Today's Image

Big Dipper over Bonneville Salt Flats

Marc Toso captured this image on December 30, 2016.

The Bonneville Salt Flats is a densely packed salt pan in northwestern Utah. The area is a remnant of the Pleistocene Lake Bonneville and is the largest of many salt flats located west of the Great Salt Lake.

Marc captured this image on December 30, 2016. He told us:

The fog filter is wonderful for photographing constellations. It diffuses the light a bit so only brightest stars are enhanced.

A fixture of the northern sky, the Big and Little Dippers swing around the north star Polaris like riders on a Ferris wheel. They go full circle around Polaris once a day – or once every 23 hours and 56 minutes. If you live at temperate latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, simply look northward and chances are that you’ll see the Big Dipper in your nighttime sky. It looks just like its namesake. Once you’ve found the Big Dipper, it’s only a hop, skip and jump to Polaris and the Little Dipper. Learn more about the Big and Little Dippers.

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Bottom line: Photo of Big Dipper reflected in water of Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

Posted 
February 12, 2017
 in 
Today's Image

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