lighthouse

picture from national geographic

This beautiful picture was taken by  Justin knott and also one of national Geographic's photos of the day. A working lighthouse since 1873, the 93-foot beacon is a landmark of the Oregon coast’s Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area.

Peaks of Enchantment

picture from national geographic

 “It had rained all morning, and just before reaching this spot the sun had broken through the clouds,” Joana Bochecha writes, “highlighting not only the vibrant green of the grass … but also creating a mist between the top of the mountains that gives a mystical appearance to this photo.”

Christmas tree lighting in nyc

The Christmas tree lighting took place yesterday December 2, 2015. Tens of thousands typically crowd the sidewalks for the event and hundreds of millions will watch it live across the globe. The tree, traditionally a Norway Spruce, is illuminated by 30,000 environmentally friendly LED lights on five miles of wire, and crowned by a Swarovski crystal star. The Tree will remain lit and can be viewed until 8pm on January 6, 2016.

The Iron Market in Port-au-Prince was destroyed in the 2010 earthquake. The earthquake was rated a 7.0 as it  killed more than 200,000 people also leaving one million people homeless. Angelaure Saint Louis said, “So many people work in the Iron Market. I was happy it was rebuilt after the earthquake.”

 

High Hoops

"At the edge of a field full of expectant festivalgoers, a fire performer practices her hoop routine before her performance at the Lantern Fest in Omaha, Nebraska" The lantern fest participants release rice paper lanterns. "The idea is just letting things go," said Lantern Fest director Spencer Humiston. While people wait for this to occur there is plenty of live music facer painting and many more fun activities. This is national Geographic's best photo of October.

Stargazers treat

Stargazers are in for a special treat this week as the Taurid meteor shower reaches its peak, producing bright fireballs in the night sky around the world. This year is a particularly good year for viewing the Taurids as the peak of the meteor shower coincides with the new moon, occurring the night of Nov. 11 into Nov. 12. The Taurid meteor shower is a yearly occurrence that typically lasts from late October into late November as the Earth passes through the debris trail left behind by Comet Encke. Some meteors may even be observed as late as the first days of December. This debris is larger than the particles that are associated with the typically meteor showers which is why the Taurids produce fireballs and other meteor showers do not. This particular meteor shower was first discovered in 1869, but astronomers estimate that the Taurids have been occurring every year for the past 4,700 years.
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SeaWorld ends orca show

The photo opportunity ends as SeaWorld San Diego plans to phase out its killer whale show by 2017. The marine park has faced waves of criticism since the 2013 documentary Blackfish. "We are listening to our guests, evolving as a company, we are always changing,” said chief executive Joel Manby. “In 2017 we will launch an all new orca experience focused on natural environment [of whales]. 2016 will be the last year of our theatrical killer whale experience in San Diego.” Manby told investors that the company was going to refocus on conservation of animals rather than using them as entertainment.
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