Our world is fraught with many unusual natural phenomena. There are those that are easily explained, but there are those that even modern science cannot understand. In this article, we will consider in more detail the second part of them.
Moroccan goats grazing in the trees
Interestingly, Morocco is the only country in the world in which goats, due to the small amount of grass, climb trees and graze whole herds there, while feasting on the fruits of argan. This amazing picture can only be found on the Middle and High Atlas, in addition, between Agadir and Es-Sueira in the Sousse valley. The shepherds walk their goats by walking between the trees. It is worth noting that such unusual places attract thousands of curious tourists every year. With such a global consumption of argans, less and less oil is harvested from these nuts every year. And it is believed to contain various rejuvenating trace elements in its composition. Today, a campaign is underway to declare this place a nature reserve.
Black Sun of Denmark
Denmark also has unusual natural phenomena. So, in the spring, about a million European starlings flock to huge flocks from all around an hour before sunset. The Danes call this process the Black Sun. It can be observed in early spring near the swamps of western Denmark.
Starlings arrive from the south and spend the whole day in the meadows, and in the evening, after making collective pirouettes in the sky, they settle down in the reeds for the night to rest.
crawling stones
This amazing action that takes place in Death Valley has been disturbing the minds of scientists who are trying to write a description of natural phenomena for several decades. Huge boulders crawl by themselves along the bottom of Lake Racetrack Playa. At the same time, no one touches them, but they still crawl. No one has ever seen exactly how they move. At the same time, they stubbornly move, as if alive, sometimes turning over on their side, while leaving behind deep traces that stretch for several meters. Periodically, the stones write out such complex and unusual lines that they turn over, making somersaults in the process of movement.
moon rainbow
The night rainbow (or lunar) is the light that is reflected from the surface of the moon. It is much dimmer than the sun. A lunar rainbow is a very rare natural phenomenon. If observed with the naked eye, it may appear colorless, due to which it is often referred to as "white". There are several places in the world where the phenomenon of night rainbows is quite often repeated. Among them are Victoria Falls in Australia and Cumberland in Kentucky,
Fish rain in Honduras
When studying unusual natural phenomena, it is worth noting the rain of animals - this is a very rare meteorological phenomenon, but such cases have been recorded in different countries throughout the history of all mankind. Although for Honduras this phenomenon is regular. Every year in the period May-July, a dark cloud appears in the sky, thunder rumbles, lightning flashes, a very strong wind blows, it rains heavily for 2-3 hours. After it ends, thousands of live fish remain on the ground.
People pick them up like mushrooms and take them home to cook. The Fish Rain Festival has been held here since 1998. It is celebrated in the city of Yoro, Honduras. One of the hypotheses for the appearance of this phenomenon is that very strong winds lift fish from the water into the air for several kilometers, since off the northern coast of Honduras the waters of the Caribbean Sea abound in fish and other seafood. But no one has ever witnessed this.
annular eclipse
In the world there are different unusual ones, they are given in this article. One of them is an annular eclipse. With it, the Moon is far from the Earth in order to cover the Sun completely. It looks like this: the Moon moves along the disk of the Sun, although it turns out to be smaller in diameter, and cannot completely hide it. Such eclipses are practically of no interest to scientists.
biconvex clouds
Considering unusual natural phenomena, it is necessary to say about this. It would seem that today it is impossible to surprise someone with clouds. But in nature there is their rare biconvex appearance. These are clouds of a round shape, reminiscent of more. It is not surprising that they are also called "crazy": a bizarre shape surprises with its originality.
star Rain
We continue the description of natural phenomena. Star shower, despite its name, has nothing to do with meteor showers. What the human eye perceives as many small stars is a huge stream of meteors that burn up when they enter the Earth's atmosphere. At the same time, the number of these celestial bodies can reach up to a thousand in one hour. Some of them, which did not have time to burn out completely, fall to Earth.
Fire whirlwinds
A beautiful, dangerous and rare natural phenomenon is fiery whirlwinds. They appear at a certain combination of air direction and temperature. In this case, the flame can rise up to tens of meters, thus forming a semblance of a fiery tornado.
Halo
We continue to consider amazing natural phenomena, examples of which are given in this article. A halo is defined scientifically as a visual phenomenon - a ring glowing around a light source, emerging from cloud crystals. Simply put, we can say that this is a rainbow, it can be seen around the Moon or the Sun, and periodically around the lights, for example, in the center of a night metropolis.
Tornado
This phenomenon is an atmospheric vortex that occurs in a thundercloud. It reaches the earth in the form of a cloudy arm. Tornadoes can be hundreds of meters in diameter. It looks impressive. Although, unfortunately, it can bring no less impressive catastrophes and destruction.
Brocken ghosts
Considering various natural phenomena, it is worth talking about this. appear in Germany on the mountain Brocken. Their occurrence is quite understandable. As it turned out, this is the most ordinary climber, who is above the clouds on top of the mountains. The sun shines on a person, and under the clouds, below, his huge shadow appears, which can scare or at least surprise anyone.
Northern lights
Now consider more positive various natural phenomena. We all saw the polar or northern lights once in the pictures, some were even lucky to see it with their own eyes. It is known that similar phenomena are observed near the poles of the Earth.
red waves
This name was given to the phenomenon that appears as a result of the flowering of various algae. Breeding freshwater or seaweed sometimes paints large areas of the beach or ocean in a rich red color. Basically, these plants are not dangerous, although there are those that kill birds with their toxicity, fish and people are also harmed, but so far no deaths have been recorded.
Lightning Catatumbo
Near Venezuela you can also see rare natural phenomena. These are Catatunbo lightning bolts. This natural phenomenon constantly occurs in one place for 160 nights a year. In one night, you can see about 20,000 lightning bolts here. It is also interesting that their glow is practically not accompanied by a thunderclap. At night, the sky in these places remains cloudless and clear, due to which they are also visible on the island of Aruba, located 500 km from here.
Ball lightning
This is a truly mysterious natural phenomenon. A fiery dazzling ball, reaching a diameter of several tens of centimeters, suddenly appears after a thunderstorm, after which it quietly floats in air currents above the ground. Ball lightning can be drop-shaped and pear-shaped, although it is more beneficial energetically for it to be in the form of a ball.
Such a freely roaming, light charge can fall on any surface and glide over it without expending energy. Many observers say that he seeks to get into closed rooms, seeping through the cracks and flying through the windows. In this case, lightning can temporarily take the form of a thin thread or cake, and then again turns into a ball. She, colliding with objects, periodically explodes. Until now, the causes of natural phenomena, such as ball lightning, have not been fully understood. It is likely formed from oxygen and nitrogen in a simple lightning channel and explodes when cooled to room temperature.
Penitentes
Such rare natural phenomena can be seen on various mountain glaciers. Penitentes got its name from its resemblance to a row of white-robed monks. It is formed due to the sun, which melts holes on the surface of the glacier. When a hole appears, the sunlight from it begins to be reflected, due to which the slots between the layers of snow increase. Soon large depressions form there, formed in the form of huge ice peaks, up to 5 meters high.
Mirages
Despite their prevalence, mirages always cause an almost mystical feeling of surprise. We know the reason for their appearance - superheated air changes the optical properties, thereby causing light inhomogeneities, which are called mirages. This phenomenon has long been explained by science, while continuing to amaze the imagination of many people. It should be noted that the visual effect is based on an unusual vertical distribution of air density. This, under certain conditions, leads to the appearance of ghostly images near the horizon. But you instantly forget these boring explanations when you yourself become a witness of this miracle that occurs right before your eyes!
This article presented the most unusual natural phenomena, the photos of which are simply mesmerizing. Some phenomena can be scientifically explained, while others are inexplicable. Some are quite common, while others can be expected for years. But whatever one may say, they amaze and make you think once again about how unpredictable and wise nature is!
Previously, people could not explain many natural phenomena, and therefore believed in their divine origin. Now, from a scientific point of view, almost any phenomenon can be explained, but many of them still remain very mysterious, majestic and insanely beautiful. Photos of such phenomena, as well as the most unusual places on earth, are waiting for you further.
Vymeobraznye clouds. Such clouds are rare, mainly in tropical latitudes, and are associated with the formation of tropical cyclones.
Magic Circles in Namibia. Researchers of the mysterious phenomenon suggest that it is the work of sand termites.
Road of the Giants. As a result of the eruption of an ancient volcano in Northern Ireland, an area appeared that is covered with 40,000 basalt pillars tightly adjacent to each other.
Lenticular clouds. Clouds in the north of the state of Georgia in the USA are a rather rare natural phenomenon.
Lightning Catatumbo. Sparkling flashes over water occur for 140-160 nights a year, 10 hours per night and up to 280 times in one hour.
Red crabs of Christmas Island. Every year, about 43 million land crabs move en masse to the shore of the ocean to lay their eggs. Local authorities block most of the island's roads for a week so as not to interfere with migration.
Great Blue Hole. The gigantic underwater karst funnel off the coast of Belize has a diameter of more than 300 meters and a depth of 124 meters.
Asperatus clouds. Undulatus asperatus, or rough-hilly waves. This type of clouds, which have a rather mystical image, was introduced into the classification relatively recently by the decision of the head of the Society of Cloud Researchers.
Tanzanian Lake Natron. The salt lake, which is fed by hot springs, is the only permanent breeding ground for the lesser flamingo.
Spotted lake. Canada's Lake Kliluk is the world's greatest reserve of magnesium sulfate, calcium and sodium.
"Gates of hell" in Turkmenistan. The fire at the gas mine, which broke out due to the awkward actions of researchers in 1971, has not subsided to this day.
Spherical boulders of New Zealand. Under the influence of erosion, boulders with regular rounded outlines emerge from the argillic rocks of the shore.
Flammable ice bubbles. Trapped in the ice of Abraham Lake in Canada, methane bubbles.
Frozen flowers. On the calm waters of lakes and seas, when the surface is only just seized by a light crust of ice, in conditions of sharp cooling (about -22 Celsius), crystals of fresh ice of marvelous form appear.
Mud storms. Mud storms occur when lightning appears in a volcanic plume.
Moving stones of Death Valley. In a deserted American valley, a unique geological phenomenon is observed: fragments of rocks move unaided over smooth soil, leaving long trails behind them.
underwater circles. Off the coast of Japan, dexterous male puffer fish create perfectly even circles with openwork edges. These works of art are designed to charm and attract females.
Migration of monarch butterflies. Covering thousands of miles, dense flocks of butterflies move briskly from Canada towards the southern United States.
Black Sun. Up to 50 thousand starlings huddle in the sky in huge chirping flocks. This phenomenon is also called "murmuring".
Blooming desert. In the years when the rains in Chile are more abundant than usual, the Atacama Desert is covered with flowers and herbs.
Bioluminescent waves on the Maldivian beaches. Some species of phytoplankton have the ability to luminesce.
Rainbow eucalyptus. This is because the eucalyptus sheds its bark in chunks. Each piece of the trunk successively turns blue, purple, orange, and then maroon.
Sardine move. From May to July, schools of billions of sardines move north along the east coast of South Africa.
Some phenomena, such as rainbows, sunsets and sunrises, can be observed almost every day, others are quite rare.
If you want to witness a truly amazing show created by nature, you need to be at the right time in the right place.
Here are the most unusual and beautiful natural phenomena, including fire waterfall, parting sea, underwater park and others that can be admired on our planet.
Beautiful natural phenomena
1. Fire Falls in Yosemite National Park, USA
Every year for a few weeks in February, a waterfall named " horse tail", in Yosemite National Park in California, looks like it's on fire.
It is at this time at sunset that the Sun is at the right angle, and for about 10 minutes the waterfall becomes fiery. The phenomenon is quite difficult to capture in a photograph, and is best seen from the picnic area of Mount El Capitan.
It may even seem that lava is pouring from the waterfall, but in fact it is plain water, naturally illuminated by the sun's rays.
Ironically, the Horsetail was once a real fiery waterfall when, in the 1870s, the owner of the mountaintop hotel put on nightly shows for visitors by throwing red embers down. However, entertainment was banned after 1968 and now many tourists and photographers gather to admire the natural fiery special effect.
2. "Miracle of Moses" on the Yellow Sea, South Korea
Approximately twice a year between March and June, tidal forces cause very low water levels in the Yellow Sea, forming track up to 2.8 km long from Jindo Island to neighboring Modo Island in South Korea. The track, approximately 40 meters wide, "opens" for only about an hour, during which thousands of tourists take the opportunity to cross the sea.
On the island of Jindo, in honor of this event, a 4-day festival "Separation of the Sea" is held. Phenomenon called the "Miracle of Moses" in honor of the story described in the Bible when Moses parted the Red Sea and led the people across it.
However, the Koreans have their own version of the origin of this natural phenomenon in this regard. According to legend, Jindo Island was once invaded by tigers and all but one woman fled to nearby Modo Island. The woman prayed to the god of the ocean, who created her way to Modo Island.
Natural phenomena (photo)
3. A river in Colombia becomes colorful
The Caño Cristales River in Colombia during the year is no different from any other river. However, between September and November, the river is completely transformed.
During the heat algae at the bottom of the river begin to bloom, and it takes on many vibrant colors.
For this, it is even called "the river flowing from paradise" and " the most beautiful river in the world".
To admire this natural phenomenon, tourists need to visit the small town of Macarena, swim a little along the river and follow the path.
4. The Dolomites in Italy turn pink at sunset
The Dolomites, which are located in the northeastern part of Italy, become literally rainbow-colored.
Every evening at sunset, the slope on the west side begins iridescent colors from bright yellow to red and purple. And it's not just the result of reflection.
The glowing effect is characteristic of the Dolomites, which are made up of a unique combination of carcasses of ancient marine animals, algae and magma from volcanic eruptions. Color change is a trick, the secret of which is hidden in the mountains themselves..
This phenomenon is called Enrosadira best seen in summer.
Unusual natural phenomena
5. A park in Austria turns into a lake in summer
Lake Grüner See(or Green Lake) in Austria is not a simple body of water located in the middle of the mountains, namely the Hochschwab Mountains. The lake, about 1 - 2 meters deep, surrounded by paths and greenery, is a favorite place for walking.
But you can sit on the benches near the lake only in winter. In summer, the snow melts and melt water falls into the valley, which turns into one huge transparent pool.
At the deepest point, Grüner See reaches up to 12 meters in depth, submerging all benches and footbridges under water that look like toys in an aquarium.
It is in the summer that many tourists rush to this place to swim under the water and admire all this beauty.
The water level is highest in June, so if you are planning your next vacation, bring your snorkeling equipment and waterproof cameras to capture this amazing place.
6. Very rare clouds that can only be seen in Australia
Clouds named " Morning Gloria"(Morning Glory) - A unique and very rare phenomenon is long rotating tubes of water vapor that can extend up to 1 kilometer long and 300 meters high.
Clouds can only be seen in the Gulf of Carpentaria in Australia and only during the dry season from August to November.
During this period, "Morning Gloria" appears every few days, always in the morning.
The movement of air in front of the clouds accelerates at an incredible speed, swirling the cloud, while the eddy currents at the back of the cloud push the air down at a speed of about 450 meters per minute.
The phenomenon is most often observed in the small town of Burketown in Australia, but so far there is no exact explanation why it occurs.
Most of us have seen these natural phenomena only in films or on the Discovery Channel. I present a detailed description with photographs of the most incredible natural phenomena. You can read about the phenomena that I talked about earlier by clicking on this one.
1. Water bloom: in more detail we considered neon lakes
When the ocean, air, and temperature conditions permit, ocean phytoplankton reproduce fairly quickly, creating a thick, visible layer on its surface. This phenomenon, called a water bloom, looks rather unsightly during the day, but in parts of California and other places where there are bioluminescent nightlights, the water bloom is a truly spectacular sight. This species of phytoplankton glows blue when agitated, turning the dark ocean into a giant lava lamp. You can watch the waves begin to glow on impact as they ripple across the sand, and the earth begins to shine under your feet, and if you dive underwater, you will see an amazing radiance in all its glory.
2. Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence does not only occur in water. In late summer, an uncanny glow can be seen in many of the world's forests, where bioluminescent fungi grow on damp, rotting bark. Bioluminescence can be observed in different parts of the world, but the greatest diversity occurs in the tropics, where the moisture in the forests promotes the growth of fungi. A new species of glow-in-the-dark mushroom has been discovered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. If you want to admire this phenomenon, then plan to go to the forest during the wettest period and head away from light sources that can dim the faint glow.
3. Fire rainbow
Another natural phenomenon that occurs in summer is called the fire rainbow, and occurs when sunlight strikes frozen ice crystals in cirrus clouds at high altitude. Since there is no rain during a fiery rainbow, scientists prefer to call it the more accurate name of a near-horizontal arc. Since this phenomenon requires the presence of cirrus clouds, and the sun must be very high in the sky, it can often be observed at latitudes closer to the equator. In Los Angeles, conditions allow you to observe a fiery rainbow for six months of the year, and in London for about two months.
4. Pearly clouds
For those of us who are far from the equator, there are many more reasons to look at the sky. Mother-of-pearl clouds are quite rare, but most often they appear when it is still dark outside before dawn or after sunset. Due to their extremely high altitude, they reflect sunlight from below the horizon, glowing brightly for those who watch them from below. In the lower stratosphere, where mother-of-pearl clouds are located, it is so dry that it often prevents the formation of clouds, but the harsh cold of the polar nights makes it possible to see this most beautiful phenomenon. You can see mother-of-pearl clouds in winter at high latitudes, such as in Iceland, Alaska, northern Canada and very rarely in the UK.
5. Snow rollers
Snow rolls form when a thick layer of snow falls on top of the ice. At certain temperatures and wind speeds, chunks of snow can break loose and begin to curl. As they roll along the ground like winter tumbleweeds, they pick up more snow along the way. The inner layers tend to be more brittle, allowing the wind to easily blow them away, leaving large natural snow donuts. Since a certain temperature and wind speed are needed to create this effect, snow rolls are rare, but can be seen in North America and the UK.
6. Basalt columns
Natural volcanic formation - basalt columns look like they were made by man. The hexagonal columns form naturally when a thick layer of lava cools rapidly, shrinking and creating cracks in the surface of new rock formations. Unusual geological formations can be seen in all corners of the world. The most notable examples of basalt columns are Giant's Causeway in Ireland and the Devil's Postpile National Monument in California.
7. Rain of animals: we examined it in more detail
While the small town of Yoro in Honduras hosts a Fish Rain Festival every year, there are still quite a few actual eyewitnesses to the phenomenon. However, in general, such a phenomenon has been reported in different parts of the world for many centuries. Most cases of animals falling from the sky have included fish, frogs, or small aquatic animals, although there have been reports of birds, mice, and even chunks of meat falling. Although such a phenomenon is extremely rare, most cases are easily explained. The most obvious explanation is tornadoes, during which a whirlwind lifts small animals from the water, carrying them over long distances until they fall on your head. If you want to witness the rain of animals, then you should go to places close to the water during big storms.
8. Wavy clouds
Recently discovered cloud formations, the so-called wavy clouds (Asperatus clouds) are so rare that they were not included in the classification until 2009. Ominous and stormy, these clouds disintegrate rather quickly before causing a storm. As with most wavy clouds, these clouds form when eddies or oncoming air masses ruthlessly churn the lower layers of clouds, resulting in bizarre shapes and formations. Such clouds are more common on the plains in the US and can be observed in the morning or mid-afternoon during thunderstorms.
9. Green beam
The famous and elusive Green Beam is a rare meteorological phenomenon that occurs during sunrise and sunset. During these periods, the sun's light passes through large layers of the atmosphere, creating a prism effect. Of course, this explanation is not as exciting as the maritime legends that surround this phenomenon. But you can consider yourself lucky if you managed to observe this phenomenon. To see the green beam, try watching the sun rise or set on the horizon on a clear day. An ocean or prairie horizon is best suited for this purpose. The green beam lasts only a fraction of a second, so don't blink. In my opinion, this is very similar to the return of the soul from the other world in the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
10. False sun
When the sun is near the horizon and there are ice crystals in the air, you may see a few bright rainbow spots on both sides of the sun. Always to the right and left of the sun along the horizon, these halos faithfully follow the sun across the sky. While this atmospheric phenomenon can happen anytime, anywhere, the effect is usually quite subtle. When sunlight passes through cirrus clouds at just the right angle, these patches become as bright as the sun. False suns are most visible when the sun is low in the sky in colder regions where there are many ice crystals in the sky.
11. Double rainbow
The same forces that lead to the formation of an ordinary rainbow can also lead to the creation of a double rainbow. Sometimes, sunlight is reflected in the raindrops not once, but twice, resulting in a second rainbow that is behind the brighter first rainbow. It is best to observe this phenomenon when the sky is still dark and filled with clouds, as the dark background allows you to see the more vague colors of the second rainbow.
12. Striped icebergs
Icebergs, as a rule, are not uniform. Some icebergs in the polar regions are distinguished by their color bands, standing out from the arctic whites and blues. When water on an iceberg melts and refreezes, dirt and other particles can get trapped between the new layers of ice, causing colored streaks to form on their surface. Icebergs may show several colored bands. Blue streaks appear when water enters between layers of ice and freezes so quickly that air bubbles don't have time to form. When an iceberg breaks and falls into the ocean, algae and other materials present in the water can cause green and yellow streaks to appear.
13. Lightning Catatumbo
Quite a mysterious phenomenon, the Catatumbo lightning in Venezuela is known for its continuous discharges. This incessant lightning bolt can be seen from a distance and has often been noted for its ability to aid sailors in navigation. Since Catatumbo lightning strikes about 140-160 nights a year, you have a good chance of seeing them. They occur mainly in one place - above the confluence of the Catatumbo River around Lake Maracaibo.
14. Gravitational wave
Waves occur not only in water, but also in the sky. When the air is pushed up by the more stable layer of the atmosphere, it can cause a ripple effect, just like what happens when you throw a rock into a pond. For a gravitational wave to occur, interference must occur in the atmosphere, such as the updraft of air from a thunderstorm. According to recent research, gravitational waves can concentrate and intensify tornadoes, so if you happen to see them, you should first take care of the shelter.
15. Moeraki Boulders
The Moeraki Boulders are spherical stones that were naturally excavated from mudstone, a dense clayey rock on the New Zealand coast. People discovered these giants through erosion, but they acquired their spherical shape for a different reason. It is believed that boulders formed millions of years ago on the ocean floor, much like pearls formed in oysters - layers of sedimentary rocks and materials crystallized around a central core. Over the course of millions of years, they have grown to the gigantic proportions we can see today. Moeraki boulders have been found along the south coast of New Zealand, but they can also be seen in various parts of South America.
Unfortunately, in the modern world, a person has to lose touch with nature more and more. Big cities, lack of time, and then the desire to get out somewhere in nature gives rise to a terrible habit of doing without the natural beauty of the world around. Stone jungle, animals in zoos, public gardens and parks - the illusion of substituting real nature. Many mistakenly believe that nature is boring and dull, they say, there is no "drive" in it ... So they say, as a rule, those who did not get out for "kebabs" further than a forest plantation. Our planet is teeming with life in all its manifestations. The world is a grandiose natural show, and here are ten impressive proofs of that.
Monarch butterfly migration
One of the most stunning natural phenomena on the planet that occurs year after year. Millions, tens of millions of monarch butterflies rush for the winter from Canada to warmer climes thousands of kilometers away - to Mexico. These fragile creatures cover a path of over 3000 kilometers, migrating in a giant dense cloud. Butterflies settle in the high mountain forests and meadows of Mexico, literally sticking around tree branches and the ground. Their concentration is so great that some branches do not withstand and break under thousands of butterflies. Before the time comes to fly back north, five generations of butterflies will change, but their descendants will still unmistakably find their way back. How this happens, scientists have not yet been able to reliably find out.
Geysers of Yellowstone National Park in the USA
In total, there are 200 thermal springs in Yellowstone, 60 of which spew water to a height of more than 3 meters, and the rest sometimes hit only a few centimeters. All the geysers in the park are extremely diverse in terms of their exit forms, the nature and strength of their activity, and the amount of water they spew. The periods of their eruption are measured from fractions of a minute to an hour and a half, the intervals between eruptions - from a minute and several minutes to many hours. Thus, the Stary Sluzhaka geyser operates at intervals of one hour, and the Zamok geyser within 12-24 hours. The height to which water is ejected by various geysers is also not the same. There are record holders. The maximum height of the jet was noted at the Bee Hive geyser - 62.5 meters. Incredibly beautiful sight!
Amazing Nightlights
A high concentration of Noctiluca scintillans (also known as Nightlights) under the influence of mechanical factors can turn the sea into a real "laser show". In favorable conditions, the nightlights "turn on" a beautiful blue-blue backlight that is impressive in size, coloring the sea in a magical color. One of the most amazing wonders of the sea!
fire tornado
A fairly rare phenomenon that occurs at the site of fires. It is a whirlwind of fire and smoke, moving like a tornado. It can reach several meters in width and several tens of meters in height. Very creepy and at the same time bewitching spectacle!
solar poles
In most places on Earth, a lucky observer can see solar pillars - luminous columns that appear to emerge from the Sun. They form when flat, falling ice crystals reflect sunlight into the upper atmosphere. Normally, these ice crystals evaporate before they reach the ground. However, at sub-zero temperatures, flat falling ice crystals can form near the ground in the form of light snow, sometimes known as ice fog. Then these ice crystals can reflect ground lights, forming columns similar to sun pillars. In this photo, multi-colored lights, above which pillars of light have risen, surround an ice rink in Fairbanks, Alaska.
whirlpools
Probably everyone observed small whirlpools in a stream or on a small river. They usually arise where the shore enters the channel and the stream, colliding with it, returns back against the current. The water begins to spin, and the speed of movement, in fact, depends on the strength and speed of the current. Rotating in a small space, the water tends to the outer edge of the whirlpool, creating a recess in the center. Large whirlpools appear in much the same way, only usually it is not the current and the coast that collide, but countercurrent currents. Especially often they occur in narrow straits between islands and land areas, fjords due to the action of tidal currents. The most impressive of them look something like this:
lava lakes
Lava, molten rock, is usually only visible during volcanic eruptions. However, there are five points on Earth where lava occurs on the surface in relatively safe pools. These lava lakes are valuable scientific material that provides an opportunity to collect lava samples that have not been contaminated by a volcanic eruption. Also, these "hellish" pools provide direct access to the molten center of the Earth. The video below shows that, despite their relatively mild nature, lava lakes pose a serious danger.
Sandstorm
Sandstorms are one of the most impressive sights that demonstrate the grandiose power of nature. Most often they are found in the desert, tormenting travelers. In a sandstorm, you can easily get lost and even suffocate from the sand. Sandstorms can be so large that they can be seen from space. Every year, forty million tons of dust is transported from the Sahara desert to the Amazon. Six months ago, this shocking video made a deep impression on me:
solar eclipse
It's good that we have the Moon, which perfectly covers the disk of the Sun during eclipses, despite the fact that its diameter is about 400 times larger (distance equalizes the difference). During a total solar eclipse, the corona, the plasma layer around the sun, becomes visible. Eclipses have inspired humanity since time immemorial. Now, with the ability to travel the world, there are tourists who will travel to where the next total eclipse will occur. It will be May 20 this year in Japan and on the US West Coast.
Polar Lights
In my opinion, the most beautiful natural phenomenon on earth. Photos and videos are not able to convey this beauty, magical wondrous light and the huge scale of the miracle. Auroras are caused by the bombardment of the upper atmosphere by charged particles moving towards the Earth along the geomagnetic field lines. Cosmic indescribable beauty!
