Encore - Moonlight on the First Bend of the Yangtze River

October 19, 2019

First Bend of the Yangtze River1200 (3)

Today 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: Jeff Dai
Summary Author: Jeff Dai

The panorama above shows moonlight illuminating a sharp meander on the Yangtze River. Known as the Mother River of China, it's the third-longest river on earth. From its source on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it surges southeastward until encountering the Hengduan Mountain Range (at center). This extraordinary obstruction forces the Yangtze to make a sudden, nearly 180-degree turn: the First Bend of the Yangtze River.

The Big Dipper lies above the Hengduan Range. The North Star (Polaris) is at upper left-center. At far left is Cassiopeia. Photo taken on December 22, 2013.

Photo Details: EOS 5D Mark II camera; Nikkor 14-24mm lens; f/2.8G; 14mm; ISO 1250; f/4; 30-second exposure; 4 photo panorama; Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Windows).

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