Forehead of the sky
September 1, 2008
Here are some spectacular images for Labor Day, courtesy of Astronomy Picture of the Day. In 1989, Roddy MacKenzie, stood at the peak of Mount Everest and shot a beautiful panoramic image. Below are 4 segments from the image. The explanation below tells it all.
Explanation: What would it be like to stand atop the tallest mountain on Earth? To see a full panoramic vista from there, scroll right. Visible are snow peaked mountains near and far, tremendous cliffs, distant plateaus, the tops of clouds, and a dark blue sky. Mt. Everest stands 8.85 kilometers above sea level, roughly the maximum height reached by international airplane flights, but much less than the 300 kilometers achieved by a space shuttle. Hundreds of people have tried and failed to climb the behemoth by foot, a feat first accomplished successfully in 1953. About 1000 people have now made it to the summit. Roddy Mackenzie, who climbed the mountain in 1989, captured the above image. Mt. Everest lies in the Himalaya mountains in the country of Nepal. In the native language of Nepal, the mountain’s name is “Sagarmatha” which means “forehead of the sky.”
Credit & Copyright: Roddy Mackenzie
Astronomy Picture of the Day for Saturday, August 30, 2008
Dave, happily earthbound at 0.015 kilometers.
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