# What is this a picture of? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 21, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619 "2005-03-21T20:00:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/1 "2005-03-21T20:00:10Z")
I found this picture taken by National Geographic and was wondering where this place is. It looks like a tourist area. [Click.](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/pa_sdmb/NG002.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/2 "2005-03-21T20:02:17Z")
Looks like a hot spring to me. The colors are from mineral deposits. I think. I’m no geologist. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/3 "2005-03-21T20:06:50Z")
Yellowstone … Grand Prismatic Spring ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/4 "2005-03-21T20:09:34Z")
More specifically, it’s the Prismatic Springs at Yellowstone National Park: [![](http://www.websiteoptimization.com/speed/tweak/stabilizer/yellowstone.jpg) ](http://www.websiteoptimization.com/speed/tweak/stabilizer/yellowstone.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/5 "2005-03-21T20:24:18Z")
Wow, that was fast. Thanks for the replies. It’s just so purty! ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/6 "2005-03-21T22:33:43Z")
It’s gorgeous; I was just there last summer. And big,too … notice the boardwalk and people in the lower right. The colors are actually bacteria; the different colors are types with different heat tolerance. Orange is the “coolest” around the edge; the deep blue in the middle is too hot for anybody. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/7 "2005-03-22T00:24:30Z")
Well, I’ve been beaten to it, but that picture looks very much like part of my rotating wallpaper/screensaver of [Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks](http://www.azurebay.com/Products.asp?Item=59SS) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/8 "2005-03-22T13:04:29Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > It’s gorgeous; I was just there last summer. And big,too … notice the boardwalk and people in the lower right. The colors are actually bacteria; the different colors are types with different heat tolerance. Orange is the “coolest” around the edge; the deep blue in the middle is too hot for anybody. Is it one of those places that looks a lot better than it smells? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/9 "2005-03-22T14:41:24Z")
Wai-o-tapu in New Zealand has a [similar kind of deal](http://www.fotocommunity.com/pc/pc/display/1354567). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/10 "2005-03-22T14:59:32Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Is it one of those places that looks a lot better than it smells? I suppose that depends on your opinion of hydrogen sulfide, but yes, it smells like you probably think it does. The usual description is “rotten eggs”. ---
**Author:** ![Synthesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@Synthesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Synthesis)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/11 "2005-03-22T18:06:22Z")
In addition to the smell, Yellowstone is basically an active Supervolcano that could ruin your day in a real hurry if you happen to have a spectacular timing :-). Its potential power is incredibly impressive! [http://www.solcomhouse.com/yellowstone.htm](http://www.solcomhouse.com/yellowstone.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/12 "2005-03-22T18:11:29Z")
Yeah, but it could ruin your day in Australia, if your timing is right. The stink only extends a few miles. ---
**Author:** ![Jscobi007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jscobi007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jscobi007)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-a-picture-of/295619/13 "2005-03-22T20:40:49Z")
its probably the end of a rainbow