Mauna Kea Shadow and Belt of Venus
December 13, 2006
Provided and copyright by: Len Sharp, Liverpool HS-Annex
Summary authors & editors: Len Sharp
The photo above shows the impressive shadow of Mauna Kea stretching far into the distance and seemingly reclining on the Belt of Venus (the sunlit crown of the Earth's shadow). It was taken at sunset, looking east over the Pacific Ocean from atop Hawaii's highest volcano, Mauna Kea (13796 ft or 4,205 m). Mauna Kea rises another 18,204 ft (5,516 m) from the sea-floor to comprise a single mountainous structure of 32,000 ft (9,750 m) -- almost 3,000 ft (909 m) higher than Mt. Everest! On Mauna Kea's summit, a series of observatories offer some of the finest astronomical viewing on Earth.
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