The Big Juba in Odem Forest
June 12, 2014
Photographer: Menashe Davidson
Summary Authors: Menashe Davidson; Jackie Phillips
The Big Juba in Odem Forest is a prominent local feature and geological rarity. This maar, one of about 23 discovered in the Golan Heights region, was formed through an explosion of groundwater coming into contact with hot magma below the surface. The resulting crater is about 800 ft (250 m) across and 200 ft (60 m) deep.
Towards the front of the picture the land surface is made up primarily of basalt. The crater then begins to slope down to the wide bottom of the Big Juba. The tree cover found here is dominated by Palestine Oak and Aleppo Oak. This evergreen and deciduous forest is the largest nature reserve in the Golan Heights region. During my visit in the early autumn of 2013, the flora was just beginning to show a little color. Photo taken on October 16, 2013.
Photo details: Camera Model: NIKON D80; Focal Length: 26.0mm (35mm equivalent: 39mm); Aperture: f/16.0; Exposure Time: 0.0063 s (1/160); ISO equiv: 400.