Opal Pool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Opal Pool |
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Opal Pool
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| Location | Yellowstone National Park, Teton County, Wyoming, USA |
| Coordinates | 44°31′36″N 110°50′20″W / 44.526673°N 110.83879°W |
| Elevation | 7,250 feet (2,210 m) |
| Type | Geyser |
| Eruption height | 20-70 feet |
| Frequency | Rare |
| Duration | 1 minute |
| Temperature | 132 °F (56 °C) |
Opal Pool is a beautiful hot spring located in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. It's part of the Midway Geyser Basin, an area famous for its amazing hot springs and geysers. Even though it usually acts like a hot spring, Opal Pool can also erupt like a special kind of geyser called a fountain-type geyser. Its water is usually around 132 °F (56 °C) (55.6 °C (132.1 °F)), which is very hot!
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Discovering Opal Pool
Opal Pool is found in the Midway Geyser Basin within Yellowstone National Park. This park is famous for its many geothermal features. These include hot springs, geysers, mudpots, and fumaroles. Opal Pool is one of the many natural wonders you can see there.
Geysers and Hot Springs Explained
A hot spring is a pool of water heated by the Earth's inner warmth. Water flows up from deep underground, creating a warm or hot pool. A geyser is a special kind of hot spring. It erupts, shooting hot water and steam into the air. This happens when water underground gets superheated and builds up pressure. Opal Pool is unique because it acts mostly like a hot spring but can also erupt like a geyser. It's known as a "fountain-type" geyser because its eruptions are big bursts of water.
A Look at Opal Pool's Eruptions
Opal Pool's first recorded eruption happened in 1947. After that, it erupted a few more times in the early 1950s, then stopped for a while. The eruptions started again in 1979. Since then, it has erupted at least once in most years.
Amazing Eruption Heights
When Opal Pool erupts, it's quite a sight! The water usually shoots up to about 30 feet (9.1 m) high. But sometimes, it can have much bigger eruptions. These can reach heights of 70 feet (21 m) to 80 feet (24 m)! This makes Opal Pool the largest active geyser in the Midway Geyser Basin.
The eruptions happen very suddenly. You might see the water in the pool swirling around before a big burst. Each eruption is usually one huge splash of water. Then, smaller splashes might follow for about a minute. It's hard to predict exactly when Opal Pool will erupt, which makes seeing one even more special.
The Mystery of Opal Pool's Color
In 2005, something unusual happened: Opal Pool completely drained of its water. But don't worry, it refilled! By 2008, the pool was full again. When it refilled, the water had a vivid green color. This change in color can happen in hot springs due to different minerals or types of tiny living things (like algae) that grow in the water.
