Encore - Aletsch Glacier

October 12, 2019

Aletsch 041 (2)

January 2014 Viewer's ChoiceToday and every Saturday Earth Science Picture of the Day invites you to rediscover favorites from the past. Saturday posts feature an EPOD that was chosen by viewers like you in our monthly Viewers' Choice polls. Join us as we look back at these intriguing and captivating images.

Photographer: Renata Hari
Summary Authors: Renata Hari; Jim Foster

Aletsch Glacier, shown above carving through the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, is nearly 14 mi (23 km) in length making it the longest glacier in the entire Alps mountain system. It’s currently in retreat as are nearly all glaciers in the Alps. The dark narrow bands within the glacial ice are medial moraines, formed when individual valley glaciers merged. These moraines extend many miles downstream. The wavy features at bottom are possibly ogives -- spacing between the wave crests related to the ice flow over a given season. To give scale to the immensity of this glacier note the hikers at bottom center. Photo taken in late summer of 2013.

Photo Details: Camera: Canon PowerShot S90; Focal Length: 22.5mm; Aperture: f/8.0; Exposure Time: 0.0016 s (1/640); ISO equiv: 80.

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