Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Coldest Place on Earth

NASA ^ | December 11, 2013 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: How cold can it get on Earth? In the interior of the Antarctica, a record low temperature of -93.2 °C (-135.8 °F) has been recorded. This is about 25 °C (45 °F) colder than the coldest lows noted for any place humans live permanently. The record temperature occurred in 2010 August -- winter in Antarctica -- and was found by scientists sifting through decades of climate data taken by Earth-orbiting satellites. The coldest spots were found near peaks because higher air is generally colder, although specifically in depressions near these peaks because relatively dense cold air settled there and was further cooled by the frozen ground. Summer is a much better time to visit Antarctica, as some regions will warm up as high as 15 °C (59 °F).

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit: Ted Scambos (National Snow and Ice Data Center) et al., Landsat 8, USGS, NASA]

[SunkenCiv]

Also check the "Antarctic" and "Antarctica" keywords up there for some other recent topics about this cold snap.

The Big One

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[tumblindice]

I’ll bet that’s even colder than Canada, isn’t it Mr. Wizard?

[from occupied ga]

Theoretically cold enough to freeze carbon dioxide. I wonder why no one lives there. It’s millions of times cheaper to get to than Mars. It has air and water (frozen), and more to the point it’s much cheaper to return from. Maybe the space kadets should concentrate on developing a manned colony in antartica.

[SunkenCiv]

I’ve always found Canadians to be warm, welcoming people!

[left that other site]

AlGore and the brass Monkeys are deeply saddened.

[Dr. Ursus]

Denver?

[VanDeKoik]

D.C. lost the top spot?

[LachlanMinnesota]

I’m guessin’ ya bring your car battery inside at night, right?

[cornelis]

They're there. They hunt neutrinos.

[from occupied ga]

They hunt neutrinos.

Do you fry 'em or bake 'em? How to they taste?

[cornelis]

Isolate and crush. Tastes like ghost.

They have about 5000 of these sensors down there:

[JRios1968]

Neutrinos taste like chicken

[jdsteel]

They taste like chicken....but they go right through you faster than Chinese.

[from occupied ga]

Neutrinos taste like chicken

I should have known that.

[ClearBlueSky]

Colony on Antarctica? I’m there if they put a mall up first!
There’s a place in Alaska where there’s a mall with a hotel, hospital, etc in it so people can live there without braving the epic cold. Make a colony self-sufficient and convenient for comfort and I’d LOVE it. SICK of 60-80 degree non-winters then 9 month hurricane seasons. I could love ice and snow 24-7. Antarctica sounds like ‘watch out for Wampas, ride Tauntauns HOTH weather!

[M Kehoe]

The Coldest Place on Earth

I thought Bill said that Hillary's bed was the coldest place on earth.

Speaking of Hillary. Is it just me, or is she looking like a new planet in the solar system?

5.56mm

[null and void]

Wanna trade earthquakes for hurricanes?

[Organic Panic]

It’ melting. Run for the hills.

[ClearBlueSky]

Yep= I’ll trade. Is there an ‘earthquake season? When’s the last time you saw a massive evacuation for earthquakes? I think the odds are better, and no one is warning you of impending death, daily for months, re. earthquakes.Oh- and when hurricane season is dormant( it never ends, it’s spoken of all year) you SWEAT till you puke,mold and mildew, fight flying roaches and get $500 ac bills. Yeah- I’ll live in the Antarctic gladly!