earthstory reblogged
Ladies View, Killarney, Co. Kerry
On the 27th of January, 2014, the Dark Sky Reserve in County Kerry, Ireland, received the official Gold Standard Status from the International Dark Sky Association.
This is the first and only Gold Tier reserve in the Northern Hemisphere and one of only three in the world. The area covers approximately 700km sq including the Iveragh Peninsula taking in Kells, Cahersiveen, Valentia Island, Waterville, Portmagee, Caherdaniel and Ballinskelligs. The ring of Kerry, which has to be one of the most beautiful areas of Ireland, is located in the southwest of the country. Over 1.5 million tourists pass through there annually and astro-tourism has been on the increase in recent years.
The skies are some of the darkest in the world, with Sky Quality Meter readings of over 21 in the core area. The Milky Way, which can’t be seen from cities, is often clearly visible as a river of stars across the sky.
This image was taken by Don MacMonagle over McCarthy’s Castle and Horse Island on Ballinskelligs Beach in Co Kerry, Ireland.
-Jean
Link to photographers FB page: https://www.facebook.com/macmonagle?pnref=lhc
Source: facebook.com
earthstory reblogged
Oh and we found this cool beach!! Can’t remember the name of it but I think this was still in Kerry! it was nice but crammed with people unfortunately
The island of Skellig Michael lies 11.6km off Bolus Head, the westernmost tip of the Iveragh Peninsula in Co. Kerry, Ireland. It is currently solely inhabited by Luke Skywalker, although rumour has it he now has some company, possibly his daughter (discuss!!).
Apart from being located in an undeniably beautiful part of the world, it also has a rich geological story.
The pinnacles of the Skellig Islands, which can be clearly seen in this image, rise to 218m above the Atlantic Ocean. The island itself is shaped from Old Red Sandstone which also forms the backbone of the mountainous regions of south Kerry and west Cork, including the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and the Caha Mountains. These rocks came into existence as sediments deposited by flooding rivers during the Devonian period, some 400 million years ago.
The current day topography, consisting of elongated valleys separated by ridges, is the result of a period of folding and mountain formation some 100 million years after the original sediments were laid down. Subsequent to sea level rise, the Skelligs were then isolated from the mainland. Over time, sedimentary rock was compressed into hard, finely grained layers of sandstone and slate; creating fractures, joints and faults. Erosion along major fault lines in the centre of Skellig Michael caused the rock to gradually break away, leaving behind a U-shaped depression 130m above sea level, which is today named Christ’s Saddle. Two peaks remain, one each side of the valley: one to the north-east, 185m high, is the location of the Monastery; the one to the southwest, 218m high, is the location of the Hermitage.
Skellig Michael is also internationally renowned as one of the most important sites for breeding seabirds in Ireland. The steep rocky slopes and cliffs provide nesting places for species such as Fulmar, Kittiwake and Guillemot, while Storm-Petrel, Manx Shearwater and Puffin nest in burrows and other holes throughout the island. Skellig Michael was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 and as a result of the filming of Star Wars has become a major tourist attraction. I do ask, however, that anyone thinking of visiting there does their best to respect Skellig Michael and try to inhibit any human induced damage to what is a true gem of Ireland.
Go mbeidh an fórsa leat- May the force be with you!!
-Jean
Photograph: Getty Images/De Agostini http://ind.pn/28LLeI3
Source: facebook.com
This photographer captured a time lapsed video of the moon during a Lunar Eclipse - the amount of light captured by the camera changes dramatically as the eclipse ends, taking the camera set for darkness and washing out the frame with what appears like a huge burst of light from the orb in the sky. Nice effect.
On the 27th of January 2014 the Dark Sky Reserve in County Kerry, Ireland, received the official Gold Standard Status from the International Dark Sky Association.
This is the first and only Gold Tier reserve in the Northern Hemisphere and one of only three in the world. The area covers approximately 700km sq including the Iveragh Peninsula taking in Kells, Cahersiveen, Valentia Island, Waterville, Portmagee, Caherdaniel and Ballinskelligs.
The ring of Kerry, which has to be one of the most beautiful areas of Ireland, is located in the southwest of the country. Over 1.5 million tourists pass through there annually and astro-tourism has been on the increase in recent years.
The skies are some of the darkest in the world, with Sky Quality Meter readings of over 21 in the core area. The Milky Way, which can’t be seen from cities, is often clearly visible as a river of stars across the sky.
This image was taken by Don MacMonagle over McCarthy’s Castle and Horse Island on Ballinskelligs Beach in Co Kerry, Ireland.
-Jean
Link to photographers FB page: https://www.facebook.com/macmonagle?pnref=lhc
Source: facebook.com
**TES Photographer of the Week** This week’s photographer is Michael Prior who resides in Cork, Ireland. Mike sent us in this amazing image of the Milky Way over Carauntoohil in county Kerry. Carauntoohil, is the highest peak in Ireland at 1038 metres and is the central peak of the Macgillycuddy Reeks mountain range. The peak of Carrauntoohil is topped by a large metal cross, which is 5 metres tall and features in this image. In this area of County Kerry, the night skies are perfect for astrophotography. The skies are some of the darkest in the world with Sky Quality Meter readings of over 21 in the core area. Consequently, Kerry Dark Sky Reserve received the official Gold Standard Status from the International Dark Sky Association in January 2014; the first Gold Tier reserve in the Northern Hemisphere. To see more of Mike’s work, you can find him on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michaelpriorphotography/206274336054168 Mike also has an Etsy shop, should anyone desire a print: http://www.etsy.com/shop/michaelprior Remember: If you or anyone you know is interested in being featured as TES Photographer of the Week, please submit your images to us! -Jean