February 26, 2017
On the day you were born, the universe was already ancient beyond measure — and yet, in all those billions of years, it had never once...
A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over Montana
Birthday · February 26, 2017
A little universe, just for you
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APOD published February 26, 2017. Credit: Sean R. Heavey. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
Is that a spaceship or a cloud? Although it may seem like an alien mothership, it's actually a impressive thunderstorm cloud called a supercell. Such colossal storm systems center on mesocyclones -- rotating updrafts that can span several kilometers and deliver torrential rain and high winds including tornadoes. Jagged sculptured clouds adorn the supercell's edge, while wind swept dust and rain dominate the center. A tree waits patiently in the foreground. The above supercell cloud was photographed in 2010 July west of Glasgow, Montana, USA, caused minor damage, and lasted several hours before moving on. Today: Southern Hemisphere Solar Eclipse
Image credit: Sean R. Heavey