EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Subterranean Cathedral of Salt in Sicily

January 09, 2023


Miniera di salgemma

Photographer: Giovanni Caruso
Summary Author: Giovanni Caruso
This rock salt mine is found near the municipality of Realmonte on
the island of Sicily and is one of the largest salt mines in
Europe. It dates to 6 million years ago. Salt is made accessible by
approximately 80 miles (130 km) of tunnels, distributed in 6 different
levels, reaching a depth of about 1,640 ft (500 m). The salt that’s
mine from here is extracted primarily for cooking purposes. However,
industrial rock salt is also extracted for tanneries and dry cleaners.

The Cathedral of Salt was constructed at a depth of 200 ft (61 m).
It’s some 66 ft (20 m) wide and 26 ft (8 m) high and has been
completely excavated and built with salt. Even the adorning statues and
furnishings were fashioned by carving into the rock salt. Photo taken
on June 10, 2014.


Realmonte, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.1754, 13.2825

Related EPODs

Subterranean Cathedral of Salt in Sicily Opalized Fossil of a
Cycad Cone Radial Stress Fracture Red Bar Natural Bridge, Utah
Crystal Forms in Petrified Wood Mt. Baker at Sunrise
More...

Geology Links

* Earthquakes
* Geologic Time
* Geomagnetism
* General Dictionary of Geology
* Mineral and Locality Database
* Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness
* This Dynamic Earth
* USGS
* MyShake - University of California, Berkeley
* USGS Ask a Geologist
* USGS/NPS Geologic Glossary
* USGS Volcano Hazards Program

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 45 weeks, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


ISS Transit of the Sun Observed from Sardinia, Italy

February 09, 2023


IssTransit2

Photographer: Roberto Ortu
Summary Author: Roberto Ortu

The image above is the result from my first attempt to shoot the
International Space Station (ISS) transiting the Sun. This
transit took place on July 26, 2022, at 17:41:07 local time
(15:41:07 UTC) in Cabras, Sardinia, Italy. At the time of transit, the
ISS was approximately 700 km (435 miles) above my home and its apparent
size was 38 arc seconds.

The space station is about as big as a football field, and its orbital
speed is almost 28,000 km/hr (17,400/mph. Note that the first module of
the station, called Zarya, was launched in 1998 from the
Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan. The operational life of the ISS
has been extended until 2030. In addition to the silhouette of the ISS,
a few sunspots are also visible in the active regions AR3062 and
AR3066.

Photo details: Celestron 114/910 telescope and Newton planetary camera
QHY5L-II-C; UV -IR cut filter; Astrosolar filter; Sharpcap, PIPP, and
GIMP software.

Cabras, Sardinia, Italy Coordinates: 39.923075, 8.540492

Related EPODs

ISS Transit of the Sun Observed from Sardinia, Italy Southern
England Solargraph: Solstice to Solstice Partial Solar Eclipse of
October 25, 2022, Observed over Athens A Year of Sunspots Sun
Plunging into the Mist and Sea Dust Storm Sunset over Portugal
More...

Sun Links

* NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory
* NASA Solar Eclipse Page
* NOAA Solar Calculator
* The Sun-Earth Connection: Heliophysics
* The Sunspot Cycle
* Solar System Exploration: The Sun
* The Sun Now
* This Week’s Sky

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 49 weeks, 3 days, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (21:1/186)