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Late afternoon light, just near dusk, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia

Lord Howe Island is a minuscule Australian island in the Tasman Sea east of the state of New South Wales. It's characterised by rocky volcanic and sandy beaches, subtropical forests and crystal clear aqua waters. It boasts the most southerly coral atoll in the world, where many fish and coral species are not found anywhere else. In the south, a trail winds up the cliff edge to soaring Mount Gower, with majestic sweeping views. Ned's Beach in the north has calm fish- and coral-rich waters. The island is home to huge seabird colonies, and is part of the Unesco world heritage system.

© Southern Lightscapes

Martian Impact Crater

A dramatic, fresh impact crater dominates this image taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on Nov. 19, 2013.

The crater spans approximately 100 feet (30 meters) in diameter and is surrounded by a large, rayed blast zone. Because the terrain where the crater formed is dusty, the fresh crater appears blue in the enhanced color of the image, due to removal of the reddish dust in that area. Debris tossed outward during the formation of the crater is called ejecta. In examining ejecta's distribution, scientists can learn more about the impact event. The explosion that excavated this crater threw ejecta as far as 9.3 miles (15 kilometers).

© NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

Kings Canyon, Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory, Australia

Kings Canyon is part of the Watarrka National Park in the Northern Territory, Australia. The walls of Kings Canyon are over 100 metres high, with Kings Creek at the bottom. Part of the gorge is a sacred Aboriginal site and visitors are discouraged from walking off the walking tracks.

© Boy_Anupong

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