NASA shares satellite images of massive wildflower superbloom from space
Nature continues to unleash her beauty, even during a pandemic. Every spring, Los Angelenos look forward to a spectacular show from Mother Earth.
In the city of Lancaster, California, the state’s national flower, the California poppies bloom and unfurl their majestic colors under the sun.
The peak times change, even though it happens every spring. And it depends on a lot of factors, including the sun, heat, clouds, wind, and rain.
“The bloom time changes every year,” state park interpreter Jean Rhyne explained. “Generally it happens early in April, but it can take place any time between mid-March and early May.”
Eight miles of land is covered with these beautiful flowers.
Fortunately, fans of the California poppy won’t have to miss out. The folks at this California State Park have set up a live camera feed so they can still watch it safely at home.
Even NASA has successfully captured this beautiful poppy bloom from space.
“On April 14, 2020, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat 8 satellite acquired these images of vast blooms in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. These images were acquired when poppy flowers in the valley were thought to be at or near their peak,” NASA reported.
This spring, the Antelope Valley was lucky enough to experience great weather.
Near the end of March, the area received warm weather, which helped the poppies bloom rapidly. But they also received a significant amount of rainfall, which will help the poppies bloom longer than usual.
And if you see the colors change rapidly in the area, it’s okay. That’s perfectly normal.
The weather can change abruptly, affecting how the poppies can be seen.
“The poppies open their petals during sunny periods, appearing like a large blanket over the landscape. The flowers tend to close during windy, cold periods,” NASA added.
The park isn’t the only place to see the poppies in Lancaster. The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve still remains to be the best place to enjoy them.
And if it wasn’t for the covid-19 virus, people all over the state would have gathered in April for the annual Poppy Festival, which was canceled this year.
California poppies are not the only flowers that bloom in this city and park.
Fiddlenecks, slender keel fruits, red maids, owl’s clower, and forget-me-nots are a familiar sight in this park. And people can’t wait to see them in full bloom.
Currently, only local residents are allowed to visit on foot or bike only.
Last year, NASA took photos of the California poppy super bloom with their T-34 mission support aircraft.
Unfortunately, even with the rainfall, 2020 will not be experiencing a California poppy super bloom.
“We were predicting a moderate bloom [before the rain], and it’s still a moderate bloom even after a good drenching,” state park interpreter Lori Wear said.
Super or moderate, the flowers still look beautiful.
There is one thing Mother Nature can count on every year. People will always go to great lengths to see her beauty.
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Source: Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, NASA Earth Observatory, California Department of Parks and Recreation, Visit California, Weather.com, Time Out Los Angeles, Insider, NASA, Curbed Los Angeles