No, this is not the moon and it's not a strip mine.  The Painted Hills are in the most western unit of the John Day Fossil Beds in central Oregon.  Each layer is volcanic deposits containing various chemicals.  As water and wind eroded the layers of ash, the colors were revealed.  The day this image was taken there was a small forest fire just west of the Painted Hills.  Smoke may have intensified the colors slightly, but the hills have striking contrasts no matter what the weather.