This is not a mine, military base, salt farm, or solar plant. As explained in our March 2, 2014, Image of the Day, this is a date orchard near the Orange River in Northern Cape, South Africa. Thanks to all of you who weighed in our February 2014 puzzler. Reader JMR was first to identify the location, though many readers (including Paul Tinsley and Samuel Blantz) were on the right track by guessing it was a farm.
As with past puzzlers, we had a good deal of participation on Facebook (600+ comments and counting). While you are welcome to submit answers on Facebook, please be aware that I look at the comments posted to the Earth Matters blog first. I have to sift through significant amounts of spam on Facebook, which means that there is a greater chance I may overlook a correct answer there than on Earth Matters. We’ll be back in a few weeks with the March Puzzler.
D’oh!
I should’ve known it was in the southern hemisphere: the hills’ shadows are to the south in what appears to be mid-day!
(Do the “puzzler” images indicate which direction is north?)
(Late Reply I know but in the mood to be helpful non the less)
Lower right hand side. It’s a little hard to see in both pictures but it is there. There is a little distance bar with an N next to it on the right, the N also has an arrow pointing in which direction would be North.
Photo1= North is the viewer’s west or left.
Photo2= North is the viewer’s North or Up like in most standard maps.
Hope this helps.
Just wanted to say thanks for mentioning me here. I appreciate the puzzles and the challenge given by them. February Puzzler was my first one, so I hope that when I see them pop up in the future I can continue to be challenged. Thanks for also doing something educational for the community, it is nice to see that there is material still around that is good for people.
~Samuel Blantz