Morning Geyser facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Morning Geyser |
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Map of the Fountain Paint Pots group showing the location of Morning Geyser
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| Location | Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming |
| Coordinates | 44°33′05″N 110°48′30″W / 44.5514313°N 110.8082572°W |
| Type | Fountain geyser |
| Eruption height | 75 feet (23 m) to 200 feet (61 m), and just as wide. |
| Frequency | 5 hours to 7 days when active, long dormancies |
| Duration | approx. 30 minutes |
Morning Geyser is a special kind of geyser found in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. It's located in an area called the Fountain Paint Pots, which is part of the Lower Geyser Basin. When Morning Geyser is active, it's the biggest geyser in this area. However, it doesn't erupt every year and can be quiet for long periods.
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What is Morning Geyser?
Morning Geyser is a "fountain-type" geyser. This means it shoots water up in big, powerful bursts, like a giant fountain. It doesn't have a steady stream of water.
How High Does Morning Geyser Erupt?
Morning Geyser can shoot water as high as 200 feet (61 m) (about 61 meters) into the air! That's as tall as a 20-story building. The eruption can also be just as wide as it is tall. Most of the time, the eruptions are a bit smaller, but they are still very impressive.
How Long Do Eruptions Last?
An eruption from Morning Geyser usually lasts for about 30 minutes. Sometimes, it can even go on for over an hour! The water comes out in many separate jets, not one continuous flow. You might even see "blue bubbles" just before the jets start, similar to what happens at another nearby geyser called Fountain Geyser.
Does Morning Geyser Erupt with Other Geysers?
Morning Geyser is very close to Fountain Geyser. Sometimes, these two geysers erupt at the same time! But usually, Morning Geyser erupts all by itself.
History of Morning Geyser's Eruptions
The first time people officially recorded Morning Geyser erupting was in 1899. Back then, it was called "New Fountain Geyser." For many years, it didn't erupt very often.
When Did Morning Geyser Become More Active?
Things changed in 1959. A big earthquake, called the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake, happened near Yellowstone. This earthquake caused many changes in the hot springs and geysers in the Fountain Paint Pots area. After that, Morning Geyser started to become more active.
It was quite busy from 1991 to 1993. Then, it became quiet again until 2012. In 2012 and 2013, it erupted more often, sometimes every 6 hours! But usually, it would erupt every 11 hours to a few days. After October 2013, it didn't erupt again until August 2018, when it became active once more.
What About Morning's Thief?
There's a smaller geyser nearby called "Morning's Thief." It erupts from a vent right next to Morning Geyser's pool. For many years, people thought Morning's Thief was "stealing" the energy that Morning Geyser needed to erupt. This meant Morning Geyser wouldn't erupt as often. However, during Morning Geyser's active period in 2013, both Morning Geyser and Morning's Thief were seen erupting at the same time! This showed that Morning's Thief doesn't always stop Morning Geyser from erupting.
