Alex Spahn 🌋🌪️☄️
@spahn711.bsky.social
Storm chaser. Volcano hunter. University Physics, Astronomy, & Earth Science Instructor. MS Physics/BS Astrophysics. Rockhounder & Mineral Collector. Raccoon whisperer. Allow me to share our planet's beauty with you. linktr.ee/spahn711
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Alex Spahn 🌋🌪️☄️
@spahn711.bsky.social
· Oct 18
With all the new faces here, I figured I'd also say hi and reintroduce myself. I am a professor of physics, astronomy and earth science, among other things, but most of what you'll get from me are photos of our immensely beautiful planet. Sharing that beauty is my passion; we're so lucky to be here.
The Wall. #Photography
Fjallsjökull (Iceland) towers more than 6,000 ft above the surrounding landscape and is one of the dozens of glaciers that make up Vatnajökull, Europe's second largest ice cap. Seven volcanoes reside beneath the ice, leading to occasional subglacial eruptions and jökulhlaups.
Fjallsjökull (Iceland) towers more than 6,000 ft above the surrounding landscape and is one of the dozens of glaciers that make up Vatnajökull, Europe's second largest ice cap. Seven volcanoes reside beneath the ice, leading to occasional subglacial eruptions and jökulhlaups.
February 11, 2026 at 12:17 AM
The Wall. #Photography
Fjallsjökull (Iceland) towers more than 6,000 ft above the surrounding landscape and is one of the dozens of glaciers that make up Vatnajökull, Europe's second largest ice cap. Seven volcanoes reside beneath the ice, leading to occasional subglacial eruptions and jökulhlaups.
Fjallsjökull (Iceland) towers more than 6,000 ft above the surrounding landscape and is one of the dozens of glaciers that make up Vatnajökull, Europe's second largest ice cap. Seven volcanoes reside beneath the ice, leading to occasional subglacial eruptions and jökulhlaups.
Idaho's Upper Mesa Falls.
While the 10-story-tall waterfall is beautiful, it is the surrounding rock that I'm drawn to. Those cliffs are made of tuff, which is basically ash that fused together into rock. Here, it comes from the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption 1.3 million years ago! #Photography
While the 10-story-tall waterfall is beautiful, it is the surrounding rock that I'm drawn to. Those cliffs are made of tuff, which is basically ash that fused together into rock. Here, it comes from the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption 1.3 million years ago! #Photography
February 9, 2026 at 10:08 PM
Idaho's Upper Mesa Falls.
While the 10-story-tall waterfall is beautiful, it is the surrounding rock that I'm drawn to. Those cliffs are made of tuff, which is basically ash that fused together into rock. Here, it comes from the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption 1.3 million years ago! #Photography
While the 10-story-tall waterfall is beautiful, it is the surrounding rock that I'm drawn to. Those cliffs are made of tuff, which is basically ash that fused together into rock. Here, it comes from the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption 1.3 million years ago! #Photography
Perfect form on this banana pose! 📸🍌 #Photography
February 8, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Perfect form on this banana pose! 📸🍌 #Photography
The handsomest boy.
February 8, 2026 at 4:21 AM
The handsomest boy.
Every now and then, I come across a place in nature that simply doesn't feel real. Crawling down a small hole in the absolute middle of nowhere and stepping into this scene was like being transported to another world. I found myself enchanted and struggled to leave for quite some time. #Photography
![A photo of the inside of a cave that has an opening at the top through which a perfect beam of light enters the room, filling it with a golden light and highlighting the dust suspended in the air. Directly below the opening in the ceiling is a pule of rocks from the collapse, with a circle of vibrant green ferns growing atop them. On the far right is a smaller hole that I climbed down through to enter the cave. [note: I will not publicly disclose this location due to the sensitive ecosystem within]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:acm2yz57z6weqbdbw5lpluu3/bafkreifrvpmyeo323nekvzthxshjlljhkuugqfc4jsocls7tpbzoa76z2i@jpeg)
February 7, 2026 at 10:17 PM
Every now and then, I come across a place in nature that simply doesn't feel real. Crawling down a small hole in the absolute middle of nowhere and stepping into this scene was like being transported to another world. I found myself enchanted and struggled to leave for quite some time. #Photography
Overlooking the Canyonlands. #photography
February 5, 2026 at 3:29 AM
Overlooking the Canyonlands. #photography
The infamous Shafer Trail in Canyonlands National Park. #photography
February 4, 2026 at 12:32 AM
The infamous Shafer Trail in Canyonlands National Park. #photography
A Minecraft cave and sideways-growing tree. Reality was glitching a little here. #Photography
February 3, 2026 at 1:24 AM
A Minecraft cave and sideways-growing tree. Reality was glitching a little here. #Photography
In Sept. of 2023, I witnessed what was in my eyes the perfect storm. This intricately-structured, highly-electric supercell danced under a sky full of stars, looming over the landscape like the Mind Flayer while producing multiple funnels, bursts of sprites, and a barrage of lightning. #Photography
January 31, 2026 at 1:23 AM
In Sept. of 2023, I witnessed what was in my eyes the perfect storm. This intricately-structured, highly-electric supercell danced under a sky full of stars, looming over the landscape like the Mind Flayer while producing multiple funnels, bursts of sprites, and a barrage of lightning. #Photography
The deadly Cole, OK EF3 tornado from 04-19-2023. I couldn't believe the clear slot wrapped around this thing. This was a long day for central Oklahoma, and one in which I saw eight tornadoes! #Photography
January 29, 2026 at 11:24 PM
The deadly Cole, OK EF3 tornado from 04-19-2023. I couldn't believe the clear slot wrapped around this thing. This was a long day for central Oklahoma, and one in which I saw eight tornadoes! #Photography
A unique drone perspective of SP Crater and its lava flow. #Photography
January 29, 2026 at 5:58 PM
A unique drone perspective of SP Crater and its lava flow. #Photography
On the edge of the Canyonlands.
January 29, 2026 at 2:16 AM
On the edge of the Canyonlands.
Ontario's gorge-ous 330-ft-deep Ouimet Canyon, which formed when a sill, a horizontal layer of magma, was split by glacial movement and/or meltwater during the last ice age. The canyon floor hosts a sub-arctic microclimate supporting arctic plants usually only found 1k km further north! #photography
January 28, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Ontario's gorge-ous 330-ft-deep Ouimet Canyon, which formed when a sill, a horizontal layer of magma, was split by glacial movement and/or meltwater during the last ice age. The canyon floor hosts a sub-arctic microclimate supporting arctic plants usually only found 1k km further north! #photography
#TafoniTuesday!
When saltwater seeps into the crevices and pores in rock and then evaporates, salt crystals are deposited. As these crystals expand, they weaken the rock, breaking it apart and leaving behind numerous cavities called tafoni. #photography
When saltwater seeps into the crevices and pores in rock and then evaporates, salt crystals are deposited. As these crystals expand, they weaken the rock, breaking it apart and leaving behind numerous cavities called tafoni. #photography
January 27, 2026 at 7:28 PM
#TafoniTuesday!
When saltwater seeps into the crevices and pores in rock and then evaporates, salt crystals are deposited. As these crystals expand, they weaken the rock, breaking it apart and leaving behind numerous cavities called tafoni. #photography
When saltwater seeps into the crevices and pores in rock and then evaporates, salt crystals are deposited. As these crystals expand, they weaken the rock, breaking it apart and leaving behind numerous cavities called tafoni. #photography
Utah is magical at every turn. Even random roads can look like this... #Photography
January 26, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Utah is magical at every turn. Even random roads can look like this... #Photography
My assistant helping me measure the depth of sleet. We ended up with ~5.2" of pure sleet accumulation here in far southeastern Oklahoma! It is now a solid slab of ice. 😵💫
January 26, 2026 at 2:18 AM
My assistant helping me measure the depth of sleet. We ended up with ~5.2" of pure sleet accumulation here in far southeastern Oklahoma! It is now a solid slab of ice. 😵💫
Walk with me along the misty shores of Lake Superior. #Photography
📍Pukaskwa National Park, Ontario, Canada.
📍Pukaskwa National Park, Ontario, Canada.
January 25, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Walk with me along the misty shores of Lake Superior. #Photography
📍Pukaskwa National Park, Ontario, Canada.
📍Pukaskwa National Park, Ontario, Canada.
I don't know when they will happen, or what it will take for us to get there, but I cannot wait for the trials that everyone in this administration will face one day. The thought of it helps to keep me going.
January 25, 2026 at 3:12 AM
I don't know when they will happen, or what it will take for us to get there, but I cannot wait for the trials that everyone in this administration will face one day. The thought of it helps to keep me going.
You really should be tuned in to the V1 cam for Kilauea's 41st eruptive episode. Its a stunner.
USGS live stream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0t...
USGS live stream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0t...
January 24, 2026 at 10:33 PM
You really should be tuned in to the V1 cam for Kilauea's 41st eruptive episode. Its a stunner.
USGS live stream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0t...
USGS live stream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0t...