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Jan 12, 2023Rumelihisarı in Istanbul, Türkiye

Though Türkiye usually lives up to expectations as a warm Mediterranean country, snow occasionally falls here. This winter dusting of Istanbul, Türkiye"s largest city, brings into sharper focus the lines of Rumelihisarı in the center of our image. The structure, also known as Rumeli Fortress, was built in the 15th century by an Ottoman sultan as a way to choke naval traffic through the narrow Bosporus Strait. The Bosporus connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, separating Istanbul into what are often referred to as its "European side" and "Asian side." Today, the fortress isn"t used to fire upon ships but serves as a museum and concert venue. While the place has changed over the centuries, the killer view hasn"t.Desktop Version

Jan 11, 2023Umschreibung by Olafur Eliasson in Munich

Making a New Year"s resolution to boost your fitness? Let us present National Take the Stairs Day. (You"re welcome.) The annual event began informally in 2016 and was later adopted by the American Lung Association. It"s an ingenious way to nudge people to exercise—most of us encounter stairs during our day, so there"s really no excuse. Climbing stairs is a low-impact activity that raises your heart rate and burns calories.Desktop Version

Jan 10, 2023Lake Peipus, Estonia

Lake Peipus, the fifth-largest lake in Europe, dates back hundreds of millions of years to the Paleozoic Era and is known for its sand dunes, which can "sing" when the wind blows just right. In the winter the frozen lake surface may feature ice hummocks, as seen in this image. The hummocks are caused by slow, uneven pressure in the ice pack.Desktop Version

Jan 9, 2023Wind Cave National Park celebrates 120 years

Between the more famous national parks of Yellowstone and the Badlands lies Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota. Established 120 years ago, this national park is home to one of only four wild herds of genetically pure bison in North America. The two in our image are the descendants of 20 bison saved from slaughter by conservationists in the early 1900s. At the time, fewer than 1,000 wild bison were left alive out of a population that once numbered 50 million. Above ground, the park is the largest grass prairie in the country. Below ground lies one of the most extensive cave systems in the world. As the weather above changes, air flows into and out of the caves creating the wind for which the park was named.Desktop Version

Jan 8, 2023Breckenridge, Colorado

Gold mining put this Rocky Mountain town on the map in the 1860s, but today the real gold is the powdery snow that falls liberally on the slopes that surround the town. Breckenridge is one of Colorado"s premier ski and snowboard destinations. The resort has 35 lifts servicing five peaks and 2,900 acres of terrain. The visitors—who also arrive in the summer to fish, cycle, and paddle—easily outnumber the 5,000 residents of this quaint village. The gold mines have long shut down, apart from hosting visits from tourists. The enduring value of Breckenridge is its natural beauty.Desktop Version

Jan 7, 2023Yarn for Distaff Day

We"re showcasing gorgeous soft wool and mohair yarn because today is Distaff Day, a celebration that dates back to medieval times. Truth be told, we"re not convinced that it"s really cause for celebration, since it marked women"s return to spinning work after Christmas, following 12 blissful, chore-free days.Desktop Version

Jan 6, 2023Black Fell in England s Lake District

Today"s lovely landscape requires a slight bit of explanation. We"re at Black Fell, which can be found in the Lake District of England. The term "fell" originates from the Old Norse term for mountain, but it mostly applies to high, barren areas and, in the Lake District specifically, the area was usually uncultivated and used for grazing. Black Fell, which is a little over 1,000 feet high, has some acclaim, having been mentioned in Alfred Wainwright"s "Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells" as a prime viewing area. No matter which direction you gaze, you"re sure to see something wonderful.Desktop Version

Jan 5, 2023Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, China

The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, in China"s Heilongjiang province, begins today with all the spectacle and fanfare you"d expect from the world"s largest festival of its kind. Big, bold, and beautiful, the event features more than 2,000 ice sculptures made from 240,000 cubic yards of ice collected by nearly a thousand workers from the nearby Songhua River. Many of the sculptures are illuminated with colored lights, creating a vibrant, glowing world of ice. It"s estimated the colorful sights attract more than 18 million visitors each year. The event, which runs through late February, also features alpine skiing, cold water swimming in the aforementioned Songhua, as well as a festive ice lantern show.Desktop Version

Jan 4, 2023Earth at Perihelion

We"ve reached perihelion! Two weeks after winter solstice the Earth"s orbit is closer to the sun than at any other time of year—a result of the Earth"s elliptical orbit. You may think, "If we"re so close to the sun, why can"t I feel the heat?" Well, that"s because we"re only receiving about 7% more solar energy than normal, which doesn"t really have much impact on the weather.Desktop Version

Jan 3, 2023Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Hey, don"t judge. Migrating takes it out of you! Yes, these sandhill cranes are sleeping on their feet in the waters of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in southern New Mexico. The birds start arriving around Halloween each year, and as many as 10,000 of them will stay to rest and feed in local fields until February. What"s on the menu? Well, sandhill cranes aren"t picky; they"ll eat whatever"s available, from plants and grains, to insects, snails, and even snakes. And they have plenty of avian company at this beautiful refuge each winter—whooping cranes, ducks, and snow geese from as far away as Alaska and Siberia also count Bosque del Apache as a favorite resting spot before heading north to their breeding grounds when the days get warmer. Thankfully, there"s plenty of room to spread their wings at the 57,000-acre refuge.Desktop Version

Jan 2, 2023Hohenzollern Castle near Stuttgart, Germany

For the charming Hohenzollern Castle, the third time really was the charm. Constructed on the top of Hohenzollern Mountain in the 11th century, the castle was largely ruined by a 10-month siege in 1423, only to be rebuilt a few decades later. It then served as an important strategic stronghold before again falling into disrepair. In the 19th century, King Frederick William IV of Prussia, best remembered for his commitment to building great works across Germany, had a new castle built on the grounds, replacing almost all the 15th-century construction. Today, Hohenzollern Castle is an open-air museum that hosts more than 350,000 visitors per year, making it one of the most-visited castles in Germany.Desktop Version

Jan 1, 2023New Year s Day

If your first scheduled activity of the day has ever involved intentionally jumping into an icy lake or a frigid bay, then you understand the relevance of today"s image from the Svalbard Islands of Norway. Polar bear plunges, as these swims have come to be known, take place all over the world, often on New Year"s Day. Whether people take the plunge for charity, penance, or shock value, there"s no better way to put an exclamation point on the first day of the year. Of course, for actual polar bears, ice cold plunges are an everyday occurrence and won"t elicit much more than a yawn.Desktop Version

Dec 31, 2022New Year s Eve in Sydney, Australia

With New Year"s Eve landing in midsummer, many Aussies choose to usher in the new year with a boat trip around beautiful Sydney Harbour to take in the annual fireworks display. With the Sydney Harbour Bridge and world-famous Sydney Opera House as a dramatic backdrop, the first fireworks show will fire off this year at 9 PM local time, followed by a second show at midnight. Australia is one of the first nations to greet the new year, and more than 1.5 million people are typically in attendance for this spectacular celebration in Sydney.Desktop Version

Dec 30, 2022White Desert National Park, Egypt

Snow, in the desert? Not quite. Today we"re in Egypt"s White Desert, which gets its colorful name from an abundance of chalk, limestone, and quartz rock formations that give the sand its special hue. Tourists flock to this place to see these naturally occurring structures, honed over thousands of years into unique shapes through a process known as differential weathering. Located about five hours to the southwest of Cairo, White Desert National Park is a lot more than just deteriorating rocks—it"s also a protected refuge for several endangered animal species.Desktop Version

Dec 29, 2022Silver-studded blue butterflies

The butterfly effect is a scientific concept coined 50 years ago today, and it has become a literary and metaphorical term to describe the idea that the smallest change may have massive, worldwide implications. It is often associated with chaos theory. American mathematician and meteorologist Edward Norton Lorenz theorized that the flapping of a butterfly"s wings, like those of the silver-studded blue butterflies you see in today"s image, could weeks later influence the formation of a tornado.Desktop Version

Dec 28, 2022Maloja, Switzerland

The word "picturesque" is an understatement when taking in today"s image of Maloja, Switzerland. This Alpine village in the canton of Grisons is surely the envy and inspiration of snow globes the world over! Located just a few miles from the Italian border, the impossibly perfect winter scenes found here have inspired painters and artists for centuries. Majola is near Lake Sils, which makes this area a recreational destination in both summer and winter. At the center of our image is the crown jewel of Maloja, the Chiesa Bianca, a church built in the 1880s by a Belgian count. Today, the once solemn space is used to stage exhibitions and concerts.Desktop Version

Dec 27, 2022Blue Lagoon spa, Grindavík, Iceland

Let"s be frank here, the origin of today"s beautiful picture is a pool of wastewater from a nearby geothermal plant. While that may not sound enticing, Iceland"s Blue Lagoon is one of the country"s most-visited attractions. The trick is to not get stuck on the "waste" part of wastewater. The water here is clean, always hovers around 100° F, and is enriched with tons of silica—which is what makes it blue—and sulfur, thanks to the plant"s processes. Those minerals, along with a little algae, are believed to combine into a highly beneficial tonic for skin and overall well-being.Desktop Version

Dec 26, 2022Boxing Day in East Yorkshire, England

The sledders in our photo are enjoying Boxing Day in England, bundled up and hurtling down a hill at Beverley Westwood Common near Black Mill in East Yorkshire. Traditionally, Boxing Day is a day off to relax after the excitement of Christmas. What"s behind the name? There are a few theories, but the most widely accepted one is that the name derives from the giving of "boxes" (of gifts) to the poor the day after Christmas. Perhaps we should all follow that example today, as we eat Christmas leftovers and listen to lingering carols. How can we give a little Christmas to those who are less fortunate?Desktop Version

Dec 25, 2022Merry Christmas!

For more than 400 years the city of Strasbourg, France, has transformed into a Christmas wonderland in December. Including displays such as this miniature village decorated for the holidays. Craftsmen and merchants sell ornaments and other gifts at Strasbourg"s famous Christmas market. And there are plenty of satisfied customers—over 2 million visitors flock to the city every year to take in the festive sights and sounds. An immense Christmas tree is erected and decorated in Place Kléber, the central square, and the scents, songs, and twinkling lights of Christmas fill the city. It"s no wonder that Strasbourg proudly calls itself the "Capital of Christmas."Desktop Version

Dec 24, 2022Christmas Eve

This isolated cove on "the Last Frontier" is the least likely place you"d expect to find a Christmas tree decorated from head to toe with lights aglow. Amalga Harbor lies about 15 miles north of Juneau (one of the few coastal state capitals in the US) and shows that the public expression of Christmas cheer knows few limitations–and may include use of a small barge. This photograph was taken from nearby Ernest Gruening State Historical Park, which was named for the former governor of the Alaska Territory. Gruening led the territory from 1939 to 1953 before becoming one of the state"s first US senators when Alaska became a state in 1959. After his political career ended, he and his wife lived in a cabin that was preserved as part of this historic site.Desktop Version

Dec 23, 2022Gentoo penguins in Antarctica

For the uninitiated, the origins of the made-up holiday Festivus can be traced back to an episode of the hit "90s show, "Seinfeld." Based on the real family tradition of one of the show"s writers, Festivus has taken on a life of its own in the real world and provides fans with a fun, tongue-in-cheek way to celebrate the holiday season while ignoring its pressures and commercialism.Desktop Version

Dec 22, 2022Galeries Lafayette, Paris

Surely one of the grandest stores found in any city is the Galeries Lafayette in Paris. It"s not just a place to shop but a destination as popular as any in the City of Light. At a time when department stores are fading and the entire retail industry is shifting, the Galeries Lafayette holds fast. It has survived financial crises, wars, and now the internet, remaining a celebrated part of life in Paris. Like Macy"s or Rockefeller Center in New York, the Galeries Lafayette is synonymous with the holidays. A giant fir is decorated every holiday season under the store"s signature stained glass dome—a ritual of Christmas cheer that Parisians have embraced for generations.Desktop Version

Dec 21, 2022Winter solstice

The days only get longer from here! The Northern Hemisphere marks the beginning of winter today, but the winter solstice is also the shortest day of the year. The rainbow that encircles the sun in our image, a sun halo, is above Lake Antermoia, in the Dolomite Mountains of northern Italy. Sun halos form when sun or moon light shines through ice crystals suspended in the upper atmosphere. When the light of the sun hits the crystals they serve as a prism, separating the light into individual colors of the spectrum, the same way rainbows occur after a rain shower.Desktop Version

Dec 20, 2022Christmas market at Belvedere Palace in Vienna

Christmas markets win the holiday trifecta: You can buy interesting, often handcrafted gifts, they are set in picturesque, romantic towns and villages in Europe, and they tempt you with mulled wine and local delicacies. What"s not to like? Christmas markets, or "Weihnachtsmärkt," are one of Europe"s oldest Advent events.Desktop Version

Dec 19, 2022Northern cardinal in winterberry bush

This scarlet winterberry shrub is the perfect hiding place for the northern cardinal. What better spot for singing in the winter holidays? Winterberry is a deciduous holly that"s native to North America and can be a modest shrub or a tree reaching up to 15 feet. The yellow and green flower clusters that bloom in spring give way to bright red berries in winter.Desktop Version

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