Picture Gallery for Sun 2006-11-05 20:23:30 UTC


Click to enlargeAn ice crystal halo around the sun.
Click to enlargeMt. Erebus behind thin cloud.
Click to enlargeThe payload bays.
Click to enlargeChris Field works on the SIP, our telemetry package which is provided by the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF).
Click to enlargePicking up the mirror crate.
Click to enlargeWaiting for the mirror to get here.
Click to enlargeBringing the mirror inside.
Click to enlargeBringing the mirror inside.
Click to enlargeBringing the mirror inside.
Click to enlargeBringing the mirror inside.
Click to enlargeBringing the mirror inside.
Click to enlargeBringing the mirror inside.
Click to enlargeBringing the mirror inside. When the big doors are open like this, it gets cold inside very fast.
Click to enlargeErebus emerges from the cloud.
Click to enlargeThe slowest forklift in Antarctica.
Click to enlargeCarefully removing the forks from underneath the primary mirror.
Click to enlargeBoth star cameras up and running on the bench.
Click to enlargeAnother shot of Erebus, note the prominent plume.
Click to enlargeThe closest thing to vegetation on the continent: a forest of flags.
Click to enlargePutting the mirror insulation onto the inner frame.
Click to enlargePutting the mirror insulation onto the inner frame.
Click to enlargeChris and Mark discuss strategy.
Click to enlargeThe primary mirror in its protective cocoon.
Click to playThree minutes in the highbay.
Click to enlargeEnzo's sun sensor mount.
Click to enlargeThe primary and secondary mirror assembled.
Click to enlargeLooking up at the secondary mirror. In the reflection you can see the primary mirror's cocoon.
Click to enlargeBatteries mounted on the gondola.
Click to enlargeMe and Enzo on the bus.
Click to enlargeMe looking dapper.
Click to enlargeMe looking dapper.
Click to enlargePicking up hitch-hikers on the road back to base. Likely they've just returned from a trek to Castle Rock or the Kiwi Ski Hill.
Click to enlargeA map of the environs. South is generally towards the top. Willy Field is east (left) of Scott Base.

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(6287x1348, 4255.21 kb) A view from McMurdo across the ice runway to the south. On the left is the foot of Ob Hill. Black Island is partially obscured by clouds, almost due South; to the right of it, Mt. Discovery pushes above the clouds. Continuing rightward, is Brown Peninsula, and then the Royal Society Range. Peaks further right are part of the Asgard Range, where the dry valleys are. Out on the ice runway, five LC-130 "Hercules" are sitting.

Buildings in the foreground include, from left:

  • the Gym (hut 75), the semicircular building
  • the Helicopter Hangar (hut 129), the green building behind the gym,
  • the Dive Shack (hut 144), the small white building near centre,
  • Administration & GSE Shop (hut 159), white building mostly obscured behind the dive shack
  • Cold Storage (hut 157), the prominent green building at centre
  • Supply (hut 156), the next green building to the right of Cold Storage
  • the Water Plant (hut 198), the yellow building party obscured
  • Chapel of the Snows (hut 7), the building with a steeple at right

Click to enlargeOb Hill. Note the cross at the top.
Click to enlargeThe chalet.

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(6452x1073, 3296.08 kb) Another shot looking over the the ice shelf from McMurdo. At left is the foot of Ob Hill. At right is Hut Point.

Click to enlargeHut Point. The prominent building is Discovery Hut, built by Scot in 1902.

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(3864x1260, 2770.70 kb) Winter Quarters Bay, at the west end of the base. In the winter of 1901/02 Robert Scott's ship Discovery was iced in here, hence the name. During this time they built Discovery Hut (now usually called Scott's Hut) on Hut Point. Winter Quarters Bay is the main deep water port for Ross Island and, when it warms up, they'll have an ice pier here. In former times Winter Quarters Bay was considered one of the most polluted places on Earth, but significant clean up has happened since then.

Click to enlargeChapel of the Snows. Mormon, Catholic and Protestant services are offered.
Click to enlargeDerelict Junction, the main bus stop in town.
Click to enlargeLooking over the ice shelf. The Highbay and Willy field are on the left. To the right is AnDRILL, the Antarctic Geological Drilling Experiment.
Click to enlargeLooking over at Mt. Erebus (left) and Mt. Terror (right). Down below is the start of the ice road. There are several lanes, only one is open, which permits resurfacing of the other lanes, without blocking traffic.
Click to enlargeThe same.
Click to enlargePressure ridges.

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© 2006 D. V. Wiebe. Generated Sat 2024-11-02 08:26:31 UTC