World's highest Webcam could use a Sherpa
Researchers installed the Webcam at more than 18,000 feet to keep an eye on Mount Everest. It's solar-powered and can withstand blasting winds and dangerous cold.
No, the world's highest Webcam doesn't belong to the pot-loving @Qwikster Twitter user who's giving Netflix fits. It can be found gazing out onto the far reaches of Mount Everest.
The Webcam sits on Kala Patthar, a mountain in the Himalayas, at an altitude of more than 18,000 feet. This vantage point gives it a clear and spectacular view of Everest's western face--when conditions are right.
A recent view of the Webcam showed a gray mass with a vague outline of Everest visible.
With no electrical outlets handy way up there, the Webcam is solar-powered. It's only active during daylight hours.
Mobotix is the company that provided the type-M12 Webcam. It is designed to deal with some pretty tough weather conditions like blasting winds and below-freezing temperatures. My puny Logitech QuickCam has a pretty easy life of luxury in comparison.
The live Everest Webcam is part of the Everest Share 2011 research project that is gathering climate and environmental information on the famous peak. Check out the view on the project's site.
This Webcam is good news for armchair mountaineers and those of us who prefer a cup of hot chocolate and a warm laptop to slogging through the snow on the way up to 29,000 feet. Ah, I can almost smell the mountain air.
(Via Gizmag)