The River Mimram that runs through Panshanger Park, in Hertfordshire, is one of around 240 chalk streams in the world, of which nearly 85 per cent are in England. It supports a wealth of different species, some of which are very rare and endangered

The Mackinac Bridge is currently the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world. In 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan became the longest with a total suspension of 12,826 feet. The Mackinac Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere.

The total length of the Mackinac Bridge is 26,372 feet. The length of the suspension bridge (including anchorages) is 8,614 feet. The length from cable bent pier to cable bent pier is 7,400 feet. Length of main span (between towers) is 3,800 feet.

The width of the roadway is 54 feet. The outside lanes are 12 feet wide (2), the inside lanes are 11 feet wide (2), the center mall is 2 feet wide, and the catwalk, curb and rail width is 3 feet on each side – totaling 54 feet. The stiffening truss width in the suspended span is 68 feet wide making it wider than the roadway it supports.

The height of the roadway at mid-span is approximately 200 feet above water level. The vertical clearance at normal temperature is 155 feet at the center of the main suspension span and 135 feet at the boundaries of the 3,000 ft. navigation channel.

All suspension bridges are designed to move to accommodate wind, change in temperature, and weight. It is possible that the deck at center span could move as much as 35 feet (east or west) due to high winds. This would only happen under severe wind conditions. The deck would not swing or “sway” but rather move slowly in one direction based on the force and direction of the wind. After the wind subsides, the weight of the vehicles crossing would slowly move it back into center position.

The steel superstructure will support one ton per lineal foot per roadway (northbound or southbound). The length of the steel superstructure is 19,243 feet. Each direction will, therefore, support 19,243 tons. The answer is 38,486 tons (2 x 19,243 tons).

www.mackinacbridge.org/history/the-mighty-mac/

Classified as historical monuments in 1905, the fountain in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville was partly decorated by the famous Aix sculptor Jean-Pancrace Chastel; and the polygonal basin was designed by Georges Vallon.

During the Revolution, in 1789, the city was organized into districts from this fountain.

-

All rights reserved - Copyright © Pantchoa 2023

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over A$3 billion per year. 22837

"Oh, the stories these chairs could tell,

Of conversations shared and secrets held.

In cozy corners, they cradle lovers' embrace,

Or at the table, where families find solace.

From wooden thrones to plush armchairs,

Each one unique, with its own affairs.

Some adorned with cushions, soft and inviting,

Others minimalist, sleek and exciting.

A chair can be a refuge, a comforting space,

A sanctuary where one finds solace and grace.

It supports us through moments of rest,

And witnesses our dreams as we manifest..."

Written in ChatGPT...

Ιs it possible for man to find himself on the sidelines, if artificial intelligence overtakes him?

In the Year 2525♫

The Xingó Hydroelectric Power Plant is located on the São Francisco River, on the border of Alagoas and Sergipe, near Piranhas, Brazil. The dam was built for navigation, water supply and hydroelectric power generation, as it supports a hydroelectric plant with an installed capacity of 3,162 megawatts. wikipedia

Illustration/ Art

Lightweight HDR editing

Software: Pixlr; Windows, Snapseed

Canindé, Sergipe

Piranhas, Alagoas

Brasil

...Said everyone's favourite Borg Seven of Nine after smoking some... No, no, not what you think ;) But this semi-translucent, lavender-coloured fluorite, which consists of many cubic shaped crystals with many #corners, has always reminded me of a Borg cube. Albeit a rather psychedelic, flower power, rock'n'roll-type of Borg cube, because the way the cubic crystals are shaped and arranged also conveys a certain kind of cheerful chaos. And lavender also definitely isn't your typical Borg colour. Which makes this a peace and love hippie Borg cube :)

Explored January 10, 2022

Photographed with the M.Zuiko 30mm F3.5 macro lens, the 60mm's little brother. Unlike the 60mm, which is a "true" macro lens with a 1:1 magnification, the 30mm gives you a magnification of 1,25 (2,5 in the MFT world). The fantastic Laowa 50mm Ultra Macro lens offers even more magnification (Goodbye extension tubes!), and it's still on my list, but Olympus – or rather OM System, as the company is called now – had a lens promotion, so I was able to get this already very affordable lens literally dirt-cheap, so I went for it. It's not a pro lens like the 60mm, it's all plastic, no weather sealing etc., but it supports the in-camera focus stacking function, and together with the 16mm extension tube and the Raynox DCR-250 close-up lens (which I've both used for this shot) it's only as long as the 60mm without any extensions. And last, but not least, the image quality is excellent, too. Of course it won't replace my trusty 60mm, but it's a great addititon to it with its extra magnification (and the length of this technical description gives away that I still had to justify the purchase for myself, because Santa had already brought me another new lens). The minimum focusing distance is a mere 14 cm (5,51 inches) which means that you can get really close to your photographic subject, and with extension tubes and close-up lens mounted that focusing distance shrinks considerably once again. In fact, for this image I was so close that the Raynox close-up lens actually touched the upper part of the fluorite. Soft light from above prevented shading from the lens (to which it is prone also without extensions due to the super short focusing distance). OK, enough tech talk, more info on the programmes used for post processing is in the tags ;)

P.S. Thank you wolli s for the tip to slightly oil the subject after dusting it to keep it lint-free, it works!

Happy Macro Monday, Everyone, have a nice week ahead, and stay safe!

I'll catch up with you tonight!

Home is where the heart is. I have worked in some clubs. And even though I am a faithful Pinouette... Lace and Garters was my home for a very long time. Mark Brandenburg founded it, supported his Queens and his Executives always and with everything. This era is over since today. I am no longer a queen. But and that's for sure... The people I was allowed to meet there always have a place in my heart. Thank you, Mark! For unforgettable times... Happy birthday. ♥

Near the headwaters of the River Loddon the water is clear and pure over a chalk bed. It supports plenty of smaller wildlife and there are water cress beds just above the area known as the Fens, where this photo was taken. It then wends it’s way through Sherfield on Loddon and North into Berkshire where at Wargrave it joins the Thames.

The river, which flows through the grounds of the abbey, has a chalk-stream bed with crystal clear waters. It supports species of freshwater fish and I can testify to having once seen a distant flash of turquoise and orange but no photo to show for it.

Passiflora caerulea

La passiflore ou fleur de la passion est une liane vigoureuse à croissance rapide s'accrochant seule à son support. Sa longue floraison estivale est appréciée pour sa beauté exotique. Hors climat doux, on cultive cette frileuse en pot à l'intérieur.

Passion flower is a vigorous, fast-growing vine that clings to its support on its own. Its long summer bloom is prized for its exotic beauty. Outside of mild climates, this plant is best grown indoors in pots.

location : Lake Biwa

Shiga prefecture,Japan

Lake Biwa is Japan's largest lake, which has a total area of approximately 670 ㎢ and a circumference of approximately 235 km. Its average depth is approximately 41 meters and deepest point approximately 104 meters. It supports an abundance of life and industry around the area widely.

It is also regarded as the third oldest ancient lake in the world, after Lake Baikal and LakeTanganyika,and which is calculated at over four million years old. It was designated as a UNESCO Ramsar Wetland(1993) in accordance with the Ramsar Convention.

- Wikipedia

ƒ/13.0 34.0 mm 1.6sec ISO200 2sec- timer

and I lost you...

I used the Yongnuo 35mm F2 via a 30€ adapter.

Although it supports autofocus I used manual focus under this lighting conditions.

Not a bad result for a 80€ lens:-)

The edges are noticeable soft.

Although it swims like a duck, the American Coot does not have webbed feet like a duck. Instead, each one of the coot’s long toes has broad lobes of skin that help it kick through the water. The broad lobes fold back each time the bird lifts its foot, so it doesn’t impede walking on dry land, though it supports the bird’s weight on mucky ground.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The Great Barrier Reef is a distinct feature of the East Australian Cordillera division. It reaches from Torres Strait (between Bramble Cay, its northernmost island, and the south coast of Papua New Guinea) in the north to the unnamed passage between Lady Elliot Island (its southernmost island) and Fraser Island in the south. Lady Elliot Island is located 1,915 km southeast of Bramble Cay as the crow flies. It includes the smaller Murray Islands. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over A$3 billion per year. 22833

A very different side to Singapore for my next set of pictures. Pulau Ubin, also simply known as Ubin, is an island situated in the north east of Singapore, to the west of Pulau Tekong. The granite quarry used to be supported by a few thousand settlers on Pulau Ubin in the 1960s, but only about 38 villagers remained as of 2012. It is one of the last rural areas to be found in Singapore, with an abundance of natural flora and fauna. The island forms part of the Ubin–Khatib Important Bird Area (IBA), identified as such by BirdLife International because it supports significant numbers of visiting and resident birds, some of which are threatened. Today, the island is managed by the National Parks Board, compared to 12 agencies managing different areas of the island previously.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over A$3 billion per year.

The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but it is also found in the Indian Ocean. The common name refers to the usually green fat found beneath its carapace, not to the color of its carapace, which is olive to black. 22986

This American coot was busy feeding her babies on a sunny morning at Frank lake, Alberta, Canada.

Baby coots are called cooties.

Although it swims like a duck, the American Coot does not have webbed feet like a duck. Instead, each one of the coot’s long toes has broad lobes of skin that help it kick through the water. The broad lobes fold back each time the bird lifts its foot, so it doesn’t impede walking on dry land, though it supports the bird’s weight on mucky ground.

The American coot, is a bird of the family Rallidae. Though commonly mistaken for ducks, American coots are only distantly related to ducks, belonging to a separate order.

-Fulica americana

South Africa

Cape of Good Hope

Southern Africa

HAPPY EASTER to everyone who celebrates the holiday!!!

Agapanthus praecox (common agapanthus, blue lily, African lily, or lily of the Nile) is a popular garden plant around the world, especially in Mediterranean climates. It is native of Natal and Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, local names include agapant, bloulelie, isicakathi and ubani. Most of the cultivated plants of the genus Agapanthus are hybrids or cultivars of this species. It is divided into three subspecies: subsp.praecox, subsp. orientalis and subsp. minimus.

Agapanthus praecox is a variable species with open-faced flowers. It is a perennial plant that can survive up to 75 years. Its evergreen leaves are 2 cm wide and 50 cm long. Its inflorescence is in umbel. The flowers of the agapanthus are blue, purple or white and bloom in the summer. They give capsules filled with fine black seeds (to be kept cool in sand until sowing). Its stem reaches one meter high. Its roots are very powerful and can break concrete.

The plant prefers a well-drained soil, but supports a poor soil. Exposure to full sun is preferable, but it supports partial shade. It does not like to be moved. It can be multiplied by sowing (flowering under 3 to 4 years) or division of tufts. It tolerates drought once well installed, but watering is preferable in case of long dry periods. It overwinters as a stump and therefore completely disappears during the cold months. Contrary to popular belief, this species can withstand wind, frost and cold up to −15 °C provided that the strains are protected for the first two years with mulching. - Wikipedia

1972 Miranda Sensorex II. If you find yourself saying .. “Miranda, I’ve never heard of that brand” .. you aren’t alone. Back when many lens manufacturers still had not introduced through the lens open aperture metering, Miranda already had them. This camera is a quirky little model offering not only through the lens metering but it supports both bayonet and screw mount lenses! I’ve never seen a camera that can do that! It also has a shutter button on the face of the camera rather than on the top. This is a little more convenient for shooting the camera in portrait orientation. Another very unusual feature is that the entire viewfinder pentaprism slides off providing a waist level view of the focusing screen, a feature seen in a few top of the line professional models in other brands.

Fuji XT20 with 7Artisans Macro

Website: www.sollows.ca

Vero: vero.co/jsollows

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over A$3 billion per year. 22775

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over A$3 billion per year. 22783

Got problems with your PC? These guys can help.

No I do not have a Coot Foot Fetish but I do find them fascinating. Their feet look so extravagant and so "wow" for a bird that is so unoticeable. Here is what "All about birds" say about hem. Although it swims like a duck, the American Coot does not have webbed feet like a duck. Instead, each one of the coot’s long toes has broad lobes of skin that help it kick through the water. The broad lobes fold back each time the bird lifts its foot, so it doesn’t impede walking on dry land, though it supports the bird’s weight on mucky ground.

Quando você me deixou, meu bem

Me disse pra ser feliz e passar bem

Quis morrer de ciúme, quase enlouqueci

Mas depois, como era de costume, obedeci

Quando você me quiser rever

Já vai me encontrar refeita, pode crer

Olhos nos olhos, quero ver o que você faz

Ao sentir que sem você eu passo bem demais

E que venho até remoçando

Me pego cantando sem mais nem porquê

E tantas águas rolaram

Tantos homens me amaram bem mais

E melhor que você

Quando talvez precisar de mim

'Cê sabe que a casa é sempre sua, venha sim

Olhos nos olhos, quero ver o que você diz

Quero ver como suporta me ver tão feliz

When you left me, baby

Told me to be happy and be well

I wanted to die of jealousy, I almost went crazy

But then, as usual, I obeyed

When you want to see me again

You'll find me redone now, believe me

Eye to eye, I want to see what you do

When I feel that without you I do too well

And I’ve even been brooding

I find myself singing just like that

And so many waters rolled

So many men loved me so much more

And better than you

When maybe you need me

'You know the house is always yours, come on

Eye to eye, I want to see what you say

I want to see how it supports to see me so happy

With the world officially turned upside down in 2020, what we assign value to seems to be up for new consideration. I'd argue that we're missing the opportunity that is wrapped up in so much disorder if we don't take a step back from the upheaval to ask ourselves which things we want to pick back up and which to let go.

I'll continue to cling to the jewels in this scene--the scrub grass and sunflowers, the magestic pine, planets like Jupiter (image center) and our majestic Milky Way.

The planets the galaxy, and the universe are too big for my choices to make any difference. Alone, my actions won't even make a difference to objects in the foreground of this image. Combined with several billion of my fellow homo sapiens, absolutely we'll make a difference. To get there, we'll have to discard ideas of those who say we can't make a difference and those who coopt sacred texts to argue that we need not bother.

So often the idea of dominion over creation from my own Judeo-Christian tradition is taught as though dominion is given without responsibility--"I can do what I want with it!" What a sad conclusion and perspective. And one I hope we can see through and beyond with all that has been disrupted this year.

May you have moments of peace in the turmoil of 2020. And may it support growth that will help us all be better in the days, weeks, and years to come.

Peace and cheers!

After the adult Bald Eagle above the other landed near its presumed mate (see www.flickr.com/photos/luminouscompositions/51881974357/in... ), both birds vocalized energetically as a form of pair bonding. Carburn Park in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a great place to see such behaviour in winter thanks to the open Bow River that flows through it, supporting many ducks and geese and thus a few of these large raptors.

Built in 1923, Carroll's main recreation center has a multi-purpose gymnasium and a dance studio. Erected in dedication to the memory of the President of Carroll College during the 1920s and 1930s, William A. Ganfield. It has a full-size court with a suspended floor structure encircling it supported with a reinforced original roof structure.

Texas hardwood river bottoms are dwindling with time. Fortunately, the conservation-conscious landowners who live along the winding banks of the Navidad Riverbottom in Lavaca County go to serious measures in order to protect it. Not only for the priceless habitat and the myriad wildlife species it supports, but also to prevent the double damage incurred when critically irreplaceable habitat like this is “cleared.” See: “How to make a flash flood.”

Lake Biwa ,Shiga Prefecture,Japan

Lake Biwa ( Biwako )

Lake Biwa is Japan's largest lake, which has a total area of approximately 670 ㎢ and a circumference of approximately 235 km. Its average depth is approximately 41 meters and deepest point approximately 104 meters. It supports an abundance of life and industry around the area widely.

It is also regarded as the third oldest ancient lake in the world, after Lake Baikal and LakeTanganyika,and which is calculated at over four million years old. It was designated as a UNESCO Ramsar Wetland(1993) in accordance with the Ramsar Convention.

- Wikipedia

À 20 minutes de Rouen, le Centre d’art contemporain de la Matmut - Daniel Havis propose 4 expositions par an d’artistes d’envergure nationale et internationale.

Avec la volonté de rendre accessible l’art et la culture au public le plus large, le Groupe Matmut développe depuis plusieurs années une politique d'action culturelle dynamique, notamment grâce au centre d'art. Elle accompagne et cherche à promouvoir des artistes et structures dans leur démarche de création et de diffusion. Chaque exposition de trois mois environ est accompagnée d’une édition et d’une programmation culturelle (visites commentées, ateliers pour enfants et scolaires, partenariats avec différentes structures, événements) à destination des petits et des grands.

À l’intérieur d’un château néo-Louis XIII du XIXème siècle, le Centre d’art contemporain - Daniel Havis vous invite à découvrir l’histoire et l’architecture de ce lieu. Vous pourrez ainsi apprécier à l’extérieur l’ouvrage de l’architecte Lucien Lefort, les ferronneries de Ferdinand Marrou ou la taille de pierre d’Edmond Bonet. Le château de style néo-classique arbore fièrement sur son fronton la devise « Omnia pro arte » (Tout pour l’art) inscrite par son bâtisseur Gaston Le Breton et aujourd’hui plus que jamais vivante grâce au Groupe Matmut.

Le château se situe dans un parc de 6 hectares avec des univers différents qui évoluent au rythme des saisons : jardin à la française, jardin japonais, jardin de l’Evolution, jardin du Dédale, arboretum, la roseraie, le tout peuplé de sculptures monumentales de célèbres artistes (Peter Briggs, Norman Dilworth, Quentin Garel, Vera Molnar...).

20 minutes from Rouen, the Matmut Contemporary Art Center - Daniel Havis offers 4 exhibitions per year by artists of national and international stature.

With the aim of making art and culture accessible to the widest possible audience, the Matmut Group has been developing a dynamic cultural action policy for several years, particularly through the art center. It supports and seeks to promote artists and organizations in their creative and dissemination efforts. Each exhibition of approximately three months is accompanied by an edition and a cultural program (guided tours, workshops for children and schools, partnerships with different organizations, events) for young and old.

Inside a 19th century neo-Louis XIII castle, the Contemporary Art Center - Daniel Havis invites you to discover the history and architecture of this place. Outside, you can appreciate the work of the architect Lucien Lefort, the ironwork of Ferdinand Marrou or the stone cutting of Edmond Bonet. The neoclassical style castle proudly displays on its pediment the motto "Omnia pro arte" (Everything for art) inscribed by its builder Gaston Le Breton and today more alive than ever thanks to the Matmut Group. The castle is located in a 6-hectare park with different universes that evolve with the seasons: French garden, Japanese garden, Evolution garden, Dédale garden, arboretum, rose garden, all populated with monumental sculptures by famous artists (Peter Briggs, Norman Dilworth, Quentin Garel, Vera Molnar...).

Cette superbe plante à fleurs rose carmin est dite héliophile (qui affectionne la lumière) des prairies humides. Elle se développe généralement aux étages collinéens et montagnards sur des sols pauvres en nutriments et riches en matière organique. Elle supporte particulièrement bien les variations d’humidité du substrat, sur lequel, elle se développe. En effet, son bulbe porte une tunique fibreuse qui le protège de la déshydratation et de l’inondation prolongée. Grâce à cet organe vivace qui assure par ailleurs la pérennité́ des plantes durant la mauvaise saison, le glaïeul des marais est adapté́ à de fortes variations de niveau piézométrique. Il supporte ainsi des sécheresses, mais aussi des inondations prolongées.

Pour en savoir plus: www.estrepublicain.fr/actualite/2019/06/09/le-jura-dernie...

This superb carmine-pink flowering plant is said to be heliophilous (which likes light) from wet meadows. It generally develops on hill and mountain levels on soils poor in nutrients and rich in organic matter. It supports particularly well the variations of humidity of the substrate, on which it grows. Indeed, its bulb wears a fibrous tunic which protects it from dehydration and prolonged flooding. Thanks to this perennial organ which also ensures the sustainability of plants during the bad season, the marsh gladiolus is adapted to strong variations in piezometric level. It thus supports droughts, but also prolonged floods.

To find out more: www.estrepublicain.fr/actualite/2019/06/09/le-jura-dernie ...

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over A$3 billion per year. 22840

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The Great Barrier Reef is a distinct feature of the East Australian Cordillera division. It reaches from Torres Strait (between Bramble Cay, its northernmost island, and the south coast of Papua New Guinea) in the north to the unnamed passage between Lady Elliot Island (its southernmost island) and Fraser Island in the south. Lady Elliot Island is located 1,915 km southeast of Bramble Cay as the crow flies. It includes the smaller Murray Islands. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over A$3 billion per year. 22868

Wir waren zwar unter den ersten, die früh in den Park gelassen wurden, aber das beste Licht haben wir trotzdem verpasst. Dieser filigrane Natursteinbogen, einer der fünf längsten der Welt, liegt in Devils Garden, dem abgelegensten Teil des Arches Nationalparks und ist gut abgesperrt, um Schaden von ihm und den Besuchern abzuwenden, nachdem schon mehrfach große Teil abgefallen sind.

One of the world’s longest arches, eroded in Entrada sandstone. In its thinnest section the arch is only 6 feet thick, yet it supports a span of rock 290 feet long.

Due to rockfalls, the loop trail that once led beneath the arch was closed. Such an incredibly delicate arch!

Allegedly, Arches National Park contains a total of 1,898 natural arches - that seems a bit exaggerated, but it is still a stunning park!

I have been waiting to capture this image for a year! I envisaged this mid 2020 but have been in Covid Lockdown off and on (mainly "on") ever since. Finally the state was released from lockdown in mid October 2021 and I had this one chance in early November before the Milky Way sets until next year. In Australia, the Milky Way is only horizontal in the west during September and October which is the alignment I needed for this image. So if I missed this chance, that was it for at least 10 months. A few nights earlier than I expected the forecast was good, the MW was in the perfect position, a friend was available to help (thanks Brett!), so it was on.

However this is not an easy shoot. I wanted to light both the face of the bridge and under each arch. Problem being there is a creek and water channel running under the bridge that cannot be crossed. The only way over was a 2 minute drive and 10 minute walk. Thankfully it turned out not be necessary as the lights under the first 2 arches was enough to light the remaining arches on the other side.

Foreground is a blend of 4 images with a combination of 3 LED lights on stands and a bit of torch work. A single sky image was added to the foreground blend. The sky image is from that exact scene at that time, ie it is NOT an replacement sky.

The bright light in the centre of the Milky Way is Venus and it is not enhanced or modified in any way. It really was that bright on the night.

Built in 1862, the Malmsbury Viaduct is Victoria's largest and Australia's longest blue stone railway bridge. It supports 2 tracks which are still in use today by Vic Rail for hourly services to northern Victoria.

This is my first astro image I have been able to take in over 3 months and it was magnificent to get out again.

www.rareview.photography

The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge turned 70 this year. A former agricultural district here tried to farm this Saginaw Bay Delta Watershed, digging canals/drains that proved ultimately futile for crops. Two major rivers that drain most of Michigan's Lower Peninsula's eastern side join here to form the Saginaw River. This is Michigan's Everglades, now supporting wildlife given "wing" by the Endangered Species Act, whose author hails from our fine state (John Dingell). I hiked the berms here as a Boy Scout. Now, it supports my light-chasing and continued wonderment, as seen here on September 24, 2023.

The Ty Coch Inn was voted the third best beach pub in the world recently but there is more to Porthdinllaen than ale.

For those into wildlife there are a few good reasons to visit the area: Firstly, there is a small colony of seals born during the autumn that can be seen from the clifftops on the headland which is nice to see. Secondly, the sea around it has been designated a special area of conservation and its coast a site of special scientific interest due to the wildlife it supports, and finally in the spring and early summer the clifftops are covered with wildflowers.

If you do like beer though you can always see the wildlife and then go boozing!

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A cold night to begin 2022. The sun has just set leaving some color in the sky.

The plant was constructed in 1903 to provide electricity for the Twin City Rapid Transit street railway system. It supported the area's major form of public transportation for 50 years.

Minneapolis converted to buses in 1949–1954, and in the early 1950s, Northern States Power Company (now Xcel Energy) acquired the building. The University of Minnesota purchased the plant in 1976 for $1

50 years ago I worked at this plant when I was a boiler operator for NSP. It was operated by crews from the Riverside steam plant and was used only on excessive power use days.

It might be dead but it supports a lot of life, there were birds all over it plus a pair of Galahs nesting in it as well.

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This photograph captures the dynamic vibrancy of a Bougainvillea in full bloom, its fuchsia bracts creating a lively dance of color against the foliage backdrop. The intense pink-purple hues of the bracts contrast sharply with the verdant green leaves, illustrating nature’s bold and bright color palette. A diligent bee, a tiny yet significant presence, hovers with delicate precision among the blossoms, underlining the essential role these flowers play in the ecosystem. The rich saturation of color, combined with the intricate details of the flowers and visitor, showcases the complex beauty of these hardy plants, often associated with warm, tropical climates. This image celebrates not only the visual spectacle of the Bougainvillea but also the life and activity it supports within its flamboyant embrace.

Tahai, Rapa Nui, Easter Island, Chile.

The three ahu of Tahai

But without a doubt, the great focus of attention at Tahai are its three ahu or ceremonial platforms located on the small rocky cliff that rises above the sea. The altars form a visual line that stars in this magnificent setting. If you look straight at the platforms, the first group on the left with five moai statues is the Ahu Vai Uri, the next one is the Ahu Tahai and the last one with a single statue wearing a pukao or hat is the Ahu Ko Te Riku.

Ahu Vai Uri

The Ahu Vai Uri, whose name could be translated as dark water or green water, is the platform with the largest number of erected statues. Its construction dates from 1200 AD. and its five restored moai are a sample of the different styles of how they were carved.

The first one on the right is currently a piece of rock that is barely recognizable. However, the one that follows, much better preserved as such as the first on the left, has a lower and more robust body than the rest and shows a grim expression.

Ahu Tahai

Ahu Tahai has a single solitary moai about 4.5 meters high. The figure, which is very eroded, shows a thick torso and a wide neck, and rises on the oldest platform of the complex built around 700 AD.

Despite the enormous wear suffered by the moai over time, it still shows the greatness and pride of the ancestors they represent and, in some way, still transmits that mythical power called mana.

Ahu Ko Te Riku

Ahu Ko Te Riku is the last and singular platform located further north. Above it rises a single moai of 5.1 meters high that was restoredwith all the elements that adorned the old finished statues.

On his head it carries a pukao, a cylindrical piece carved in red scoria from the Puna Pau volcano. This form, which according to different opinions, represents a hat or a hair bun, was placed in the last phase of construction of the ahu. It is believed that the original pukaoof this moai was used to carve the Christian cross that is found in the nearby cemetery to Tahai, but there is not even the certainty that it had one. The other differentiating element of Ahu Ko Te Riku is that it supports the only moai that has eyes of the whole island.

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hmnmyselfxi concept literally « human, my self x i » is an artist collective founded by jules jourdan. this collective focuses on fashion, graphic arts, alternative scripted reality.

it supports values such as respect and acceptance of self being and advocate for #humanrights. call me #they #their

Although it swims like a duck, the American Coot does not have webbed feet like a duck. Instead, each one of the coot’s long toes has broad lobes of skin that help it kick through the water. The broad lobes fold back each time the bird lifts its foot, so it doesn’t impede walking on dry land, though it supports the bird’s weight on mucky ground.

Cheap (for Leitz) projection lens modified to m42 mount. It is sharp where I need it sharp. No coating reduces contrast and color saturation out of camera, but it supports excellently a post-processing.

With some components dating to the late 19th century, the old Northern Pacific bridge between Bismarck and Mandan has seen a lot over its lifetime. With just 30 minutes of sunlight left, tonight it supports a train of welded rail heading from Laurel, MT to Willmar, MN.

This was our favorite spot on the short trip to Bismarck this week.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, separated from the coast by a channel 100 miles wide in places and over 200 feet deep. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. CNN labelled it one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World in 1997. Australian World Heritage places included it in its list in 2007. The Queensland National Trust named it a state icon of Queensland in 2006.

A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism. Other environmental pressures on the reef and its ecosystem include runoff of manmade pollutants, climate change accompanied by mass coral bleaching, dumping of dredging sludge and cyclic population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish. According to a study published in October 2012 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985, a finding reaffirmed by a 2020 study which found over half of the reef's coral cover to have been lost between 1995 and 2017, with the effects of a widespread 2020 bleaching event not yet quantified.

The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over AUD$3 billion per year. In November 2014, Google launched Google Underwater Street View in 3D of the Great Barrier Reef.

A March 2016 report stated that coral bleaching was more widespread than previously thought, seriously affecting the northern parts of the reef as a result of warming ocean temperatures. In October 2016, Outside published an obituary for the reef; the article was criticized for being premature and hindering efforts to bolster the resilience of the reef. In March 2017, the journal Nature published a paper showing that huge sections of an 800-kilometre stretch in the northern part of the reef had died in the course of 2016 of high water temperatures, an event that the authors put down to the effects of global climate change. The percentage of baby corals being born on the Great Barrier Reef dropped drastically in 2018 and scientists are describing it as the early stage of a "huge natural selection event unfolding". Many of the mature breeding adults died in the bleaching events of 2016–17, leading to low coral birth rates. The types of corals that reproduced also changed, leading to a "long-term reorganisation of the reef ecosystem if the trend continues."

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 stipulates an Outlook Report on the Reef's health, pressures, and future every five years. The last report was published in 2019. In March 2022, another mass bleaching event has been confirmed, which raised further concerns about the future of this reef system, especially when considering the possible effects of El Niño weather phenomenon.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science conducts annual surveys of the Great Barrier Reef's status, and the 2022 report showed the greatest recovery in 36 years. It is mainly due to the regrowth of two-thirds of the reef by the fast-growing Acropora coral, which is the dominant coral there.