Starship Asterisk*

Islands of Four Mountains from Above

Explanation: Our Earth is covered by volcanoes. Volcanoes are breaks in the Earth's cool surface where hot liquid rock from the interior comes out -- sometimes suddenly. In the above image from the ASTER camera aboard NASA's orbiting Terra satellite, snow-capped volcanoes are seen from overhead that compose the picturesque Islands of the Four Mountains in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA. The islands contain restless Mt. Cleveland, an active volcano currently being watched to see if it emits an ash cloud that could affect air travel over parts of North America. A close look at Mt. Cleveland, seen near the image center, shows a red rocky base, a white snow-covered peak, a light plume of gas and ash, and dark lanes where ash and debris fell or flowed. Millions of volcanoes have likely been active over the turbulent history of the Earth's surface, while about 20 volcanoes are erupting even today, at any given time.

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I realize that in a way it makes sense to have north to the top of the photo, however, since our eyes and brains expect light to come from the top of an image, having it come from below as in this photo fools our brains into getting our depth perception backwards. I really think it would be better to display the photo upside down so the sunlight comes from above and just add a little compass logo to indicate that north is downward.

Rather seen upside down or right side up it's an awesome picture. Had no idea what it was until I read the description.

FS

Despite the fact that its a beautiful photo, methinks that this photo should be in the Earth Observatory Image of the Day rather than APOD...
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/

Any comments folks? Should APOD only show photos looking away from our planet, or can we accept the ocassional downward view?

I think it is interesting to have an occasional image of the Earth here, if only to remind us that the Earth is a part of the cosmos, too.

However, I think that whenever possible, APOD pictures of the Earth should compare the Earth with other known planets. What about the Earth's volcanism compared with the volcanism on Mars and Venus, for example? Well, Mars also has volcanoes, but there is so much less present-day volcanism on Mars than on the Earth. While the Earth is still basically molten and bubbling, Mars is like a decrepit old person, getting ever stiffer and more rigid.

Venus, or so someone said, may have suffered a series of humongous eruptions which dumped all that "atmosphere in the atmosphere" which in turn started a runaway greenhouse effect on the planet. Or so I read someplace, as I said. I'm sure that this hasn't been proved in any way, and my guess is that Chris Peterson may disapprove of the theory!

Anyway, my point is this: The Earth is probably once again a Goldilock world, when it comes to volcanism, too. We've got just the right amount of it. Life probably needs, or at least strongly benefits from, volcanism, if there is not too much of it. Just the right amount of volcanism recycles the world, bringing fresh nutrients and other necessary stuff to the surface. Venus and Mars hasn't got the kind of volcanism that we have got, and this may contribute to their barrenness.

Ann

Benbrilling wrote:I realize that in a way it makes sense to have north to the top of the photo, however, since our eyes and brains expect light to come from the top of an image, having it come from below as in this photo fools our brains into getting our depth perception backwards. I really think it would be better to display the photo upside down so the sunlight comes from above and just add a little compass logo to indicate that north is downward.

It just an Aleutian.

It is true that some countries, America included, mark the changing of the seasons with the solstice while others mark it on the calendar. June July August is considered Summer(North) Winter(South) and December January February Summer(South) Winter(North). From an astronomical view, the equinoxes and solstices would be the middle of the respective seasons, but a variable seasonal lag means that the meteorological start of the season, which is based on average temperature patterns, occurs several weeks later than the start of the astronomical season. According to meteorologists, summer extends for the whole months of June, July and August in the northern hemisphere and the whole months of December, January and February in the southern hemisphere. This meteorological definition of summer also aligns with the commonly viewed notion of summer as the season with the longest (and warmest) days of the year, in which daylight predominates. From the astronomical perspective, days continue to lengthen from equinox to solstice and summer days progressively shorten after the solstice, so meteorological summer encompasses the build-up to the longest day and a diminishing thereafter, with summer having many more hours of daylight than spring.

The meteorological reckoning of seasons is used in Austria, Denmark and the former USSR; it is also used by many in the United Kingdom, where summer is thought of as extending from mid-May to mid-August. The definition based on equinox to solstice is more frequently used in the United States where a temperature lag of up to half a season is common.

Neat photo! The mountain tops look like blooming flowers.

Beeeuuuuteeful!

And, very cool, Art! And very apropos!

Interesting that the ash plume is blowing in a different direction than the clouds.

jed dixon wrote:Interesting that the ash plume is blowing in a different direction than the clouds.

How can you tell which way the clouds are going? Based on a still photo, I would say the ash cloud is moving the same way, from the way in which the clouds are moving between the mountains.


I love sattelite imagery. The first ever book I bought myself as a kid was a sattelite image book from the primary school book sale. I loved it and I still think I have it.



Paul.

wow! That's a cool pic! I thought it was Mars or something! haha I didn't think earth could look like that! Wicked Cool

Hannah
"When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers,The moon and the stars that you have prepared,What is mortal man that you keep him in mind, And the son of earthling man that you take care of him?"

Wow what a beautiful picture. Anyone know approximately how many miles apart they are? Just curious.

moonsturck wrote:Wow what a beautiful picture. Anyone know approximately how many miles apart they are? Just curious.

About ten miles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islands_of_Four_Mountains wrote:
<<Islands of Four Mountains Coordinates: 52°52′34″N 169°47′42″W is an island grouping of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, United States. The chain includes, from west to east, Amukta, Chagulak, Yunaska, Herbert, Carlisle, Chuginadak, Uliaga, and Kagamil Islands. This island chain is located between Amukta Pass and the Andreanof Islands to the west, and Samalga Pass and the Fox Islands to the east. These islands have a total land area of 210.656 sq mi (545.596 km²) and have no permanent population. The two largest islands are Yunaska and Chuginadak. Chuginadak is comprised mainly of the active volcano Mount Cleveland.



The name is translated from Russian Четырехсопочные Острова (Ostrova Chetyre Soposhnye) meaning "Islands of Four Volcanoes" (Sarichev, 1826, map 3) and was applied by the early Russian explorers because of four prominent volcanoes located on four of the islands. This is the first island in the aleutian time zone 1 hour behind alaska with daylight savings time as of 2010.>>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuginadak_Island wrote:
<<Chuginadak Island is the largest island in the Islands of Four Mountains subgroup of the Aleutian archipelago. Chuginadak is an Aleutian name published by Captain Tebenkov in an 1852 map. According to Knut Bergsland's Aleut Dictionary, the Aleutian word "chugida-lix" means "to fry, to make sizzle." The Western half of the island is called Chuginadax in Aleut, meaning 'simmering'.



The island is approximately 14 miles (23 km) long and the currently active. Mount Cleveland stratovolcano forms the entire western half of the land mass. A narrow strip of land separates the volcano from the rugged and lower Eastern side of the island.

The only major geographical place is Applegate Cove (2.5 miles across) (Chuguuĝix̂) on the Northern coast. The cove was named for Samuel Applegate, USC&GS, who commanded the schooner Nellie Juan during a survey of this area in the 1880s.>>

In the hi res version of this photo there is a faint line running ESE from the top of the frame to the volcano in the upper right. Is this a flaw in the photo or something more interesting?

I'm assuming this was a fairly short exposure so if the line represents a moving body, it would have to be moving rather quickly.

Any thoughts?

BTW, I've been an APOD fan for 10 years but have never posted before. This site is my daily dose of AWEsome.

Tom

moonsturck wrote:Wow what a beautiful picture. Anyone know approximately how many miles apart they are? Just curious.

If you copy and past the longitude and latitude (52°52′34″N 169°47′42″W) into Google Earth or Maps you will see the islands. I measured them to be about 6.5 miles up to about 9.5 miles apart.

I know this image does not look close to "M16: Pillars of Creation" http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap100328.html but it reminds me of the same idea. Creation being renewed if you will.

Don

APOD Robot wrote:A close look at Mt. Cleveland, seen near the image center, shows a red rocky base, a white snow-covered peak, a light plume of gas and ash, and dark lanes where ash and debris fell or flowed.

I believe that all the red seen in the image consists of trees or other vegetation. There isn't much rock visible, but what's there is gray.

tstrick wrote:In the hi res version of this photo there is a faint line running ESE from the top of the frame to the volcano in the upper right. Is this a flaw in the photo or something more interesting?

I'm assuming this was a fairly short exposure so if the line represents a moving body, it would have to be moving rather quickly.

Any thoughts?

BTW, I've been an APOD fan for 10 years but have never posted before. This site is my daily dose of AWEsome.

Tom

I see the line your talking about, at first glance and with no real examination it looks like a flaw in the photo. Welcome aboard as well.


Paul.

tstrick wrote:In the hi res version of this photo there is a faint line running ESE from the top of the frame to the volcano in the upper right. Is this a flaw in the photo or something more interesting?

My guess is a stitch line where multiple photos were stitched together.

Can APOD post the same type of image of Mt Everest ? And the Tungusta area ??

Wolf Kotenberg wrote:Can APOD post the same type of image of Mt Everest ? And the Tungusta area ??

You mean like this

this



or this
http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/1601/STS0 ... 2cropF.jpg
higher res
http://veimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/1601/STS058-101-12.jpg

There are a few locations to get pictures of the Earth on NASA websites that I have visited over the years: NASA's Visible Earth at http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/ and NASA Earth Observatory at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/, but I think the biggest collection is here http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/clickmap/

The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth hosts the best and most complete online collection of astronaut photographs of the Earth from 1961 through the present.

Chris Peterson wrote: I believe that all the red seen in the image consists of trees or other vegetation. There isn't much rock visible, but what's there is gray.

Yes. Sorry. The APOD text has now been adjusted. - RJN