The Great Lakes, unfrozen

The NASA image above (click to zoom) shows the Great Lakes in Autumn 2011. The image is again from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite. Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are coloured light blue from sediment brought to the surface by winds, while Lake Erie is coloured green by a severe algal bloom. Autumn colours are also visible in some of the forests surrounding the lakes.

Given that it’s autumn here in Australia right now, the image seems vaguely appropriate.

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Fall!

While it is Spring here in Australia, it’s Fall in the Northern Hemisphere, so here’s a great photo from Flickr member Alan Vernon:

A season on Saturn

This photograph, taken on May 6 last year by the Cassini spacecraft, shows Titan in front of Saturn’s rings. The rings are seen almost edge-on, but leave their shadows on the planet. The bluish tinge in the southern hemisphere indicates oncoming winter (and seems to be due to processes similar to those giving Earth a blue sky). Given that I’m writing this in Australia, where it’s autumn, the photograph seems appropriate for the season.