Haleakala's Moonbow

This wickedly magical photo is a "moonbow," a lunar rainbow created as moonlight passes through fog. It was taken at Haleakala, Maui and published on National Geographic's website.  The bright, twinkling "star" is actually Mars, and it was actually at its closest point to Earth in 2010.

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Happy Friday!

Photo Friday: Cotton Candy Tree

Photograph courtesy Russell Watkins, U.K. Department for International Development, featured in National Geographic

In 2010, heavy monsoon rains dumped almost ten years worth of rainfall on Pakistan in one week.  It is estimated that one-fifth of Pakistan was under water, 20 million people were affected and the total damages cost around $43 billion.

An intriguing effect of the floods was that the spiders and other insects crawled into the trees to escape the rising water.  Because the waters took so long to recede, many of the trees became cocooned in cotton candy shrouds of spiderwebs.  

Photo Friday: Cliffs of Moher

Today's Photo Friday was a National Geographic photo of the day in 2010.  It was taken by Jim Richardson and the subject is one of the most magical places I've ever been, The Cliffs of Moher, Ireland.  Enjoy!

Happy Friday!

Photo Friday: Splashing

The 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest winners were just announced.

Shikhei Goh's amazing image, "Splashing" won both the nature category and the grand prize.

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Happy Friday!