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Flying to Antarctica
Tia Ferguson flew from Chris
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7/8/08
| Description |
Tia Ferguson flew from Christchurch, New Zealand, to Ross Island, Antarctica, on a C-17 military aircraft. The C-17 is used by the military to carry large equipment, supplies and troops. Ross Island is located off the east coast of Antarctica and is the home of McMurdo Station, a science research facility operated by the National Science Foundation. |
| Date |
7/8/08 |
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Mt. Everest
On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hill
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4/24/09
| Description |
On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary, from New Zealand, and Tenzing Norgay, from Nepal, became the first humans to successfully climb to the peak of Mt. Everest,... |
| Date |
4/24/09 |
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Mt. Everest
On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hill
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4/24/09
| Description |
On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary, from New Zealand, and Tenzing Norgay, from Nepal, became the first humans to successfully climb to the peak of Mt. Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. They were part of a British expedition lead by Colonel John Hunt sent specifically to reach what was regarded at the time as the 'third pole.' In decades prior, major British expeditions had attempted to be the first to reach the North and South Poles only to come in second place behind the Americans (Robert Peary's expedition to the North Pole) and the Norwegians (Roald Amundsen's expedition to the South Pole). The British made seven attempts to scale Mt. Everest in the previous decades, usually on the North Face from Tibet. But following the Chinese Revolution in 1949, this route to the mountain was closed and so Mt. Everest expeditions had to explore new routes to reach the peak. The 1953 British Expedition climbed up onto the South Col and then along the Southeast Ridge by a route, which is now the most heavily used by the thousands of climbers who have attempted to climb the mountain since. At the time, there were some doubts whether this approach was possible. At 29,035 feet (8,848 m) in altitude, the air is only one-third as thick as the air at sea level. Members of the expedition, as they did in previous attempts, carried bottled oxygen, but this made for a very heavy load on the climbers and could only supplement their oxygen needs, not fully meet them. Since 1953, many successful expeditions have climbed Mt. Everest, including the first American expedition in 1963. However, most climbers fail to make the peak, and many people die each year in the attempt. As of 2003 when this Landsat 7 image was taken, more than 5,000 people have attempted to repeat their feat with only 1,600 successes and 175 fatalities. Image Credit: NASA |
| Date |
4/24/09 |
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Spring Bloom in New Zealand
…
Off the east coast of New Ze
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11/5/09
| Description |
Off the east coast of New Zealand, cold rivers of water that have branched off from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current flow north past the South Island and converge with warmer waters flowing south past the North Island. The surface waters of this meeting place are New Zealand's most biologically productive. This image of the area on October 25, 2009, from the MODIS sensor on NASAÎÿ_Îÿ_Îÿ__Îÿ__Îÿ_s Aqua satellite shows the basis for that productivity: large blooms of plantlike organisms called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton use chlorophyll and other pigments to absorb sunlight for photosynthesis, and when they grow in large numbers, they change the way the ocean surface reflects sunlight. Caught up in eddies and currents, the blooms create intricate patterns of blues and greens that spread across thousands of square kilometers of the sea surface. Especially bright blue areas may indicate the presence of phytoplankton called coccolithophores, which are coated with calcium-carbonate (chalk) scales that are very reflective. The duller greenish-brown areas of the bloom may be diatoms, which have a silica-based covering. In addition to their importance as the foundation of the ocean food web, phytoplankton play a key role in the climate because, like plants on land, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When they die, they sink to the ocean floor where the carbon they took from the atmosphere is stored for thousands of years. Photo Credit: NASA/MODIS Rapid Response/Jeff Schmaltz. Caption Credit: Rebecca Lindsey, NASA Earth Observatory. |
| Date |
11/5/09 |
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Astronomers Find Smallest Ex
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| Title |
Astronomers Find Smallest Extrasolar Planet Yet Around Normal Star |
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Hubble Identifies Stellar Co
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| Title |
Hubble Identifies Stellar Companion to Distant Planet |
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Hubble Identifies Stellar Co
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| Title |
Hubble Identifies Stellar Companion to Distant Planet |
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Hubble Identifies Stellar Co
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| Title |
Hubble Identifies Stellar Companion to Distant Planet |
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Hubble Identifies Stellar Co
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| Title |
Hubble Identifies Stellar Companion to Distant Planet |
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Hubble Identifies Stellar Co
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| Title |
Hubble Identifies Stellar Companion to Distant Planet |
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Galileo Earth Views (WMS)
| Title |
Galileo Earth Views (WMS) |
| Abstract |
The Galileo spacecraft was launched from the Space Shuttle Atlantis on October 18, 1989 on a six-year trip to Jupiter. On the way, the trajectory of the spacecraft took it past Venus once and Earth twice. Galileo took the Earth images in this animation just after the first flyby of the Earth, on December 11 and 12, 1990. This six-hour sequence of images taken two minutes apart clearly shows how the Earth looks from space and how fast (or slow) the cloud features change when looked at from a distance. The path of the sun can be seen crossing Australia by its reflection in the nearby ocean, and the terminator region between night and day can be seen moving across the Indian Ocean. In the original images, the Earth's rotation is so dominant that cloud movement is hard to see, but these images have been mapped to the Earth is such a way that a viewer can watch just the clouds move in the ocean around Antarctica or across the Austrailian land mass. In this animation, New Zealand can ony be seen as a stationary disturbance under a moving cloud bank. The black area with the sharp boundary to the north and east of Australia is the side of the Earth that could not be seen from Galileo's position. |
| Completed |
2004-08-06 |
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Floods in New Zealand
| Title |
Floods in New Zealand |
| Description |
The flood waters had largely receded on New Zealand's North Island when the clouds cleared away on February 25, 2004, and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image. Only a few muddy pools of standing water and swollen rivers, not present in an image taken on January 17, remain in what was the worst flood to strike the area in 100 years. Tan and green clouds of sediment in the Tasman Sea on the west side of the island also point to the recent floods, which pushed extra water and mud into the Sea. The flooding began on February 13, when a series of unusual summer storms brought heavy rain and strong winds to the lower North Island. The floods damaged at least 19 bridges, affected water and sewer systems, and knocked out power and communications for several days. It is no coincidence that the flood area is one of New Zealand's primary crop-growing regions. Many previous floods have carried rich soil to the land, making the ground fertile crop land. This year, however, the floods destroyed crops and devastated cattle and sheep farmers. Since the flooding began, vegetable prices have increased more than 200 percent. As the waters recede, farmers are beginning to assess the damage, which is expected to soar up to 200 million dollars. The high-resolution images provided above are at MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. Image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Floods in New Zealand
| Title |
Floods in New Zealand |
| Description |
The flood waters had largely receded on New Zealand's North Island when the clouds cleared away on February 25, 2004, and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image. Only a few muddy pools of standing water and swollen rivers, not present in an image taken on January 17, remain in what was the worst flood to strike the area in 100 years. Tan and green clouds of sediment in the Tasman Sea on the west side of the island also point to the recent floods, which pushed extra water and mud into the Sea. The flooding began on February 13, when a series of unusual summer storms brought heavy rain and strong winds to the lower North Island. The floods damaged at least 19 bridges, affected water and sewer systems, and knocked out power and communications for several days. It is no coincidence that the flood area is one of New Zealand's primary crop-growing regions. Many previous floods have carried rich soil to the land, making the ground fertile crop land. This year, however, the floods destroyed crops and devastated cattle and sheep farmers. Since the flooding began, vegetable prices have increased more than 200 percent. As the waters recede, farmers are beginning to assess the damage, which is expected to soar up to 200 million dollars. The high-resolution images provided above are at MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. Image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Floods in New Zealand
| Title |
Floods in New Zealand |
| Description |
The flood waters had largely receded on New Zealand's North Island when the clouds cleared away on February 25, 2004, and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image. Only a few muddy pools of standing water and swollen rivers, not present in an image taken on January 17, remain in what was the worst flood to strike the area in 100 years. Tan and green clouds of sediment in the Tasman Sea on the west side of the island also point to the recent floods, which pushed extra water and mud into the Sea. The flooding began on February 13, when a series of unusual summer storms brought heavy rain and strong winds to the lower North Island. The floods damaged at least 19 bridges, affected water and sewer systems, and knocked out power and communications for several days. It is no coincidence that the flood area is one of New Zealand's primary crop-growing regions. Many previous floods have carried rich soil to the land, making the ground fertile crop land. This year, however, the floods destroyed crops and devastated cattle and sheep farmers. Since the flooding began, vegetable prices have increased more than 200 percent. As the waters recede, farmers are beginning to assess the damage, which is expected to soar up to 200 million dollars. The high-resolution images provided above are at MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. Image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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B-15A Iceberg
| Title |
B-15A Iceberg |
| Description |
Summer?s thaw normally releases Antarctica?s Ross Sea and McMurdo Sound from the thick sea ice that accumulates over the winter, but this year the process is being blocked. As the Southern Hemisphere enters summer, the 3,000-square-kilometer (1,200-square-mile) B-15A iceberg is disrupting the normal wind and current patterns that break up the ice, leaving McMurdo Sound frozen. An official from Antarctica New Zealand?the government organization that oversees New Zealand?s research on Antarctica?told the Associated Press that more ice has accumulated in the sound this year than any other year on record, thanks to the giant berg. The effect of the B-15A iceberg on McMurdo Sound is apparent in these true-color images, acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on December 13, 2004, top, November 9, 2004, bottom left, and November 7, 2003, bottom right. By November 7, 2003, sea ice had begun to clear from McMurdo Sound. In 2004, the ice remained solid through December 13. Though the B-15A iceberg was present both years, its position has shifted just enough to block the flow of ice into the Ross Sea. In the month that has passed between November 9 and December 13, the long B-15A iceberg has drifted away from Ross Island on the open waters of the Ross Sea. The B-15J iceberg, which broke from B-15A in October 2003, has rotated and may be following its parent. The frozen McMurdo Sound is a bluish white to the left of the two large icebergs. To their right is the smooth white Ross Ice Shelf, the large sheet of floating ice from which the B-15 iceberg calved in 2000. The rugged fjords of Scott Coast are partially free of snow in the bottom center of the image. The build-up of ice presents significant problems for the inhabitants of Antarctica. Penguins must now swim great distances to reach open waters and food. Adult penguins may not be able to make the trip and return with food for their young. As a result, many chicks could starve, says Antarctica New Zealand in the Associated Press. It could also be difficult for supply ships to reach the United States? McMurdo Base and New Zealand?s Scott Base in December and January. Images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. All three images, November 9 and December 13, 2004, and November 7, 2003, are available in additional resolutions. |
|
B-15A Iceberg
| Title |
B-15A Iceberg |
| Description |
Summer?s thaw normally releases Antarctica?s Ross Sea and McMurdo Sound from the thick sea ice that accumulates over the winter, but this year the process is being blocked. As the Southern Hemisphere enters summer, the 3,000-square-kilometer (1,200-square-mile) B-15A iceberg is disrupting the normal wind and current patterns that break up the ice, leaving McMurdo Sound frozen. An official from Antarctica New Zealand?the government organization that oversees New Zealand?s research on Antarctica?told the Associated Press that more ice has accumulated in the sound this year than any other year on record, thanks to the giant berg. The effect of the B-15A iceberg on McMurdo Sound is apparent in these true-color images, acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on December 13, 2004, top, November 9, 2004, bottom left, and November 7, 2003, bottom right. By November 7, 2003, sea ice had begun to clear from McMurdo Sound. In 2004, the ice remained solid through December 13. Though the B-15A iceberg was present both years, its position has shifted just enough to block the flow of ice into the Ross Sea. In the month that has passed between November 9 and December 13, the long B-15A iceberg has drifted away from Ross Island on the open waters of the Ross Sea. The B-15J iceberg, which broke from B-15A in October 2003, has rotated and may be following its parent. The frozen McMurdo Sound is a bluish white to the left of the two large icebergs. To their right is the smooth white Ross Ice Shelf, the large sheet of floating ice from which the B-15 iceberg calved in 2000. The rugged fjords of Scott Coast are partially free of snow in the bottom center of the image. The build-up of ice presents significant problems for the inhabitants of Antarctica. Penguins must now swim great distances to reach open waters and food. Adult penguins may not be able to make the trip and return with food for their young. As a result, many chicks could starve, says Antarctica New Zealand in the Associated Press. It could also be difficult for supply ships to reach the United States? McMurdo Base and New Zealand?s Scott Base in December and January. Images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. All three images, November 9 and December 13, 2004, and November 7, 2003, are available in additional resolutions. |
|
B-15A Iceberg
| Title |
B-15A Iceberg |
| Description |
Summer?s thaw normally releases Antarctica?s Ross Sea and McMurdo Sound from the thick sea ice that accumulates over the winter, but this year the process is being blocked. As the Southern Hemisphere enters summer, the 3,000-square-kilometer (1,200-square-mile) B-15A iceberg is disrupting the normal wind and current patterns that break up the ice, leaving McMurdo Sound frozen. An official from Antarctica New Zealand?the government organization that oversees New Zealand?s research on Antarctica?told the Associated Press that more ice has accumulated in the sound this year than any other year on record, thanks to the giant berg. The effect of the B-15A iceberg on McMurdo Sound is apparent in these true-color images, acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on December 13, 2004, top, November 9, 2004, bottom left, and November 7, 2003, bottom right. By November 7, 2003, sea ice had begun to clear from McMurdo Sound. In 2004, the ice remained solid through December 13. Though the B-15A iceberg was present both years, its position has shifted just enough to block the flow of ice into the Ross Sea. In the month that has passed between November 9 and December 13, the long B-15A iceberg has drifted away from Ross Island on the open waters of the Ross Sea. The B-15J iceberg, which broke from B-15A in October 2003, has rotated and may be following its parent. The frozen McMurdo Sound is a bluish white to the left of the two large icebergs. To their right is the smooth white Ross Ice Shelf, the large sheet of floating ice from which the B-15 iceberg calved in 2000. The rugged fjords of Scott Coast are partially free of snow in the bottom center of the image. The build-up of ice presents significant problems for the inhabitants of Antarctica. Penguins must now swim great distances to reach open waters and food. Adult penguins may not be able to make the trip and return with food for their young. As a result, many chicks could starve, says Antarctica New Zealand in the Associated Press. It could also be difficult for supply ships to reach the United States? McMurdo Base and New Zealand?s Scott Base in December and January. Images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. All three images, November 9 and December 13, 2004, and November 7, 2003, are available in additional resolutions. |
|
B-15A Iceberg
| Title |
B-15A Iceberg |
| Description |
Summer?s thaw normally releases Antarctica?s Ross Sea and McMurdo Sound from the thick sea ice that accumulates over the winter, but this year the process is being blocked. As the Southern Hemisphere enters summer, the 3,000-square-kilometer (1,200-square-mile) B-15A iceberg is disrupting the normal wind and current patterns that break up the ice, leaving McMurdo Sound frozen. An official from Antarctica New Zealand?the government organization that oversees New Zealand?s research on Antarctica?told the Associated Press that more ice has accumulated in the sound this year than any other year on record, thanks to the giant berg. The effect of the B-15A iceberg on McMurdo Sound is apparent in these true-color images, acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on December 13, 2004, top, November 9, 2004, bottom left, and November 7, 2003, bottom right. By November 7, 2003, sea ice had begun to clear from McMurdo Sound. In 2004, the ice remained solid through December 13. Though the B-15A iceberg was present both years, its position has shifted just enough to block the flow of ice into the Ross Sea. In the month that has passed between November 9 and December 13, the long B-15A iceberg has drifted away from Ross Island on the open waters of the Ross Sea. The B-15J iceberg, which broke from B-15A in October 2003, has rotated and may be following its parent. The frozen McMurdo Sound is a bluish white to the left of the two large icebergs. To their right is the smooth white Ross Ice Shelf, the large sheet of floating ice from which the B-15 iceberg calved in 2000. The rugged fjords of Scott Coast are partially free of snow in the bottom center of the image. The build-up of ice presents significant problems for the inhabitants of Antarctica. Penguins must now swim great distances to reach open waters and food. Adult penguins may not be able to make the trip and return with food for their young. As a result, many chicks could starve, says Antarctica New Zealand in the Associated Press. It could also be difficult for supply ships to reach the United States? McMurdo Base and New Zealand?s Scott Base in December and January. Images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. All three images, November 9 and December 13, 2004, and November 7, 2003, are available in additional resolutions. |
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B-15A Iceberg
| Title |
B-15A Iceberg |
| Description |
) While the breaking ice may shorten the trip and bring relief to the penguins, it is not clear if the changing conditions will save penguin chicks from starvation. The ice was also a potential problem for supply ships trying to reach McMurdo Station and Scott Base. Instead of cutting through the usual 64 kilometers (40 miles) that separate the pier from open waters, icebreakers had to chart a course through 129 kilometers (80 miles) of ice. The icebreaker succeeded in reaching McMurdo in early January. The image also reveals that the B-15A iceberg has drifted away from the Drygalski Ice Tongue. The massive iceberg had been on course to strike the ice tongue in what could have been a collision of giants. The Drygalski Ice Tongue is a floating extension of a land-based glacier. Such ice tongues have been known to break under smaller strains, and according to NASA scientist Robert Bindschadler, the Drygalski Ice Tongue has never experienced a blow of the magnitude that B-15A could deliver. The iceberg had been moving steadily towards the ice tongue, but its movement slowed in late December. Just as the gap between the two narrowed to less than 4 kilometers, the iceberg rotated slightly and may have become grounded. By January 13, the gap had widened as the iceberg appeared to reverse its course, perhaps in response to being grounded, says Bindschadler. To see an animation of the iceberg?s movement, please visit www.nasa.gov. [ http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/ice_berg_ram.html ] Daily images of the iceberg are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?RossSea/ ] Image courtesy MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center, After remaining a solid mass throughout Southern Hemisphere spring and the first part of summer, sea ice in McMurdo Sound finally began to break into pieces in January 2005. McMurdo Sound passes through an annual cycle in which thick ice freezes on the water during Antarctica?s frigid winter, then breaks and drifts into the Ross Sea during the summer. By late spring in early November, a channel of ice has typically been swept from the Sound. This year, the process was disrupted by the giant B-15A iceberg. Topping 129 kilometers (80 miles) in length, the Long-Island-sized iceberg blocked the currents that usually clear out the Sound. As late as the first week of January, the ice in the Sound remained intact. In early January, temperatures heated up and a powerful storm moved over Antarctica. Flights scheduled to carry supplies to the McMurdo Station (United States) and Scott Base (New Zealand) research stations near McMurdo Sound were delayed due to the fierce weather. Strong winds churned the ocean, and, along with warmer temperatures, may have contributed to the break-up of the ice. When the clouds cleared on January 13, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) flying onboard NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite revealed that the formerly solid ice had been broken into chunks. The frozen expanse of water between the shore (left) and the open sea (right) had been a serious problem for penguins, which had to travel a greater distance to reach open waters and food. Though adults were probably able to make the trip to feed themselves, scientists feared the adults would have to consume most of the food they were bringing to their chicks because of the increased length return journey (See ?Iceberg Blocks Penguin Chicks? [ http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/news/2004/121404iceberg.shtml ] |
|
B-15A Iceberg
| Title |
B-15A Iceberg |
| Description |
) While the breaking ice may shorten the trip and bring relief to the penguins, it is not clear if the changing conditions will save penguin chicks from starvation. The ice was also a potential problem for supply ships trying to reach McMurdo Station and Scott Base. Instead of cutting through the usual 64 kilometers (40 miles) that separate the pier from open waters, icebreakers had to chart a course through 129 kilometers (80 miles) of ice. The icebreaker succeeded in reaching McMurdo in early January. The image also reveals that the B-15A iceberg has drifted away from the Drygalski Ice Tongue. The massive iceberg had been on course to strike the ice tongue in what could have been a collision of giants. The Drygalski Ice Tongue is a floating extension of a land-based glacier. Such ice tongues have been known to break under smaller strains, and according to NASA scientist Robert Bindschadler, the Drygalski Ice Tongue has never experienced a blow of the magnitude that B-15A could deliver. The iceberg had been moving steadily towards the ice tongue, but its movement slowed in late December. Just as the gap between the two narrowed to less than 4 kilometers, the iceberg rotated slightly and may have become grounded. By January 13, the gap had widened as the iceberg appeared to reverse its course, perhaps in response to being grounded, says Bindschadler. To see an animation of the iceberg?s movement, please visit www.nasa.gov. [ http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/ice_berg_ram.html ] Daily images of the iceberg are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?RossSea/ ] Image courtesy MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center, After remaining a solid mass throughout Southern Hemisphere spring and the first part of summer, sea ice in McMurdo Sound finally began to break into pieces in January 2005. McMurdo Sound passes through an annual cycle in which thick ice freezes on the water during Antarctica?s frigid winter, then breaks and drifts into the Ross Sea during the summer. By late spring in early November, a channel of ice has typically been swept from the Sound. This year, the process was disrupted by the giant B-15A iceberg. Topping 129 kilometers (80 miles) in length, the Long-Island-sized iceberg blocked the currents that usually clear out the Sound. As late as the first week of January, the ice in the Sound remained intact. In early January, temperatures heated up and a powerful storm moved over Antarctica. Flights scheduled to carry supplies to the McMurdo Station (United States) and Scott Base (New Zealand) research stations near McMurdo Sound were delayed due to the fierce weather. Strong winds churned the ocean, and, along with warmer temperatures, may have contributed to the break-up of the ice. When the clouds cleared on January 13, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) flying onboard NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite revealed that the formerly solid ice had been broken into chunks. The frozen expanse of water between the shore (left) and the open sea (right) had been a serious problem for penguins, which had to travel a greater distance to reach open waters and food. Though adults were probably able to make the trip to feed themselves, scientists feared the adults would have to consume most of the food they were bringing to their chicks because of the increased length return journey (See ?Iceberg Blocks Penguin Chicks? [ http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/news/2004/121404iceberg.shtml ] |
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Bushfires Raging in Southeas
…
| Title |
Bushfires Raging in Southeast Australia |
| Description |
On January 19, 2003, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors on the Aqua and Terra satellites captured a series of images of the fires in southeast Australia and the plume of smoke wafting thousands of kilometers out over the Pacific Ocean. This composite image is made up of four alternating Terra and Aqua images: Terra/Aqua/Terra/Aqua (left to right). Terra is the morning satellite, so its images were acquired first. Since the satellites collect data from east to west, Terra acquired the third segment of the image, showing South Island of New Zealand first, and then a few hours later, the first segment, showing the coast of Australia. The Aqua images came next, again from east to west, so that the far right segment, showing North Island of New Zealand, came first, and the second segment, showing the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia, came last. Over the ocean, you can see the direction of the sunglint change based on the different orbital geometry: in the Terra image, the sunglint runs northeast-southwest, for Aqua it runs northwest-southeast. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Bushfires Raging in Southeas
…
| Title |
Bushfires Raging in Southeast Australia |
| Description |
Bushfires continue to burn in southeast Australia. This false-color image shows the resulting concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) at an altitude of roughly 3 km (700 millibars) in the atmosphere over Australia and New Zealand. Data taken by the Measurements Of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite have been combined for 6 days from January 15-20, 2003. The colors represent the mixing ratios of carbon monoxide in the air, given in parts per billion by volume. In this scene, values range from as high as 250 ppbv (purple pixels) to as low as 50 ppbv (blue pixels). The white areas show where no data were collected, either due to persistent cloud cover or gaps between satellite viewing swaths. Carbon monoxide is produced as a result of incomplete combustion during burning processes, and is important due to its impact on chemistry in the lower atmosphere. It is a good indicator of atmospheric pollution, and its presence adversely affects the atmosphere's ability to cleanse itself. Because carbon monoxide is persistent for several weeks, it clearly shows the propagation of pollution plumes from the region of the Australian fires out thousands of kilometers into the usually pristine atmosphere of the southern Pacific Ocean. The distribution of pollution over Australia corresponds closely with satellite observed aerosol emitted by the fires [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=5349 ] as observed by TOMS. Image courtesy NCAR MOPITT Team |
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Dust Storm Strips Away Austr
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| Title |
Dust Storm Strips Away Australian Topsoil |
| Description |
A low-pressure system off the southeastern corner of Australia was drawing out a cloud of dust on March 20, 2003. According to news reports, the dust plume consists primarily of topsoil that strong winds swept up off the parched landscape in that region. The province of Victoria was hit particularly hard and this is considered one of the worst dust storms in that state?s history. There is speculation that the dust plume may travel as far eastward as New Zealand. This true-color scene was acquired by the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) on March 20, 2003. Taking advantage of SeaWiFS' perspective near the edge of its swath, a data visualization technique can be used to make the image appear as if the sensor had viewed the horizon. However, the seeming blackness of outer space and the blue tinge of atmosphere in this scene are completely artificial. Image courtesy the SeaWiFS Project, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEAWIFS.html ] NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE |
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Lahar on Mount Ruapehu, New
…
| Title |
Lahar on Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand |
| Description |
Hazards posed by volcanoes usually bring to mind lava flows and clouds of ash. Yet some of the worst hazards emerge long after the eruptions have stopped. Lahars are mudflows of water, volcanic ash, and volcanic rocks. Melting snow and rain can form lakes that sit heavily and uneasily in volcanic calderas. If the volcanic lake breaks through the surrounding rock, a lahar pours down the volcano's flank. Some lahars have been observed moving at 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour, easily outpacing people and animals trying to outrun them. Lahars present an ongoing threat to those living around New Zealand's Mount Ruapehu. On March 18, 2007, one such slurry burst out of Mount Ruapehu's caldera and flowed down the side of the volcano. Nine days later, on March 25, 2007, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured the top image of Mount Ruapehu and its new lahar. For comparison, an earlier image, from February 9, 2002, appears below. In both images, green indicates vegetation, dark blue indicates water, and purplish-gray indicates bare rock or hardened lava. The splotches of white at the summit show snow cover, and the billowy white balls nearby are clouds. South of the volcano, straight lines and sharp angles outlining patches of green indicate cultivated crops. In the image from 2007, the lahar appears as a rivulet of pale grayish-lavender that flows from the summit toward the east, then turns south. Near the base of the volcano, the lahar path separates briefly into two streams. According to The Press, based in New Zealand, a small slurry flowed down the mountainside around midmorning, followed by a larger lahar about 15 minutes later. Described by one eyewitness as a "big gray snake," the mudflow formed a river 30 to 40 meters (100 to 130 feet) wide and rose 6 to 8 meters (20 to 26 feet) over an access bridge. The lahar struck at the same time torrential rains struck the west coast of the island nation, and rain likely played a role in pushing the lahar out of the caldera. In 1953, just minutes before a passenger train approached, a massive lahar from the volcano smashed a railway bridge. The train drove straight into the water and 151 people died. Concerns about future loss of life caused local scientists and authorities to plan an early-warning system. The early warning system was put to the test during the March 18 event, and local authorities expressed relief that the lahar traveled the predicted path and that the early warning system worked as planned. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] |
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Lahar on Mount Ruapehu, New
…
| Title |
Lahar on Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand |
| Description |
Hazards posed by volcanoes usually bring to mind lava flows and clouds of ash. Yet some of the worst hazards emerge long after the eruptions have stopped. Lahars are mudflows of water, volcanic ash, and volcanic rocks. Melting snow and rain can form lakes that sit heavily and uneasily in volcanic calderas. If the volcanic lake breaks through the surrounding rock, a lahar pours down the volcano's flank. Some lahars have been observed moving at 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour, easily outpacing people and animals trying to outrun them. Lahars present an ongoing threat to those living around New Zealand's Mount Ruapehu. On March 18, 2007, one such slurry burst out of Mount Ruapehu's caldera and flowed down the side of the volcano. Seven days later, on March 25, 2007, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured the top image of Mount Ruapehu and its new lahar. For comparison, an earlier image, from February 9, 2002, appears below. In both images, green indicates vegetation, dark blue indicates water, and purplish-gray indicates bare rock or hardened lava. The splotches of white at the summit show snow cover, and the billowy white balls nearby are clouds. South of the volcano, straight lines and sharp angles outlining patches of green indicate cultivated crops. In the image from 2007, the lahar appears as a rivulet of pale grayish-lavender that flows from the summit toward the east, then turns south. Near the base of the volcano, the lahar path separates briefly into two streams. According to The Press, based in New Zealand, a small slurry flowed down the mountainside around midmorning, followed by a larger lahar about 15 minutes later. Described by one eyewitness as a "big gray snake," the mudflow formed a river 30 to 40 meters (100 to 130 feet) wide and rose 6 to 8 meters (20 to 26 feet) over an access bridge. The lahar struck at the same time torrential rains struck the west coast of the island nation, and rain likely played a role in pushing the lahar out of the caldera. In 1953, just minutes before a passenger train approached, a massive lahar from the volcano smashed a railway bridge. The train drove straight into the water and 151 people died. Concerns about future loss of life caused local scientists and authorities to plan an early-warning system. The early warning system was put to the test during the March 18 event, and local authorities expressed relief that the lahar traveled the predicted path and that the early warning system worked as planned. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] |
|
Lahar on Mount Ruapehu, New
…
| Title |
Lahar on Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand |
| Description |
Hazards posed by volcanoes usually bring to mind lava flows and clouds of ash. Yet some of the worst hazards emerge long after the eruptions have stopped. Lahars are mudflows of water, volcanic ash, and volcanic rocks. Melting snow and rain can form lakes that sit heavily and uneasily in volcanic calderas. If the volcanic lake breaks through the surrounding rock, a lahar pours down the volcano's flank. Some lahars have been observed moving at 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour, easily outpacing people and animals trying to outrun them. Lahars present an ongoing threat to those living around New Zealand's Mount Ruapehu. On March 18, 2007, one such slurry burst out of Mount Ruapehu's caldera and flowed down the side of the volcano. Seven days later, on March 25, 2007, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured the top image of Mount Ruapehu and its new lahar. For comparison, an earlier image, from February 9, 2002, appears below. In both images, green indicates vegetation, dark blue indicates water, and purplish-gray indicates bare rock or hardened lava. The splotches of white at the summit show snow cover, and the billowy white balls nearby are clouds. South of the volcano, straight lines and sharp angles outlining patches of green indicate cultivated crops. In the image from 2007, the lahar appears as a rivulet of pale grayish-lavender that flows from the summit toward the east, then turns south. Near the base of the volcano, the lahar path separates briefly into two streams. According to The Press, based in New Zealand, a small slurry flowed down the mountainside around midmorning, followed by a larger lahar about 15 minutes later. Described by one eyewitness as a "big gray snake," the mudflow formed a river 30 to 40 meters (100 to 130 feet) wide and rose 6 to 8 meters (20 to 26 feet) over an access bridge. The lahar struck at the same time torrential rains struck the west coast of the island nation, and rain likely played a role in pushing the lahar out of the caldera. In 1953, just minutes before a passenger train approached, a massive lahar from the volcano smashed a railway bridge. The train drove straight into the water and 151 people died. Concerns about future loss of life caused local scientists and authorities to plan an early-warning system. The early warning system was put to the test during the March 18 event, and local authorities expressed relief that the lahar traveled the predicted path and that the early warning system worked as planned. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] |
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Landslide Buries Valley of t
…
| Title |
Landslide Buries Valley of the Geysers |
| Description |
Geysers are a rare natural phenomena found only in a few places, such as New Zealand, Iceland, the United States (Yellowstone National Park), and on Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. On June 3, 2007, one of these rare geyser fields was severely damaged when a landslide rolled through Russia's Valley of the Geysers. The landslide—a mix of mud, melting snow, trees, and boulders—tore a scar on the land and buried a number of geysers, thermal pools, and waterfalls in the valley. It also blocked the Geyser River, causing a new thermal lake to pool upstream. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this infrared-enhanced image on June 11, 2007, a week after the slide. The image shows the valley, the landslide, and the new thermal lake. Even in mid-June, just days from the start of summer, the landscape is generally covered in snow, though the geologically heated valley is relatively snow free. The tree-covered hills are red (the color of vegetation in this false-color treatment), providing a strong contrast to the aquamarine water and the gray-brown slide. According to the Russian News and Information Agency (RIA [ http://en.rian.ru/ ]) [English language], the slide left a path roughly a kilometer and a half (one mile) long and 200 meters (600 feet) wide. Within hours of the landslide, the water in the new lake inundated a number of additional geysers. The geysers directly buried under the landslide now lie under as much as 60 meters (180 feet) of material, according to RIA reports. It is unlikely that the geysers will be able to force a new opening through this thick layer, adds RIA. Among those directly buried is Pervenets (Firstborn), the first geyser found in the valley, in 1941. Other geysers, such as the Bolshoi (Greater) and Maly (Lesser) Geysers, were silenced when buried by water building up behind the new natural dam. According to Vladimir and Andrei Leonov of the Russian Federation Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, [ http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/expeditions/2007/Geyser_Valley-06-2007/Geyser_Valley-06.htm ], the new lake appears to be stable and draining gradually through the earthen dam, alleviating fears of a catastrophic flood. Should the new lake drain enough, many of the inundated geysers may restart. Initial reports from the Volcanology and Seismology Institute state this has already happened for some geysers. Geysers outside of the slide region, including the Velikan (Giant) Geyser and a major section of the geyser field known as Vitrazh (Stained Glass) appear to have escaped damage. In addition to destroying a number of geysers, the landslide may have damaged habitats in the Valley of the Geysers. The thermal waters and heated steam jets made this valley warmer than the surrounding landscape, and the warmth supported a unique ecosystem. The loss of a large part of its heat source may alter the ecosystem, but it is not clear what additional longer-term changes might occur. For example, salmon that spawn in the Geyser River will be confined to the lower reaches of the river, and bears, which depended on salmon, will need to shift feeding grounds correspondingly. Thanks to Sergey Chernomorets and Boris Yurchak for information and translation. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of Valley of the Geysers [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Jun2007/kamgeysers_ast_2007162.kmz ] for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. |
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Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand
| Title |
Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand |
| Description |
All around the world, people live in places where the threat of natural disaster is high. On the North Island of New Zealand, the Mount Ruapehu volcano is just such a threat. A towering, active stratovolcano (the classic cone-shaped volcano), snow-capped Ruapehu Volcano is pictured in this enhanced-color image. The image is made from topography data collected by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000, and imagery collected by the Landsat satellite on October 23, 2002. Ruapehu is one of New Zealand?s most active volcanoes, with ten eruptions since 1861. The eruptions aren?t the only threat from the volcano, however. Among the most serious threats is a volcanic mudflow called a lahar. In between eruptions, a lake forms in the volcano?s caldera from melting snow. If a previous eruption has deposited a dam of ash, rocks and mud in the lake?s natural overflow point, then the lake becomes dangerously full, held back only by the temporary dam. In this scene, the lake is nestled among the ridges at the top of the volcano. Eventually, the dam gives way and a massive flow of mud and debris churns down the mountain toward farmland and towns below. Scientists estimate that Ruapehu has experienced 60 lahars in the last 150 years. A devastating lahar in 1953 killed more than 150 people, who died when a passenger train plunged into a ravine when a railroad bridge was taken out by the lahar. The flank of the volcano below the lake is deeply carved by the path of previous lahars, the gouge can be seen just left of image center. Currently scientists in the region are predicting that the lake will overflow in a lahar sometime in the next year. There is great controversy about how to deal with the threat. News reports from the region indicate that the government is planning to invest in a high-tech warning system that will alert those who might be affected well in advance of any catastrophic release. Others feel that the government should combat the threat through engineering at the top of the mountain, for example, by undertaking a controlled release of the lake. Landsat data provided courtesy of the University of Maryland Global Land Cover Facility [ http://glcf.umiacs.umd.edu/index.shtml ] Landsat processing by Laura Rocchio, Landsat Project Science Office SRTM 3-arcsecond elevation data courtesy of SRTM Team [ http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/srtm/ ] NASA/JPL/NIMA Visualization created by Earth Observatory staff. |
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Phytoplankton Bloom Around N
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| Title |
Phytoplankton Bloom Around New Zealand |
| Description |
A large phytoplankton bloom brightened the water around New Zealand on April 7, 2002. This true-color image was acquired by the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modarch.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] (MODIS), flying aboard NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] at NASA GSFC |
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Subtropical Blooms in New Ze
…
| Title |
Subtropical Blooms in New Zealand Waters |
| Description |
This Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) image collected on December 3, 2004, shows phytoplankton (microscopic ocean plants) blooms along the ocean circulation feature called the Subtropical Front to the east of New Zealand. The waters of the Pacific Ocean around New Zealand are colored to represent the concentration of chlorophyll in milligrams per cubic meter of water. The scale ranges from shades of deep blue, where little or no chlorophyll was detected by SeaWiFS, to yellow, where the highest concentrations of chlorophyll were detected. The Subtropical Front is an area of the ocean where temperature and salinity gradients are enhanced. These gradients influence phytoplankton growth, which in turn influences New Zealand?s fishing industry. The National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research in New Zealand has a Website [ http://www.niwa.co.nz/pubs/wa/09-3/bugs.htm ] with more information about the biological productivity of this region. Image provided by the SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE. The image is intended for research and educational use only. All commercial use of SeaWiFS data must be coordinated with ORBIMAGE. [ http://www.orbimage.com/ ] |
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Topography of New Zealand
| Title |
Topography of New Zealand |
| Description |
New Zealand straddles the juncture of the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. The Australian Plate is on the west side of the boundary, while the Pacific Plate is on the eastern side. The two plates converge in a scissor-like pattern. In the northern part of the boundary, the Australian plate overrides the Pacific plate, and in the southern part of the plate boundary, the Pacific plate overrides the Australian plate. New Zealand sits in the area around the cross point of this tectonic scissor pattern. (For help visualizing the process, take two index cards and arrange them side by side. On the left-hand card make a cut from the middle of the right edge toward the center. Lift up the top "flap" created by the cut and slide the right-hand card into the cut. Let go of the flap. The left-hand card is the Australian Plate, the right-hand card is the Pacific Plate.) The collision of the two plates has built two major islands that together exhibit active volcanoes and fault systems, and these geologic features are very evident in the topographic pattern. The image above shows a topographic map of the North and South Islands of New Zealand made from radar data collected by the Space Shuttle Endeavor. Elevation is color-coded, with green at the lower elevations, rising through yellow and tan, to white at the highest elevations. Shading reveals the direction of slopes. Northwest slopes appear bright, and southeast slopes appear dark. The North Island lies at the southern end of the west-over-east (Australian over Pacific) plate convergence. Here, the Pacific plate dives under the North Island, and the immense heat and pressure created by this subduction process melts the deep rock. The melted rock (magma) rises to the surface through the North Island's volcanoes and other geothermal features. Most notable are Mount Egmont on the west coast, and Mounts Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro, clustered just south of the island's center. The Rotorua geothermal field is northeast of that cluster of volcanoes, and the field appears as a scattering of bumps created by smaller volcanic eruptions. The South Island straddles the "cross point" of the subduction scissor pattern. To the north of the cross point, the Pacific Plate goes under the Australian Plate, to the south of the cross point, it goes over top. This area around this cross point is not in either subduction zone, which explains why it lacks the volcanic activity of the North Island. Instead, South Island features a fault system that connects the northern subduction zone to the southern one, which occurs south of South Island. The Alpine fault is the major strand of this fault system along most of the length of the island, near and generally paralleling the west coast. Its impact upon the topography is unmistakable, forming an extremely sharp and straight northwest boundary to New Zealand's tallest mountains, the Southern Alps. Along the Alpine Fault, the plates are sliding past each other (moving, horizontally) somewhere between 35-40 millimeters per year. Vertical differences between the two plates increase at a rate of about 7 millimeters per year, which is consistent with the ongoing uplift of the Southern Alps. Elevation data used in this image were acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission [ http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/srtm/ ] aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect 3-D measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter (approximately 200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between NASA, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) of the U.S. Department of Defense and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, D.C. NASA Image courtesy JPL/National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency [ http://www.nima.mil/portal/site/nga01/ ] |
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Tropical Cyclone Ami
| Title |
Tropical Cyclone Ami |
| Description |
With sustained winds of 104 mph (166 km/hr), Tropical Cyclone Ami has tracked southward at 14 mph (22 km/hr) and is now located approximately 98 miles (157 km) northeast of Suva, Fiji. The system is still expected to begin undergoing extratropical transition in the 12 to 24 hour time period as it interacts with a developing mid-latitude low near New Zealand. This true-color image of Tropical Cyclone Ami was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), flying aboard NASA's Terra satellite. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] at NASA GSFC |
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Floods and Landslides in New
…
| Title |
Floods and Landslides in New Zealand |
| Description |
Severe winter storms drenched New Zealand?s North Island with heavy rain, producing floods and landslides on July 18, 2004. About 1,500 fled from their homes as the swollen Rangitaiki River burst its banks and a large mudslide threatened a neighborhood in the city of Whakatane. This true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) image was taken on July 18 at the height of the floods. Muddy brown flood water is pooled near the mouth of the Rangitaiki, left. The region?s sediment-laden rivers are emptying into the Bay of Plenty, spreading a blue-green cloud of dirt into the ocean. NASA image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Floods and Landslides in New
…
| Title |
Floods and Landslides in New Zealand |
| Description |
Severe winter storms drenched New Zealand?s North Island with heavy rain, producing floods and landslides on July 18, 2004. About 1,500 fled from their homes as the swollen Rangitaiki River burst its banks and a large mudslide threatened a neighborhood in the city of Whakatane. This true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) image was taken on July 18 at the height of the floods. Muddy brown flood water is pooled near the mouth of the Rangitaiki, left. The region?s sediment-laden rivers are emptying into the Bay of Plenty, spreading a blue-green cloud of dirt into the ocean. NASA image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Winter Storm in New Zealand
| Title |
Winter Storm in New Zealand |
| Description |
A powerful winter storm swept across New Zealand on June 12, 2006. The storm brought strong winds that gusted up to 130 kilometers per hour (80 miles per hour) and at least one tornado, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation [ http://www.abc.net.au/news/ ] (ABC). Heavy rains triggered floods and landslides along the western coast of South Island, and snow blanketed the central part of the island. This wild weather, said the ABC, knocked out power in Auckland, on North Island (not pictured), and throughout the Canterbury region, shown here. On June 13, skies were clear when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this photo-like image of South Island, New Zealand. Snow covers the Southern Alps, making the finger-like glacier lakes stand out like sapphires against a field of white. The snow stretches to the sea on the east side of the island. It is here, in the river basins and valleys east of the mountains and around Christchurch, that deep snow closed roads and isolated communities, say news reports. The impact of heavy rain along the western shore of South Island is also evident in this image. Mud-laden water, full of sediment from landslides and run-off, flows into the Tasman Sea from the many streams that run out of the mountains. In the ocean, the muddy water is tan and fades to a cloudy green as the sediment disperses. The large image provided above has a resolution of 250 meters per pixel. It is available in additional resolutions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2006164-0613/NewZealand.A2006164.0225 ] from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Lingering Lunar Eclipse
| Title |
Lingering Lunar Eclipse |
| Explanation |
As the Moon passed almost directly through the center of Earth's shadow on July 16th, sky gazers [ http://www.live-eclipse.org/eclipse/lunar00/index.html ] in the Pacific hemisphere [ http://www.skypub.com/sights/eclipses/ 0007threeeclipses.shtml ] were graced by a lingering lunar eclipse [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/extra/ TLE2000Jul16.html ]. The total phase lasted 1 hour and 47 minutes, the longest since 1859. A longer total lunar eclipse [ http://www.MrEclipse.com/Special/ LEprimer.html ] won't occur until the year 3000. Taking advantage of the lengthy totality [ http://www.rasnz.org.nz/Events2000.htm#Eclipse ], astronomer and photographer, Noel Munford used a small telescope to record this colourful picture of the eclipsed Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960403.html ] and nearby stars in the skies above Palmerston North, New Zealand [ http://www.rasnz.org.nz/index.htm ]. Near the top in this southern hemisphere [ http://members.netro.com.au/~michael/astro/polar.htm ] perspective is the 84 kilometer wide bright ray crater Tycho. The Moon looks red even when it lies completely in shadow because it is still illuminated by sunlight reddened by dust and refracted by the atmosphere along the Earth's limb. Changes in atmospheric dust content mean that each eclipse [ http://eclipse99.ksc.nasa.gov/pages/ traditions.html ] can have a different appearance. An experienced observer, Munford comments that at mid totality this eclipse had a more uniform, delicate, subtle colour and was one of the lightest he has seen. |
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Mir Dreams
| Title |
Mir Dreams |
| Explanation |
This dream-like image of Mir [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/mir/ ] was recorded by astronauts as the Space Shuttle Atlantis [ http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/Rockets/ShuttleNames.asp ] approached the Russian space station prior to docking during the STS-76 mission [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-76/ index.html ]. Sporting spindly appendages and solar panels, Mir resembles a whimsical flying insect hovering about 350 kilometers above New Zealand's [ http://www.rasnz.org.nz/index.htm ] South Island and the city of Nelson [ http://webnz.com/nelsonarts/foundations.html ], near Cook Strait [ http://www.south-pole.com/p0000071.htm ]. In late March 1996, Atlantis shuttled astronaut Shannon W. Lucid [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/lucid.html ] to Mir for a five month visit, increasing Mir's occupancy from 2 to 3. It returned to pick Lucid up and drop off astronaut John Blaha [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/blaha.html ] during the STS-79 mission [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-79/mission-sts-79.html ] in August of that year. Since becoming operational in 1986, Mir has [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/mir/mirvis.html ] been visited by over 100 spacefarers from the nations of planet Earth including, Russia, the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Japan, Austria, Kazakhstan and Slovakia. After joint Shuttle-Mir [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/ ] training missions in support of the International Space Station [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/index.html ], continuous occupation of Mir ended in August 1999. Mir is still in orbit and its operation is now being pursued by commercial interests [ http://www.mirstation.com/index.html ]. |
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Southern Comet
| Title |
Southern Comet |
| Explanation |
After a remarkable [ http://www.cortinastelle.it/comete/ 2006P1-mcnaught.htm ] performance in the northern hemisphere, the brightest comet [ http://spaceweather.com/comets/ gallery_mcnaught.htm ] in decades is now showing off in the south [ http://www.yp-connect.net/~mmatti/ ]. Recorded during evening twilight on January 17, this view features the bright coma [ http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/ link=/comets/coma.html&edu=high ] and gorgeous, sweeping tail [ http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/ link=/comets/tail.html&edu=high ] of Comet McNaught (c/2006 P1) [ http://cometography.com/lcomets/2006p1.html ] over Lake Horowhenua in Levin, a small town on New Zealand's North Island. Astronomer Noel Munford reports that the five second long digital camera exposure comes close to capturing the visual appearance of the comet in a sky coloured by smoke from distant brush fires in Australia. Discovered last summer by R. H. McNaught (Siding Spring Survey [ http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/~rmn/ ]), the comet grew impressively bright [ http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/~rmn/C2006P1.htm ] in early January and has even been sighted in full daylight. In the coming days [ http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html ] Comet McNaught will continue to move south, for now a spectacle in southern skies [ http://www.rasnz.org.nz/Comets/C2006P1.htm ] as it heads for the outer solar system. |
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Comet McNaught Over New Zeal
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| Title |
Comet McNaught Over New Zealand |
| Explanation |
Comet McNaught is perhaps the most photogenic comet of our time. After making quite a show [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070115.html ] in the northern hemisphere in mid January, the comet moved south and developed a long and unusual dust tail [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070122.html ] that dazzled southern hemisphere observers [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070205.html ] starting in late January. Comet McNaught [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_McNaught ] was imaged two weeks ago between Mount Remarkable and Cecil Peak in this spectacular image [ http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~mkyoneto/star/mcnaught.htm ] taken from Queenstown [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queenstown%2C_New_Zealand ], South Island [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Island ], New Zealand [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand ]. The bright comet dominates the right part of the above image, while the central band [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050605.html ] of our Milky Way Galaxy [ http://www.seds.org/messier/more/mw.html ] dominates the left. Careful inspection of the image will reveal a meteor streak [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap011111.html ] just to the left of the comet. Comet McNaught [ http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_mcnaught_page18.php ] continues to move out from the Sun and dim, but should remain visible [ http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Comets/2006P1.html ] in southern skies with binoculars through the end of this month. |
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Aurora Over New Zealand
| Title |
Aurora Over New Zealand |
| Explanation |
Last weekend [ http://www.spaceweather.com/aurora/ gallery_31mar01.html ] skygazers at middle and high latitudes around the globe were treated to expansive auroral displays as a magnetic storm raged around planet Earth [ http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/outreach/geospace.html ]. The storm was triggered by a solar coronal mass ejection [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000309.html ] associated with the giant sunspot group cataloged as active region number 9393 [ http://www.spaceweather.com/sunspots/history.html ]. For example, pictured here in the early morning hours of April 1, the skies over New Zealand [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000826.html ] are alive with "southern lights [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010210.html ]". In the wide-angle time exposure, a towering red aurora is visible suspended above the foreground of a well lit lumber yard, train station, church steeple and buildings of the city of Dunedin. On April 2, the largest solar flare [ http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/hotshots/X17/ ] of the last 25 years also erupted near active region 9393, but because of its position near the Sun's edge the effects were largely directed away from our fair planet [ http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/rsd/bluemarble/ index.html ]. However, all the recent solar activity underscores the fact that the solar maximum [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010301.html ] is still with us [ http://www.spaceweather.com/ ]. |
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Shuttle Engine Blast
| Title |
Shuttle Engine Blast |
| Explanation |
The Space Shuttle Discovery [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950808.html ]'s orbital maneuvering system (OMS) engine firing [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/STS51I/10062237.htm ] produced this dramatic flare as it cruised "upside down" in low Earth orbit. Discovery [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/ discovery.html ] was named for a ship commanded by Captain James Cook RN [ http://www.south-pole.com/p0000071.htm ], the 18th Century English astronomer and navigator. Cook's voyages [ http://pacific.vita.org/pacific/cook/ ] of discovery established new standards in scientific exploration and brought extensive knowledge of the Pacific regions, including Australia, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Island [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980725.html ] archipelago to Europeans. The Space Shuttle [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/ index.html ] Endeavor [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950807.html ], also named after one of Cook's ships, is the newest of NASA's four-orbiter shuttle fleet [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/ orbiters.html ]. |
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Shuttle Engine Blast
| Title |
Shuttle Engine Blast |
| Explanation |
The Space Shuttle Discovery [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950808.html ]'s orbital maneuvering system (OMS) engine firing [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/STS51I/10062237.htm ] produced this dramatic flare as it cruised "upside down" in low Earth orbit. Discovery [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/discovery.html ] was named for a ship commanded by Captain James Cook RN [ http://www.cybergate.com/~rsoppe/explor7.html ], the 18th Century English astronomer and navigator. Cook [ http://web.wwnorton.com/blurbs.cat/003680.htm ]'s voyages of discovery established new standards in scientific exploration and brought extensive knowledge of the unknown Pacific regions, including Australia, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Island [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951216.html ] archipelago to Europeans. NASA's four-orbiter Space Shuttle fleet [ http://www.amdahl.com/internet/events/shuttle.html ] will begin a new year of operation on January 11, with the planned launch [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-72/countdown.html ] of the shuttle Endeavour (STS-72) [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-72/mission-sts-72.html ]. Also named after one of Cook's ships, Endeavor [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950807.html ] is the latest addition to the shuttle fleet [ http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/ssa/space.shuttle/docs/homepage.html ]. |
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Mir Dreams
| Title |
Mir Dreams |
| Explanation |
This dream [ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mir/day.html ]-like image of Mir [ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mir/tour.html ] was recorded by astronauts as the Space Shuttle Atlantis [ http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/Rockets/ShuttleNames.asp ] approached the Russian space station prior to docking during the STS-76 mission. Sporting spindly appendages and solar panels, Mir resembles a whimsical flying insect hovering about 350 kilometers above New Zealand's [ http://www.rasnz.org.nz/index.htm ] South Island and the city of Nelson near Cook Strait [ http://www.south-pole.com/p0000071.htm ]. In late March 1996, Atlantis shuttled astronaut Shannon W. Lucid [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/lucid.html ] to Mir for a five month visit, increasing Mir's occupancy from 2 to 3. It returned to pick Lucid up and drop off astronaut John Blaha [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/blaha.html ] during the STS-79 mission [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-79/mission-sts-79.html ] in August of that year. Since becoming operational in 1986, Mir has [ http://www.cosmicimages.com/Mir/index.html ] been visited by over 100 spacefarers from the nations of planet Earth including, Russia, the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Japan, Austria, Kazakhstan and Slovakia. After joint Shuttle-Mir [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/ ] training missions in support of the International Space Station [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/index.html ], continuous occupation of Mir ended in August 1999. The Mir was deorbited [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010323.html ] in March 2001. |
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Mir Dreams
| Title |
Mir Dreams |
| Explanation |
This dream-like image of Mir was recorded by astronauts as the Space Shuttle Atlantis approached the Russian Space Station [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960402.html ] prior to docking during the STS-76 mission [ http://shuttle.nasa.gov/sts-76/images/ ]. Sporting spindly appendages and solar pannels, Mir resembles a whimsical flying insect as it orbits above New Zealand's [ http://www.tekotago.ac.nz/NZHome/NZhome.html ] South Island near the Cook Strait. Atlantis shuttled [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960602.html ] astronaut Shannon W. Lucid [ http://shuttle.nasa.gov/sts-76/crew/intlucid.html ] to Mir for a 140 day visit, increasing the Mir's [ http://shuttle-mir.nasa.gov/ ] occupancy from 2 to 3. It will return to pick Lucid up and drop off astronaut John Blaha [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/blaha.html ] during the STS-79 mission [ http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/shuttle/sts79.html ] presently scheduled for launch [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-79/mission-sts-79.html ] on July 31, 1996. |
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Comet NEAT in Southern Skies
| Title |
Comet NEAT in Southern Skies |
| Explanation |
After last month's dramatic swoop past [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030224.html ] the Sun, Comet NEAT [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030210.html ] (C/2002 V1) appeared as a naked-eye comet [ http://cometography.com/educate/ comintro.html ], emerging from the evening twilight in planet Earth's southern skies. On March 1st, New Zealand photographer Noel Munford captured this telephoto view of the outbound comet close to the southwestern horizon against the faint stars of the constellation Sculptor [ http://www.rasnz.org.nz/Stars/Sculptor.htm ]. He reports that the picture is a good representation of the comet's visual appearance on that date and estimates the impressive tail to be five or six degrees long. Discovered last November [ http://cometography.com/lcomets/2002v1.html ] as part of the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking [ http://neat.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] program, there was some speculation that this comet would not survive its close encounter with the Sun. However, Comet NEAT [ http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/comets/ article_847_1.asp ] is now returning to [ http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/faculty/jewitt/oort.html ] the outer solar system, diving southward and fading fast. |
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Tomorrow's picture: Mir Over
…
| Title |
Tomorrow's picture: Mir Over New Zealand |
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Clouds and the Moon Move to
…
| Title |
Clouds and the Moon Move to Block the Sun |
| Explanation |
High above a small church near Vienna, Austria [ http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/au.html ], clouds and the Moon vied for position in front of the Sun. Such was the case on the ground late last month during a partial eclipse of the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030606.html ] visible throughout Europe and Asia [ http://www.askasia.org/image/maps/asia.htm ]. Nearing the farthest part of its orbit [ http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/uts/moon1.html ] around the Earth [ http://www.nineplanets.org/earth.html ], the Moon's angular size [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010218.html ] was too small to block [ http://www.earthview.com/tutorial/causes.htm ] the entire Sun, a situation that would have resulted in a total solar eclipse [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010408.html ]. The next solar eclipse visible from Earth will occur on November 23. Although a total eclipse [ http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/ ] will be visible only from parts of Antarctica [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991116.html ], parts of the Sun will momentarily disappear for observers across Australia [ http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/as.html ], New Zealand [ http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/nz.html ], and the southernmost tip of South America [ http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/southamerica.html ]. |
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A Fleeting Eclipse
| Title |
A Fleeting Eclipse |
| Explanation |
A lunar eclipse can be viewed [ http://www.skypub.com/eclipses/m960403a.html ] in a leisurely fashion. Visible to anyone [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960403.html ] on the night side of planet Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960819.html ] (weather permitting), totality often lasts an hour or so as the moon glides through the Earth's shadow. But a solar eclipse [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951024.html ] is more fleeting. Totality can last a few minutes only for those fortunate enough to stand in the path of the Moon's shadow as it races across the Earth's surface. For the April 29, 1995 annular solar eclipse, photographer Olivier Staiger [ http://eclipse.span.ch/ ] was standing in Macara, Ecuador under partially cloudy skies. Just before the maximum annular eclipse [ http://eclipse.span.ch/annul.htm ] phase he recorded this dramatic moment [ http://eclipse.span.ch/eclipse.htm ] as a bird flew near the sun. Very accurate predictions of eclipses [ http://planets.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html ] have long been possible [ http://www.earthview.com/ages/mystified.htm ]. The next solar eclipse will occur on September 2 [ http://planets.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SElook/P97look.html ] and be visible from [ http://eclipse.span.ch/sept2.htm ] Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. The next lunar eclipse on September 16 [ http://planets.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/OH97.html#LE1997sep ] will be visible from [ http://www-clients.spirit.net.au/~minnah/Live.html ] the Eastern Hemisphere. |
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Shuttle Engine Blast
| Title |
Shuttle Engine Blast |
| Explanation |
The Space Shuttle Discovery [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950808.html ]'s orbital maneuvering system (OMS) engine firing [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/STS51I/10062237.htm ] produced this dramatic flare as it cruised "upside down" in low Earth orbit. Discovery [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/discovery.html ] was named for a ship commanded by Captain James Cook RN [ http://www.south-pole.com/p0000071.htm ], the 18th Century English astronomer and navigator. Cook's voyages [ http://pacific.vita.org/pacific/cook/ ] of discovery [ http://www.floreyps.act.edu.au/classweb/4c/ccook03.htm ] established new standards in scientific exploration and brought extensive knowledge of the unknown Pacific regions, including Australia, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Island [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970302.html ] archipelago to Europeans. The Space Shuttle [ http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/shuttle ] Endeavor [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950807.html ], also named after one of Cook's [ http://www.rochester.k12.mn.us/century/explorers/cook.html ] ships, is the most recent addition to NASA's four-orbiter shuttle fleet [ http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/orbiters.html ]. |
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Solar Eclipse in View
| Title |
Solar Eclipse in View |
| Explanation |
Friday's solar eclipse [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/HSE2005/ HSE2005.html ] will be a rare hybrid - briefly appearing as [ http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/eclipses/ article_1445_1.asp ] either an annular eclipse or a total eclipse when viewed from along the narrow track of the Moon's shadow [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040926.html ]. Unfortunately that track, never more than about 30 kilometers wide, lies [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/HSE2005/ HSE2005fig/HSE2005map1b.GIF ] mostly across the Pacific Ocean, beginning south of New Zealand and just ending in Venezuela. Skywatchers along the beginning and end of the shadow track will see an annular eclipse of the Sun, with the Moon's silhouette briefly surrounded by a bright ring of fire [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030605.html ], while observers along the middle of the track will witness a total eclipse [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031122.html ] phase. But the good news is that over a much broader region of the globe, including New Zealand and much of South and North America, a partial eclipse can be seen as the Moon appears to take a bite [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001221.html ] out of the Sun. If you want to view the eclipse [ http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/ article_1492_1.asp ], take care to do it safely [ http://www.mreclipse.com/Totality/TotalityCh11.html ], and check the times [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/HSE2005/ PSE2005.html ] for your specific location [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/LC/ LC2005-2.html#2005Apr08H ]. So, what location is this solar eclipse view from? The picture above [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031208.html ] was recorded in November of 2003 from within the track of the Moon's shadow across Antarctica, of course. |
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