Red Skies at Night

Key: R20080816-070057

Moonrise in the east from a position on the switchbacks up Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. Note the typical inversion that results in clouds below 9000 ft., while above is clear, dark and cold–perfect for astronomical observations.

To the right you can see the rising flank of Mauna Kea’s sister–Mauna Loa.

If you look very carefully, just in a little from the right, you can see the active volcanic plume of Pu’u O’o on the east rift of Kilauea Volcano. It looks like a little smokestack going off. If you aren’t looking for it, you’d mistake it for part of the general cloud cover on the horizon..