metro area and the plains to the east of the city. A week later, relief arrived, although opinions varied as to whether it was enough to stop the developing drought conditions. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture of Colorado and surrounding states on January 20, 2006. In this image, snow blankets the Rocky Mountains and extends to the east in a counterclockwise direction towards Kansas and Nebraska. The same storm system that brought moisture to Colorado continued dropping precipitation through the Midwest. For Colorado residents, the snow was a mixed blessing. On January 19, temperatures remained warm enough to melt much of the snow as soon as it hit the ground. Overnight temperatures, however, plummeted. The day this image was taken, commuters throughout the state were contending with roads like ice rinks. According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, authorities urged commuters to drive slowly to avoid crashes. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. |
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Snowstorms in Colorado
| Title |
Snowstorms in Colorado |
| Description |
By January 7, 2007, Colorado had endured three major snowstorms in as many weeks. The first [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14054 ] storm arrived on December 20. The second arrived on December 28, and the third struck on January 5. According to Denver's Channel 4 news station snow totals for the second storm [ http://cbs4denver.com/weatherblog/local_blogentry_363165702.html ] ranged from 15 to 70 centimeters (6 to 27.5 inches), and for the third storm [ http://cbs4denver.com/weatherblog/local_blogentry_005213333.html ] ranged from 9 to 37 centimeters (3.5 to 14.6 inches). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image on January 7, 2007. In this relatively cloud-free image, nearly the entire state of Colorado is buried under a blanket of snow. Only a small patch in the southwest corner of the state remains relatively dry. Snow cover extends well into Kansas and Nebraskanot surprising as the weekly snowstorms moved off in that direction. The metropolitan Denver area appears as a pale gray patch where buildings and paved surfaces interrupt the snow cover. Likewise, the mountains to the west of Denver carve meandering lines in the snow cover. The western portion of the state generally saw less snowfall than the eastern plains. As of January 8, 2007, a fourth weekly storm was predicted to hit the area a few days later. Added to the snow were high winds, with gusts up to 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour creating snowdrifts up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) high on the roads between Denver and Boulder, home to the University of Colorado. The drifts trapped some drivers for hours. According to the Rocky Mountain News, another unlucky group of drivers were buried in their cars when an avalanche covered part of U.S. Highway 40 in the Colorado mountains on January 6, 2006. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?AERONET_BSRN_BAO_Boulder ] of this region. |
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Surprise Snow in Colorado
| Title |
Surprise Snow in Colorado |
| Description |
A surprise storm buried sections of Colorado with as much as 61 centimeters (24 inches) of snow on April 10, 2005. According to the Associated Press, the spring storm cancelled flights and closed a major interstate highway, stranding travelers. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this view of the fresh snow on April 12, 2005. The Rocky Mountains in the center of the state had already been covered with a coat of snow, but the plains to the east are also now white. Denver, the capital of Colorado, forms a dark circle in the snow near the base of the mountains. The city reported 30 cm (12 inches) of snow. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The image is available in additional resolutions. |
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Flooding in Brazil
| Title |
Flooding in Brazil |
| Description |
This dramatic image captures a week's worth of torrential rainfall over a small region near Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where the death toll from mudslides has been climbing. Mudslides developed in the mountainous terrain of the Brazilian Highlands where runoff from up to sixteen inches of rain swept through hillside villages. This is more rain than Denver, Colorado or Los Angeles, California receive in an entire year. The image was created using a technique that combines data from NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) with other rainfall-measuring satellites. The summer wet season is occurring over Brazil south of the Equator, and these locally intense rains were generated within a larger, more persistent pattern of rain called the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ). In the image, you can see the larger swath of the SACZ oriented from northwest to southeast across the interior of Brazil, and extending out into the Atlantic Ocean. The SACZ is a nearly stationary frontal zone that persists throughout the wet season. Smaller pockets of locally heavy rain accumulation, such as that shown near Belo Horizonte, develop where moist Atlantic air gets an extra lift by the mountainous terrain, causing the thunderstorms to become severe. *animations* ÿÿsmall (1.4 MB MPEG) ÿÿlarge [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Jan2003/brazil.qt ] (5 MB MPEG) More images of recent extreme rainfall events can be found by visiting the NASA TRMM website (trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov). This image was created by Hal Pierce of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Flooding in Brazil
| Title |
Flooding in Brazil |
| Description |
This dramatic image captures a week's worth of torrential rainfall over a small region near Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where the death toll from mudslides has been climbing. Mudslides developed in the mountainous terrain of the Brazilian Highlands where runoff from up to sixteen inches of rain swept through hillside villages. This is more rain than Denver, Colorado or Los Angeles, California receive in an entire year. The image was created using a technique that combines data from NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) with other rainfall-measuring satellites. The summer wet season is occurring over Brazil south of the Equator, and these locally intense rains were generated within a larger, more persistent pattern of rain called the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ). In the image, you can see the larger swath of the SACZ oriented from northwest to southeast across the interior of Brazil, and extending out into the Atlantic Ocean. The SACZ is a nearly stationary frontal zone that persists throughout the wet season. Smaller pockets of locally heavy rain accumulation, such as that shown near Belo Horizonte, develop where moist Atlantic air gets an extra lift by the mountainous terrain, causing the thunderstorms to become severe. *animations* ÿÿsmall (1.4 MB MPEG) ÿÿlarge [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Jan2003/brazil.qt ] (5 MB MPEG) More images of recent extreme rainfall events can be found by visiting the NASA TRMM website (trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov). This image was created by Hal Pierce of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
…
| Title |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Aerobraking |
| Description |
December 10, 2003 NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter dips into the thin martian atmosphere to adjust its orbit in this artist's concept illustration. NASA plans to launch this multipurpose spacecraft in August 2005 for arrival at Mars in March 2006. The plans call for controlled use of atmospheric friction in a process called aerobraking for about six months after arrival to change the initial, very elongated orbit into a rounder shape optimal for science operations. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is designed to advance our understanding of Mars through detailed observation, to examine potential landing sites for future surface missions and to provide a high-data-rate communications relay for those missions. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Office of Space Science, Washington. JPL's main industrial partner in the project, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, Colo., is building the spacecraft. |
| Date |
12.10.2003 |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
…
| Title |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter over Nilosyrtis |
| Description |
December 10, 2003 NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter passes above a portion of the planet called Nilosyrtis Mensae in this artist's concept illustration. NASA plans to launch this multipurpose spacecraft in August 2005 to advance our understanding of Mars through detailed observation, to examine potential landing sites for future surface missions and to provide a high-data-rate communications relay for those missions. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Office of Space Science, Washington. JPL's main industrial partner in the project, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, Colo., is building the spacecraft. |
| Date |
12.10.2003 |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
…
| Title |
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter over Pole |
| Description |
December 10, 2003 NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter passes over the planet's south polar region in this artist's concept illustration. NASA plans to launch this multipurpose spacecraft in August 2005 to advance our understanding of Mars through detailed observation, to examine potential landing sites for future surface missions and to provide a high-data-rate communications relay for those missions. The orbiter's shallow radar experiment, one of six science instruments on board, is designed to probe the internal structure of Mars' polar ice caps, as well as to gather information planet-wide about underground layers of ice, rock and, perhaps, liquid water that might be accessible from the surface. Phobos, one of Mars' two moons, appears in the upper left corner of the illustration NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Office of Space Science, Washington. JPL's main industrial partner in the project, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, Colo., is building the spacecraft. The Italian Space Agency is providing the radar instrument. |
| Date |
12.10.2003 |
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