Makhtesh Ramon

Makhtesh Ramon, a cirque measuring 40 kilometres (25 mi) long, 2–10 kilometres (1.2–6.2 mi) wide, and 500 metres (1,600 ft) deep, is the world's largest makhtesh. It is located in Israel's Negev desert, some 85 kilometres (53 mi) south of Beersheba. The makhtesh and surrounding area are home to only one settlement, Mitzpe Ramon, and together form Israel's largest national park.

Lesser Sand Plover

The lesser sand plover (Charadrius mongolus) is a small, highly migratory wader in the plover family of birds. It feeds predominantly on insects, crustaceans and annelid worms.

Blackness Castle

Blackness Castle is a fortress located on the south shore of the Firth of Forth near Blackness, Scotland. Built by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s, the castle passed to King James II of Scotland in 1453. During its more than 500 years as crown property, the castle has served as a prison, artillery fortification, and ammunition depot. The castle is now aScheduled Ancient Monument, in the care of Historic Scotland.

Yule log Cake

A Yule log cake made of chocolate sponge cake, filled with raspberry jam, and decorated to resemble its namesake. Such cakes, known as bûche de Noël in French, are traditional desserts served near Christmas in France and several of its former colonies.

Striated Pardalote

The striated pardalote (Pardalotus striatus) is a passerine bird found in Australia. The most common pardalotespecies, it was first described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789. Although plumage varies, the nominate subspecies (as shown here) is identifiable by a yellow spot on the wing.

Victor Baltard

A sketch of the facade of the Saint-Augustin Church in Paris, by its architect Victor Baltard. Born to architect Louis-Pierre Baltard in 1805, Baltard began winning prizes for his architecture by 1833. In 1849 he was made Architect of the City of Paris, and in this position he designed several buildings, including Les Halles and the Notre-Dame-des-Blancs-Manteaux Church as well as this church. Before his death in 1874, he also restored several churches, including Saint-Étienne-du-Mont and Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis.

Correa Alba

Correa alba is a shrub endemic to Australia. Reaching some 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) in height, this shrub is a hardy species in well-drained situations. The ovate leaves measure 1.5 to 3.5 centimetres (0.59 to 1.38 in) long and 1 to 2.7 centimetres (0.39 to 1.06 in) wide. The flowers, as shown here, are generally white, but may also be light pink. They usually appear between mid-autumn and early winter.

Percival Lowell

American astronomer Percival Lowell at his observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. In this 1914 photograph Lowell is seen observingVenus high in the daytime sky, with the refracting telescope's 24-inch (61 cm) lens diameter stopped down to 3 inches (7.6 cm) to reduce the effects of atmospheric turbulence.

Lowell has been described as "the most influential popularizer of planetary science in America before Carl Sagan". His efforts to find Planet X eventually led to the discovery of Pluto, 14 years after his death. Pluto was named partly in recognition of Lowell's efforts, although the Planet X theory was subsequently disproved.

Castalius Rosimon

Castalius rosimon is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. First described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775, the species can be found in South and Southeast Asia.

Shy Albatross

The shy albatross (Thalassarche cauta) is a medium-sized albatross, averaging 90 to 99 centimetres (35–39 in) in length with a 220–256 cm (87–101 in) wingspan. It breeds on rocky islands off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand, but non-breeding birds can be found throughout the southern oceans. The shy albatross feeds on fish,cephalopods, crustacea, and tunicates; it has been known to dive to depths of 5 m (16 ft) in search of prey.

Grose Valley

The Grose Valley is a rugged valley in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia, which was formed by the Grose River. The valley is located between the Great Western Highway and Bells Line of Road, the two major routes across the Blue Mountains. Most of the valley falls within the Blue Mountains National Park. On the right side of the image, the Bridal Veil Falls are visible.