Moonrise Through Mauna Kea's Shadow (Dec. 5 2010)
Seeing this photo may make one ask, how can the moon be rising in front of a mountain? It cannot, what is happening in this photo is a moon rise through the shadow of a large volcano. The volcano is Mauna Kea in Hawaii, USA, a frequent spot for breathtaking photographs because it is an extraordinary place on Earth for many reasons. The Sun in this photo just set in the opposite direction, behind the camera. Also, the Moon has just passed its full phase, were precisely at its full phase it would rise, possibly eclipsed, at the shadow's peak. Refraction of moonlight through the Earth's atmosphere makes the Moon appear slightly ovular. Steep conically shaped hills of volcanic fragments from old volcanic eruptions are visible in the foreground. Cloud tops below Mauna Kea's summit have unusually flat tops, which indicate a decrease in air moisture that frequently keeps the air unusually dry.
No comments:
Post a Comment