Musala
| Musala | |
|---|---|
| Мусала | |
 Musala seen from the south | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,925.4 m (9,598 ft) |
| Prominence | 2,473 m (8,114 ft) |
| Isolation | 810 km (500 mi) |
| Listing | Country high point Ultra |
| Coordinates | 42°10′47″N23°35′12″E/ 42.17972°N 23.58667°E |
| Geography | |
  Musala Musala in Bulgaria | |
| Location | Sofia Region,Bulgaria |
| Parent range | Rila |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Gondola lift fromBorovets,then hike |
Musala(Bulgarian:Мусала[mosɐˈɫa]); fromArabicthroughOttoman Turkish:fromMusalla,"near God" or "place for prayer"[1][2]is the highestpeakin theRila Mountains,as well as inBulgariaand the entireBalkan Peninsula,standing at 2,925.42 metres (9,597.8 ft).[3]
With a topographic prominence of 2,473 metres (8,114 ft), Musala is also the6th highestpeak bytopographic prominenceinmainland Europe.[4]It is also the3rd mosttopographically isolated major peak inContinental Europe.[5]
Musala is situated within theRila National Park,which is noted for its richflora,including species such asMacedonian PineandBulgarian Firin the forests on its middle slopes, andfauna;it is one of the easiest places in Europe to see thewallcreeper.All major mountain ranges of Bulgaria can be seen from the top; these includeVitoshato the northwest,Sredna Goratowards the northeast, theBalkan Mountainsalong most of the northern horizon behind Vitosha and Sredna Gora, theRhodope Mountainsto the southeast,Pirinto the south,OsogovoandRuy Mountainto the west, and of course, the rest ofRila.
A cosmic ray station was built on the peak in 1960 with cooperation from the Hungarian Academy of Science. The station conducted scientific experiments using a muon telescope. The station was destroyed by an electrical fire on October 29, 1983.[6]
With an average annual temperature of -2.2 °C, Musala is the coldest place in Bulgaria and the entire Balkan Peninsula.[citation needed]Temperatures stay below 0 °C for about 8 months each year.[7]Due to this, about 45% of the annual precipitation on Musala is snow, and snow cover lasts for about 200 days (more than six months).[citation needed]Three of the main rivers of Bulgaria, theIskar,MaritsaandMestahave their sources near Musala.
The next highest peaks in the vicinity of Musala areMalka (Little) Musala(2,902 metres (9,521 ft)) andIrechek(2,852 metres (9,357 ft)).
Climate[edit]
Musala has an alpine climate with long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Usually, through winter, the temperatures do not exceed the freezing point for months. Snow cover lasts for about 8–9 months. Through the summer, temperatures rarely go above 14-15C. The summer season only lasts for 2 months, and snowfalls are possible. For the period 1931–2013, the highest recorded temperature was 20.0 °C (68.0 °F), and the lowest - −31.2 °C (−24.2 °F). The average annual temperature is −2.5 °C (27.5 °F), which makes the peak the coldest place in Bulgaria.
| Climate data for Musala Peak (2000–2013) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) |
8.0 (46.4) |
12.1 (53.8) |
13.7 (56.7) |
12.6 (54.7) |
18.0 (64.4) |
20.0 (68.0) |
18.7 (65.7) |
16.4 (61.5) |
14.2 (57.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
6.8 (44.2) |
20.0 (68.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −8.2 (17.2) |
−7.6 (18.3) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
2.7 (36.9) |
7.1 (44.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
10.2 (50.4) |
6.3 (43.3) |
2.2 (36.0) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
0.7 (33.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −11.0 (12.2) |
−10.6 (12.9) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
4.4 (39.9) |
6.9 (44.4) |
7.2 (45.0) |
3.4 (38.1) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −13.8 (7.2) |
−13.6 (7.5) |
−11.6 (11.1) |
−7.0 (19.4) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
1.6 (34.9) |
3.7 (38.7) |
4.2 (39.6) |
0.5 (32.9) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−4.9 (23.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −30.6 (−23.1) |
−29.8 (−21.6) |
−26.8 (−16.2) |
−20.6 (−5.1) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−12 (10) |
−8 (18) |
−9.8 (14.4) |
−14 (7) |
−17.5 (0.5) |
−27.4 (−17.3) |
−31.2 (−24.2) |
−31.2 (−24.2) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 126 (5.0) |
110 (4.3) |
130 (5.1) |
128 (5.0) |
119 (4.7) |
105 (4.1) |
80 (3.1) |
56 (2.2) |
47 (1.9) |
72 (2.8) |
88 (3.5) |
115 (4.5) |
1,176 (46.3) |
| Average rainy days | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 39 |
| Average snowy days | 13 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 124 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 114 | 112 | 140 | 127 | 168 | 181 | 250 | 250 | 182 | 169 | 128 | 104 | 1,925 |
| Source: Stringmeteo | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Musala Peak, 1991–2020 (elevation 2925m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 7.2 (45.0) |
4.9 (40.8) |
6.5 (43.7) |
8.6 (47.5) |
13.0 (55.4) |
17.6 (63.7) |
19.8 (67.6) |
19.2 (66.6) |
17.9 (64.2) |
15.0 (59.0) |
11.0 (51.8) |
10.2 (50.4) |
19.8 (67.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −6.7 (19.9) |
−7.0 (19.4) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
2.4 (36.3) |
6.6 (43.9) |
9.3 (48.7) |
9.7 (49.5) |
5.9 (42.6) |
2.7 (36.9) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
0.8 (33.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −9.7 (14.5) |
−10.0 (14.0) |
−8.2 (17.2) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
3.7 (38.7) |
6.0 (42.8) |
6.4 (43.5) |
2.6 (36.7) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
−8.1 (17.4) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −12.5 (9.5) |
−12.9 (8.8) |
−11.1 (12.0) |
−7.4 (18.7) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
1.2 (34.2) |
3.3 (37.9) |
3.9 (39.0) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−10.8 (12.6) |
−4.8 (23.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −27.5 (−17.5) |
−31.6 (−24.9) |
−26.8 (−16.2) |
−22.5 (−8.5) |
−13.5 (7.7) |
−9.0 (15.8) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−11.9 (10.6) |
−16.3 (2.7) |
−23.2 (−9.8) |
−24.9 (−12.8) |
−31.6 (−24.9) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 75 (3.0) |
74 (2.9) |
95 (3.7) |
98 (3.9) |
88 (3.5) |
80 (3.1) |
72 (2.8) |
55 (2.2) |
48 (1.9) |
40 (1.6) |
40 (1.6) |
68 (2.7) |
833 (32.9) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 123 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 126 | 119 | 142 | 134 | 159 | 170 | 228 | 241 | 185 | 165 | 124 | 106 | 1,899 |
| Source: NOAA[7] | |||||||||||||
Namesakes[edit]
Musala Glacieron Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after Musala Peak.
Gallery[edit]
-
-
Hikers near the summit of Musala. The pyramid in the background is the Everest shelter -
ThePirin Mountainscan be seen from Musala -
The origin of theMaritsaRiver seen from Musala -
Musala as seen from Yastrebets. The chalet Musala and the Everest shelter can be seen as well.
See also[edit]
- Rila
- Malyovitsa
- Rila National Park
- List of mountains in Bulgaria
- Geography of Bulgaria
- List of mountains of the Balkans
- List of European ultra-prominent peaks
- List of the highest European ultra-prominent peaks
- Most isolated major summits of Europe
- List of mountain ranges
- List of World Heritage Sites in Bulgaria
References[edit]
- ^Известия на българското географско дружество, 1964 г. стр. 197.
- ^Bŭlgarski ezik, Volume 19,Institut za bŭlgarski ezik (Bŭlgarska akademii͡a na naukite), 1969, str. 573.
- ^"ГEOграфия'21, брой 5, 2007 г."prokarstterra.bas.bg.Retrieved2023-06-09.
- ^"Europe Ultra-Prominences".Peaklist.Retrieved26 February2015.
- ^"Most Isolated Peak of Europe Countries - Peakbagger".
- ^Kavlakov, S. (2009-11-16). "Cosmic Ray investigations on peak Musala in Bulgaria: A memoir".Advances in Space Research.Cosmic Rays From Past to Present.44(10): 1178–1182.Bibcode:2009AdSpR..44.1178K.doi:10.1016/j.asr.2008.10.040.
- ^ab"Musala Peak Climate Normals 1991-2020".National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.RetrievedAugust 29,2023.
- "Мусала".Българска енциклопедия А-Я(in Bulgarian). БАН, Труд, Сирма. 2002.ISBN978-954-8104-08-1.OCLC163361648.
External links[edit]
- Musala– controllable web camera(in Bulgarian)
- Musala climb on youtube