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West Virginia man captures moment a giant fireball explodes in the early morning sky –

admin — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 18:23:56 +0000

West Virginia man captures moment a giant fireball explodes in the early morning sky – and NASA says it came from a comet

Updated: 14:18 EDT, 3 August 2023

An amateur astronomer was snapping images of the supermoon over West Virginia Wednesday morning when a giant fireball exploded in the sky as it fell from space.

Bill Stewart, from Ceredo, was perched on his rooftop to capture the brilliant moon when he saw a blazing streak in the sky that ‘made two audible booms.’

Stewart, however, was not a lone observer of the cosmic display – there are more than 70 sighting reports from nine US states, including Georgia and Ohio.

NASA has also acknowledged the fireball, revealing it was likely a comet fragment weighing 75 pounds that traveled southeast at 37,000 miles per hour.

An amateur astronomer was snapping images of the supermoon over West Virginia Wednesday morning when a giant fireball exploded in the sky as it fell from space

Steward shared a video of the epic experience, telling SpaceWeather.com that the fireball broke through the night sky at 2:13 am ET.

‘The fireball made two audible booms,’ he said.

‘After one bright flash, it broke into three distinct fragments.

‘One remained bright as it descended below the horizon. It could have possibly touched down although I didn’t hear it impact.’

NASA’s Bill Cooke said the comet fragment ‘entered Earth’s atmosphere about 50 miles above the Kentucky town of Krypton, moving roughly southeast at 37,000 miles per hour.

‘The object traveled 65 miles through the atmosphere before disintegrating 30 miles above Duffield, Virginia.’

Cooke continued explaining that the fireball’s breakup generated about two tons of TNT.

Bill Stewart, from Ceredo, was perched on his rooftop to capture the brilliant moon when he saw a blazing streak in the sky that ‘made two audible booms.’

NASA said the fireball’s breakup generated about two tons of TNT

The American Meteor Society, a non-profit founded in 1911 that collects reports of meteors and other cosmic sightings, shows 74 other people spotted the fireball early Thursday morning.

Reports came from Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Sheen A, from Delphia, Kentucky, reported her house shook immediately after she heard the boom.

Tennessee resident April H shared: ‘It was the brightest and biggest meteor I have ever seen. It was the most elegant green ball arcing across the sky before it suddenly turned to a bright gold as it broke apart and disappeared.

‘From where I live, [in Unionville] it appeared to have been going over the southern end of Rutherford Co TN, headed East and ended near Hwy. 231S.’

Landscape photography at its peak! Instagramming photographer captures jaw-dropping shots

admin — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 06:07:14 +0000

‘Mountains hold an air of mystery and intrigue.’

So says Arpan Das, whose incredible photographs of mountains capture the essence of their mystery in spellbinding fashion.

Taken everywhere from the Canadian Rockies to the Swiss Alps, these shots are proving a hit on Instagram, earning Das nearly 40,000 followers to date. The Indian photographer, who is an astrophysicist and data scientist by trade, reveals his interest in mountain photography began when he went on a hiking excursion in the Italian Dolomites. ‘It was during that experience that I had an epiphany – I knew instantly that landscape photography was the path I wanted to pursue passionately,’ he tells MailOnline Travel. And while his forte is mountains, he shows great flair in photographing a wide variety of landscapes, from gushing waterfalls to towering rock formations.

Das, who is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, reveals he goes to great lengths to nail the perfect shot, starting with extensively researching potential locations using tools such as Google Earth. He then hikes through the mountainous terrain to reach his desired vantage point, arriving in time to capture the landscape in the best light – ‘during sunrise, sunset and the night’.

Once he’s got the shot, Das reveals that post-processing techniques – such as adjusting the colour balance – are ‘crucial’ to his work, though he emphasises that he doesn’t digitally manipulate his images. The reaction from fellow Instagram users is often one of amazement, he reveals, saying: ‘Many of these places are breathtakingly beautiful and evoke a sense of wonder. People are particularly surprised to learn that these landscapes are real.’

The photographer adds: ‘The power of photography lies in its ability to transport people to places they have yet to explore, and it’s truly rewarding to share these real and stunning landscapes with others.’ Scroll down to transport yourself to the mountaintops from Das’s spectacular portfolio…

This striking picture was taken in the French Alps. Das tells MailOnline Travel: ‘What I love about mountains is their sheer vastness and the profound perspective they offer. Standing in their presence, we are reminded of our relative size in the grand scheme of nature’

LEFT: These rock formations can be found in Nevada, Das reveals. Comparing the landscape to the surface of Mars, he says the scene looks ‘straight out of science fiction’, adding: ‘The alignment of the moon was the cherry on the top.’ RIGHT: The Swiss Alps were the setting for this atmospheric shot. Das says: ‘The Swiss mountains possess a natural beauty that is truly remarkable. The sheer majesty of the Alpine peaks is a sight to behold, and capturing their grandeur through my lens is an exhilarating experience’

This breathtaking photograph shows Ship Rock, a volcanic rock formation in San Juan County, New Mexico. Das describes it as ‘one of the many wonders of the American Southwest’

LEFT: This postcard-perfect scene is in British Columbia, Canada, Das reveals. He says: ‘The vast amount of pristine wilderness in this country is truly one of a kind.’ RIGHT: Mist envelops the peaks of the Swiss Alps in this dreamy photograph by Das

You can feel the chill in this beautifully wintry shot, which was snared in Mt Hood National Forest in Oregon

LEFT: This vivid shot was captured in British Columbia. ‘My heart is captivated by the raw wilderness of Canada’s mountain ranges,’ says Das. RIGHT: A full moon looms over Death Valley National Park, which straddles the border of California and Nevada, in this enchanting shot

This impressive photograph shows a jagged peak shrouded by the clouds in the Italian Dolomites

This moody shot – illuminated by ‘some amazing diffused light’, Das notes – was taken in Yukon, a mountainous territory in Canada

This spellbinding shot was captured in the Canadian Rockies. Revealing how he reached this vantage point, Das says: ‘I had to go through some forests and waist-height snow to reach this place, which I found on Google Earth’

LEFT: Das snared this mesmerising image in the Alabama Hills, a sprawl of hills and rock formations in Inyo County, California. RIGHT: This vibrant photograph shows a cloud formation in the skies over Death Valley National Park in the U.S

LEFT: This eye-catching shot shows a lake in British Columbia. ‘The country’s landscapes are a sanctuary of natural beauty,’ Das says of Canada. RIGHT: Das captured this dramatic picture in the mountains of British Columbia

Das turned his lens on Switzerland’s Aletsch Glacier, the largest and longest glacier in the Alps, for this magical photograph

LEFT: A carpet of golden larch trees can be seen in this magnificent drone picture, taken in the Swiss Alps. ‘This is by far the densest larch forest I have ever seen and literally, every single tree was golden,’ says Das. RIGHT: It was summertime in the Swiss Alps when Das snared this glorious shot

Das captured this picture of the Matterhorn, an iconic mountain on the Swiss-Italian border, from an ice cave. He says: ‘I reckon there might be very few ice caves in the world with such a great mountain backdrop – and when it is Matterhorn it becomes extra special’

This atmospheric sunrise shot was during a ‘peaceful morning in the Swiss Alps’. Das says: ‘My profession as an astrophysicist profoundly influences my landscape photography. Science provides me with a methodical and analytical approach to understanding the universe’s complexities, while art grants me the freedom to express and communicate the emotions and experiences evoked by the natural world’

This is yet another showstopping picture of the Swiss Alps by Das. He says of the reaction to his images: ‘Many find my images to be transportive, providing a sense of calm and beauty amidst their busy lives. Some viewers connect deeply with specific photographs, triggering cherished memories or a newfound appreciation for nature’

The Swiss Alps can be seen during the sunrise in this otherworldly shot. Das says that the mountain range offers a ‘refined and awe-inspiring beauty’

The Swiss Alps can be seen on a foggy morning in this dramatic picture by Das. He says the fog created ‘unreal’ conditions

Icicles frame this evocative scene of freshly fallen snow in ‘one of the most beautiful valleys’ in the Swiss Alps. Das describes the setting as ‘magic’

Das doesn’t just have a knack for photographing mountains and peaks, as this picture proves. It shows ‘just one of the thousands of beautiful waterfalls in British Columbia’, Das reveals

Instagramming photographer captures otherworldly mountain landscapes that will blow your

admin — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 07:30:14 +0000

Instagramming photographer captures otherworldly mountain landscapes that will blow your mind

By Ailbhe Macmahon For Mailonline

Updated: 04:36 EDT, 17 June 2023

This talented photographer captures mountainscapes so otherworldly that it’s hard to believe they exist on planet Earth.

As a matter of fact, professional photographer Aytek Cetin says that some people question whether the landscapes he’s captured are real, as they look so unearthly.

The 41-year-old Turkish photographer, who also tutors fellow photographers in private photography tours and online classes, tells MailOnline Travel: ‘Sometimes we can be prejudiced about geography that we have not seen before. For example, for a photograph I took in Cappadocia [a region in Turkey], someone claimed that it was not a real place… I explained to this person that it was a real place and that I took others to this place to take pictures.’

Detailing why he’s drawn to epic mountain scenes, Cetin says: ‘What impresses me the most about mountains is that they are the most powerful beings of nature. They have been there in all their glory for millions of years and will continue to be.’

The photographer, who is drumming up a sizeable Instagram following – 87,000 followers and counting – explains that he sets out to ‘draw’ viewers into a mountain scene and ‘make them feel [like] they are there’ with his photography. He notes: ‘To do this, I try to use different perspectives than the scenes other people are accustomed to seeing.’

Capturing these remote landscapes is not without its challenges. As there’s often no transportation to off-grid peaks, Cetin regularly has to walk long distances carrying his camping gear and his camera equipment, which can weigh more than 70lb (31 kilos). The hard work is worth it, however, for the magical photographs he can capture. Scroll down to see evidence of a photographer at the peak of his powers…

This dramatic mountain shot was captured in the Kackar Mountains National Park – a hotspot for hiking and climbing – in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. Cetin describes the location as one of the ‘undiscovered valleys of [the] Black Sea’

LEFT: This mystical picture shows the bizarre rock formations in the Goreme National Park of Turkey’s Cappadocia region in the first light of the morning. Cetin says: ‘As a landscape photographer, I can say that I feel at home when I am in nature. I like to take pictures away from the crowd, where I feel like I can breathe.’ RIGHT: Cetin turned his camera on Lake Meke, a volcanic crater lake in Turkey’s Konya Province, for this mesmerising photograph

Ama Dablam, a 6,812m- (22,349ft) high peak in the Himalayas in Nepal, is the subject of this enchanting photograph. Cetin admits: ‘I don’t remember any sight giving me joy more than watching the magnificent Ama Dablam at sunset’

LEFT: This transfixing shot was taken in the Goreme National Park in Turkey’s Cappadocia region. RIGHT: Cetin describes this scene – captured in the Svaneti region in the Greater Caucasus mountain range in Georgia – as ‘unforgettable’

This spectacular panorama shot shows the wooden houses of the 2,170m- (7,119ft) high Pokut plateau in the Turkish province of Rize

LEFT: This otherworldly photograph was taken in the Martian Mountains – also known as the Merrikhi Mountains – in the southeastern Sistan and Balouchestan province of Iran. Cetin describes them as the ‘razor-sharp mountains of Iran’. RIGHT: Iran’s distinctive Martian Mountains are also the subject of this stunning photograph

LEFT: Khumbila, a 5,761m (18,901ft) mountain in the Himalayas in Nepal, is cleverly framed by trees in this spellbinding photograph, which was captured during a sunrise. RIGHT: Daisies spill over a grassy hilltop in this beautiful shot by Cetin, captured in Turkey’s Kackar Mountains National Park. Cetin reflects: ‘You can always get dramatic [weather] conditions in the Black Sea mountains’

This atmospheric picture shows the mountain of Taboche (background) in the Khumbu region of the Himalayas in Nepal. It was taken at an altitude of 4,500m (14,763ft), Cetin reveals

LEFT: Turkey’s ‘wild’ Kackar Mountains National Park was the setting for this astonishing photograph. RIGHT: This epic photograph was captured near the small town of Mestia in the Caucasus Mountains in northwest Georgia

This stunning shot shows Mount Kazbek, a stratovolcano in the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia, illuminated by the first light of day

To see more photography from Aytek Cetin, visit his Instagram profile and his website.