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LiveScience
LiveScience
Harry Baker

10 bizarre 'dark voids' appear in the skies over uninhabited island near Antarctica — Earth from space

Earth Antarctica Indian Ocean Heard Island Ocean
A satellite photo sowing ten dark holes in the clouds swirling in the sky.
QUICK FACTS

Where is it? Heard Island, Indian Ocean [-53.116414344, 73.51793263]

What's in the photo? An unusual stream of von Kármán vortices trailing off a hidden peak

Which satellite took the photo? Landsat 8

When was it taken? May 3, 2016

This striking satellite photo shows 10 swirling "dark voids" that appeared above an uninhabited volcanic island in the Indian Ocean. The black spots are the result of atmospheric cloud vortices, but are oddly pronounced and significantly contorted compared to most other examples of this phenomenon.

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