Mauna Kea (“White Mountain”) is the only volcano on the island of Hawaii that has evidence of glaciation. This photograph of Mauna Kea was taken by an astronaut as the International Space Station (ISS) passed over at approximately 5 p.m. local time. The late-afternoon lighting and oblique viewing angle accentuates the shadows, highlighting the white domes of the observatories along the crater rims. The angle also accentuates the numerous cinder cones and lava flows. Astronauts are often deprived of a three-dimensional sense of mountains because the ISS flies so far above Earth’s surface. But the low Sun angle here gives a strong sense of the domed shape of this immense volcano.
Several observatories appear as small white dots on the rim of Mauna Kea. As the highest volcano on the island of Hawaii (summit elevation 4,205 meters or 13,800 feet above sea level), it is an ideal location for the astronomical observatories set up by several countries and academic consortiums.
Although Mauna Kea last erupted in 2460 BCE, the potential for renewed activity is high. Neighboring Mauna Loavolcano has erupted approximately every six years for the past 3,000 years.
It's a HUGE frigging volcanic mountain.
ReplyDeleteevidence of glaciation? no...
ReplyDeleteI have been to the top of Mauna Kea several times. There is snow an ice during the winter/rainy season but no glaciation stuff