These are pictures and photos that have been sent to me by friends and family, that I feel are worth passing along to others. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I have.
As I am not the one to have taken these photos, it is possible that I am displaying someone else's copyrighted work. If I am displaying your works, and you don't want them posted here, please contact me and I will remove them from my site. And if you will allow me to keep them, I will gladly give you credit for your pictures, and a link to your site if you wish.
Thank you... and enjoy the pictures!
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THE ROCK
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THE SKY, FROM ABOVE
These pictures and the accompanying article were posted on the Boston.com website on 9 June 2008.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/06/the_sky_from_above.html
The Space Shuttle Discovery successfully launched last week, becoming the 154th manned US space mission. It flew to the International Space Station, delivering (among other things) a Japanese module called Kibo, repair parts for a broken toilet, a Buzz Lightyear action figure, one of Lance Armstrong's yellow jerseys, and 18 sesame seed bagels - the first bagels ever to reach Earth orbit. Completion of this mission will leave only eight flights remaining in the Space Shuttle program until its end in 2010.
One of the best features of the space program has always been astronaut photography, and I will take this opportunity to share some of the best photographs of Earth's skies, taken from above - way above (over 200 miles to be more exact).
(15 photos total - photo captions are below each picture)
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| The Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from launch pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center on May 31, 2008 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, en route to the International Space Station on a construction mission. (Eliot J. Schechter /Getty Images) | The Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A at 5:02 p.m. The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the International Space Station. (Photo courtesy of NASA Johnson Space Center) | Cumulonimbus Cloud over Africa - 2/5/2008 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) | Anvil clouds seen at sunset. (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) |
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| Storm clouds over the Libya/Chad border, Africa - 10/18/2003 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) | Over the Gulf of Mexico - 1/8/2007 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) | A cloud wake appears on the downwind side of Isla Socorro, Mexico - 2/12/2000 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) | Golden sunset reflected over the Pacific Ocean - 4/26/2008 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) |
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| Thunderheads loom over the US Midwest - 8/19/2003 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) | A dust storm appears over Mali, Sahara Desert - 6/6/2001 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) | Moonset, over the Caribbean - 10/10/2007 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) | Lightning flashes, city lights, sunset, Aurora Australis, atmospheric glow and some stars, seen over Argentina on 4/23/2003 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) |
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More links and information:
Shuttle mission 124 Wikipedia entry Shuttle Mission Information from NASA The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth from Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center |
| Cloud, dust storm over central China - 6/3/2002 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) | Storm clouds over Central Africa - 5/4/2005 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) | Atmospheric distortion apparently flattens the moon as it sets, seen from above Cuba, 2/24/2005 (Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center) |
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ANTARCTIC ICE
Amazing striped icebergs
Icebergs in the Antarctic area sometimes have stripes, formed by layers of snow that react to different conditions.
Blue stripes are often created when a crevice in the ice sheet fills up with meltwater and freezes so quickly that no bubbles form. When an iceberg falls into the sea, a layer of salty seawater can freeze to the underside. If this is rich in algae, it can form a green stripe. Brown, black and yellow lines are caused by sediment, picked up when the ice sheet grinds downhill towards the sea.
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Antarctica: Frozen Wave Pictures
Nature is amazing!
The water froze the instant the wave broke through the ice. That's what it is like in Antarctica where it is the coldest weather in decades. Water freezes the instant it comes in contact with the air. The temperature of the water is already some degrees below freezing. Just look at how the wave froze in mid-air!!!
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RUSSIAN HIGHWAY
This was sent to me by a friend as a PowerPoint presentation; my guess is that the original can be found on English Russia, a website well worth the time to visit!
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WE ARE SMALL
Another PowerPoint presentation; I have no idea of the source on this one.
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