#epod.usra.edu

Hallett Peak from Emerald Lake, Colorado

Stephanie Schley

Cúpula de Secús in the Pyrenees Mountains

Xavier Varela

Mountain Fortification in Afghanistan

Rob Sheridan

The mountain valleys of northeastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province abut Pakistan’s northwestern Pashtun tribal areas and have been contested ground for hundreds of years. The area was a major trading route and disputed buffer zone between British India and the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Beginning in Queen Victoria’s reign, three British armies entered the difficult terrain in an attempt to influence Afghan loyalties. This led to the artificial creation of the Durand Line in 1893 that divided the two spheres of influence. This line then became the Afghan-Pakistan border upon Pakistan’s creation in the aftermath of the Second World War. Built on the Afghan side of the Durand line by the British during one of their 19th-century incursions, an isolated mountain fortress sits on an elevated stronghold. The fortress was constructed of local sedimentary rock that once formed the bed of the Tethys Sea. This structure provides a visual commentary on the value and difficulty of the terrain. Note, an Afghanistan flag flies over the fortress.

Photo Details

Glory Observed on Flight from Prague to Athens

Efthalia Traianou

The Big Drop

Menashe Davidson

Stars Circling the South Celestial Pole

Fabiano Belisario Diniz

As a participant in a Brazilian astrophotography observation night this past July, I took the above image showing multiple star trails around the South Celestial Pole. It's composed of 287 individual pictures. Because my location was just a little more than 14 degrees from the Equator, the celestial pole (overhead of the geographic south pole) lies quite close to the horizon. Canopus is the brilliant star (star trail) at left. Photos taken on July 23, 2014.

 Photo details