Showing posts tagged Australia
‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse wows Australia AP: Skygazers across the Australian Outback were among the lucky few to witness a solar eclipse on Friday as the moon glided between Earth and the sun, blocking everything but a dazzling ring of light. The celestial spectacle, known as a “ring of fire” eclipse, was the second solar eclipse visible from northern Australia in six months. In November, a total solar eclipse plunged the country’s northeast into darkness, delighting astronomers and tourists who flocked to the region from across the globe to witness it. Photo: Friday’s annular solar eclipse blazes like a ring of fire after sunrise, 45 miles (70 kilometers) south of Newman, Australia. The “second sun” is a lens effect. (Nicole Hollenbeck via SpaceWeather.com) View high resolution

‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse wows Australia

AP: Skygazers across the Australian Outback were among the lucky few to witness a solar eclipse on Friday as the moon glided between Earth and the sun, blocking everything but a dazzling ring of light.

The celestial spectacle, known as a “ring of fire” eclipse, was the second solar eclipse visible from northern Australia in six months. In November, a total solar eclipse plunged the country’s northeast into darkness, delighting astronomers and tourists who flocked to the region from across the globe to witness it.

Photo: Friday’s annular solar eclipse blazes like a ring of fire after sunrise, 45 miles (70 kilometers) south of Newman, Australia. The “second sun” is a lens effect. (Nicole Hollenbeck via SpaceWeather.com)

Red algae reaches Sydney shores, closes beaches NBC News: Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach and Clovelly Beach were closed to swimmers on Tuesday as a red algae bloom drifted close to shore. Though the algae has no toxic effects, people are advised not to swim in areas with discolored water because the algae, which can be high in ammonia, can cause skin irritation. Photo: A swimmer stops short of a red algae bloom at Sydney’s Clovelly Beach on Tuesday. Clovelly and Bondi Beaches were closed to swimmers as the bloom drifted closer to shore. (William West / AFP - Getty Images) View high resolution

Red algae reaches Sydney shores, closes beaches

NBC News: Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach and Clovelly Beach were closed to swimmers on Tuesday as a red algae bloom drifted close to shore. Though the algae has no toxic effects, people are advised not to swim in areas with discolored water because the algae, which can be high in ammonia, can cause skin irritation.

Photo: A swimmer stops short of a red algae bloom at Sydney’s Clovelly Beach on Tuesday. Clovelly and Bondi Beaches were closed to swimmers as the bloom drifted closer to shore. (William West / AFP - Getty Images)

4,000 lightning strikes recorded in an hour during massive thunderstorm in Australia

A massive thunderstorm struck southeast Queensland on Saturday, bringing torrential rain, flash flooding and blacking out homes, reported News.com.au.

A police spokesman said 50 people were evacuated from an inner-city building after the storm caused a partial cave-in of the roof of a lodge in the inner suburb of Wilston, near Brisbane. Thousands of homes had lost power.

More on the storm here.

Vessels off western Australia hunting a ‘massive’ white shark that killed a surfer; death is year’s 5th - PerthNow

The shark, dubbed Brutus by surfers near western Australia’s Wedge Island, north of Perth, mauled surfer Ben Linden as he surfed with a mate about 9 am Saturday. Police vessels are continuing to hunt the shark.

Australia’s Fisheries Minister Norman Moore gave the order for the shark to be killed if caught.
He also said the government was re-assessing whether great white sharks should remain protected species.

(Source: perthnow.com.au)