NASA Publishes Breathtaking Satellite View of Blooming Wildflowers Painting Parts of California Orange

The satellites of NASA captured the spectacular phenomenon of the superbloom – which happens approximately once in every ten years – in Antelope Valley, California.

superbloom california poppies nasa2 — *Satellite image of the superbloom at its peak in California’s Antelope Valley. Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory/Lauren Dauphin*

Antelope Valley is located near the western tip of the Mojave Desert, just a few miles away from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. The pictures were taken by the Landsat 8 satellite when the blooming was thought to be at its peak.

As a result of the superbloom, the deserts of the Temescal Mountains are enchanted with vibrant orange poppies which cloak the hillsides in a fiery wave. Thanks to NASA, we can now bear witness to this natural wonder from a whole different perspective.

superbloom california nasa — *The area is easily distinguishable even from space. Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory/Lauren Dauphin*

superbloom california nasa 2 — *Antelope Valley and its surroundings. Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory/Lauren Dauphin*

This exceptional sight is the result of the concentration of particular events; in the first place, the soil must receive a significant amount of rain in the autumn, which needs to penetrate deep into the ground.

If the rainfall is too excessive, the seedlings can easily be washed away by the floods.

superbloom poppies california antelope valley nasa fb — The orange colored poppies are about to open their petals in Antelope Valley. Image credit: CCsearch/waltarrrrr

For the young plants to rise to the surface of the soil, the desert must have enough cloud cover after the rainfalls, to protect the plants from the heat and the freezing cold of the night. Then, the area has to be free of strong winds which could rip out or damage the seedlings.

According to NASA, the poppies can change appearance, depending on the weather. When the sun is shining the flowers open their petals but during colder days they close up.