Enceladus [6th Largest Moon Of Saturn]

Spectacular orographic cloud over Klyuchevskoy In a recent post (see http://tinyurl.com/ktcrny2) we shared a photo of an agate with a pattern just like a lenticular cloud over a mountain. Here we present the real thing, forming as air rises and sinks over the Kamchatkan stratovolcano, condensing and re evaporating its moisture as it rises and falls. A tiny plume of volcanic steam from degassing magma is poking out of the top of the cloud. This smoker is the most active on the peninsula, hanging off Russia’s far east, and has been erupting on and off all year. Our recent posts on this Siberian volcano:http://tinyurl.com/odfkgvr, http://tinyurl.com/oujvcp7and http://tinyurl.com/qzfrd4d. Loz Image credit: Yuri Demyanchuk/airpano.com

earthunaltered

Have you ever heard a weddell seal speak before?🐾

Supernova

natgeo

Video by Bertie Gregory @bertiegregory | A harp seal pup takes its first swimming lesson in the Gulf of St Lawrence, Quebec, Canada. This species has an extraordinary breeding cycle. Females give birth to pups on moving ice floes. They suckle the pup for just 10 to 14 days. During the last few days of this short period, they encourage the pup to get into the water to help them learn to swim (as seen in this video). After the swimming lessons, they abandon the pup. The females then mate with the males that have been waiting nearby, before heading north to their feeding grounds. The pups at two weeks old are left alone with nothing to eat. To see these awesome animals in action, check out my new online series “Wild_Life: The Big Freeze.” Available on National Geographic YouTube and at natgeo.com/wildlife. Follow @bertiegregory for more on the series.

Our Amazing Solar System