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[FR] 🇫🇷
⚠ Je tiens à préciser que cette photographie a été réalisée dans des règles bien strictes visant à protéger la pratique du paysage nocturne. Les photographies composant ce panorama ont été réalisées avec le même matériel, au même endroit, à la même date et les photographies ont été prises les unes à la suite des autres sans perdre de temps. ⚠
✨ Miroir, miroir, dis-moi où se situe l'un des ciels étoilés les plus purs d'Europe. ✨
Avec ton surprenant effet miroir, il n'y a pas de doute ; le Queyras est très bien placé pour contempler le ciel étoilé !
Et ce surtout, l'hiver. Savez-vous pourquoi ?
Le froid a l'avantage de stabiliser l'air et de réduire la turbulence atmosphérique. En effet, si vous observez les étoiles, plus elles scintillent, plus cela veut dire que le ciel « turbule » et moins bonne est sa transparence. À cela, l'air davantage sec pendant l'hiver permet d'accentuer la transparence du ciel. C'est en partie grâce à ces conditions atmosphériques exceptionnelles que le Queyras est placé parmi l'un des ciels les plus purs d'Europe.
Ciel couplé avec un lac de montagnes et là vous êtes au paradis... ! Enfin de mon point de vue.
Perché à 2214m d'altitude, le lac Miroir fait partie des randonnées incontournables du Queyras.
Une randonnée avec un peu plus de 500m de D+ est nécessaire pour atteindre cet endroit magique.
Le lac Miroir est encerclé de mélèzes qui prennent une couleur orange à l'automne ; probablement le meilleur moment de l'année pour l'admirer !
Cette photographie entièrement prise de nuit a été réalisée la nuit du 10 au 11 juin 2021.
À cette époque de l'année, l'herbe redevient verte et les premières fleurs font leur apparition. Ce qui n'est pas le cas partout !
Le bulbe de la Voie Lactée se pose sur l'incroyable pic des Heuvières culminant à 3271m d'altitude qui fera le bonheur des alpinistes.
Et toi ? Tu es plutôt un contemplatif du ciel étoilé ? Plutôt randonnée ? Plutôt alpiniste ? Ou les 3 ?
Personnellement, je suis contemplatif du ciel étoilé et randonnée !
📷 EXIFS 📷
Canon 5D MKIII + objectif Samyang 24mm f/1.4 sur trépied simple.
Pour le sol : Panorama de 11 photographies. Chaque photographie est une pose unique de 90 secondes à 2500 ISO et f/2.8.
Pour le ciel : Panorama de 22 photographies. Chaque photographie est une pose unique de 13 secondes à 8000 ISO et f/2.8.
[EN] 🇬🇧
⚠ I would like to point out that this photograph was taken under very strict rules aimed at protecting the practice of the nocturnal landscape. The photographs making up this panorama were taken with the same equipment, in the same place, on the same date and the photographs were taken one after the other without wasting time. ⚠
✨ Mirror, mirror, tell me where one of the purest starry skies in Europe is. ✨
With your surprising mirror effect, there is no doubt; the Queyras is very well placed to contemplate the starry sky!
And especially in winter. Do you know why ?
The cold has the advantage of stabilizing the air and reducing atmospheric turbulence. Indeed, if you observe the stars, the more they twinkle, the more it means that the sky is "turbulent" and the less its transparency. To this, the drier air during the winter makes it possible to accentuate the transparency of the sky. It is partly thanks to these exceptional atmospheric conditions that the Queyras is placed among one of the purest skies in Europe.
Sky coupled with a mountain lake and there you are in paradise...! Finally from my point of view.
Perched at an altitude of 2214m, Lac Miroir is one of the essential hikes in Queyras.
A hike with a little more than 500m of D+ is necessary to reach this magical place.
Mirror Lake is ringed with larch trees which turn orange in the fall; probably the best time of year to admire it!
This photograph taken entirely at night was taken on the night of June 10 to 11, 2021.
At this time of year, the grass turns green again and the first flowers appear. Which is not the case everywhere!
The bulb of the Milky Way arises on the incredible peak of Heuvières culminating at 3271m of altitude which will delight mountaineers.
And you ? Are you more of a contemplative of the starry sky? Rather hike? More of a mountaineer? Or all 3?
Personally, I am contemplative of starry skies and hiking!
📷 EXIF 📷
Canon 5D MKIII + Samyang 24mm f/1.4 lens on single tripod.
For the floor: Panorama of 11 photographs. Each photograph is a single exposure of 90 seconds at ISO 2500 and f/2.8.
For the sky: Panorama of 22 photographs. Each photograph is a single exposure of 13 seconds at ISO 8000 and f/2.8.
It's been a while since I uploaded a selfie, 6 months to be precise (the last one was WNGD in May) so here I am with clothes on and a new haircut, my hairdresser went a bit mad with the scissors when I asked her to get rid of my split ends 😄 Happy Selfie Sunday and Happy Sliders Sunday! I used the inbuilt Flickr filter called "Keen" which seemed appropriate.
The main reason I'm uploading this photo is because myself and thousands of other people all over Ireland are taking part in a 300,000 steps in November challenge, raising much needed funds for Barnardos Ireland. This long established charity provides a vital service helping vulnerable children & their families - this is the charity's website www.barnardos.ie/
If you feel able to donate even a small amount to support this very worthwhile cause I'd be eternally grateful but if charity donation is not your thing, or you prefer to support local charities in your own country I quite understand. You can donate anonymously if you wish and/or keep the amount private if you choose. Rest assured all monies raised go directly to the charity each week, the participants are not responsible for sending it on.
I use a Fitbit watch to track my daily steps and I will be posting weekly progress updates on my Just Giving page. I'm up to just over 72,000 steps in the 6 days since the challenge started.
Below is the link to my Just Giving page, if you can't click on it then please copy & paste :
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Julie-C1967?utm_source=Sha....
They were very precise, however the flags were kind of attacking second from our right's head! He was good natured about it, and our far left, cracked a smile at one point. I have that shot too, but I thought this was the more distinguished post for the occasion. =o) Hugs and thanks for viewing!
***All rights to my images are STRICTLY reserved. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing my images or if you are an educator or non-profit interested in use. copyright KathleenJacksonPhotography 2009***
or to be more precise...
in my face, again... [see my previous 'dirt eating' ~ here]
rider: matti lehikoinen
place: downhill line, fort william, scotland
downhill world championship '09
canon 5d mark ii + canon 15mm [fish eye]
view it in large size on black ~ click
ps. this shot almost got onto the paper, but no luck this time,,,
this photo was POD on pinkbike.com on 2009-08-23
YAY! If you want to see this in rather more detail P.M. have included it in the 2012 Magische Orte calendar
This image is available for licence through Getty Images.
This shot of Stonehenge was taken on a stormy day just after sunset.
The standing stones, or sarsens, that we see today are mostly thought to be from the third phase of construction; around 5000 years ago, although their precise age is unknown. The oldest activity on the site is thought to date back far further though, the first wooden posts in the area date back roughly 10000 years!
There are many theories about why the structure was built, but in reality it's not known whether it was a scientific observatory, or a religious site; it's entirely possible that it's both!
The Stonehenge site is operated by English Heritage, but there's a vast range of interesting information on Wikipedia.
Tech:
Canon EOS 10d
Canon 24-105 f4/L IS USM
Gitzo 2228 tripod/Manfrotto 486RC2 head/550EX flash
HDR - 3 RAW files (f4 30s/4s/2s)
mamoiada-sfilata de Sos Mamuthones
Probably actors who performed pagan rituals in ancient times but whose precise origins and meaning have been lost in the centuries, Sos Mamuthones and Issohadores have manteined intact their fascination and mystery.
"Without the Mamuthones there is no Carnival, say the people of Mamoiada. Theu are its most important feature, its symbol, almost. Their appearance is taken as a sign of festivity, happiness and times of grace.
The preparation of the masquerade creates an industrious ardour, a frantic, thrilled atmosphere that spreads to the whole community.
That of the Mamuthones is a solemn ceremonial, an orderly procession and dance at the same time.
The Mamuthones, in two parallel rows and flanked by the Issohadores, move very slowly, bent under the weight of the cowbells and, at regular intervals, lift their shoulder shaking the bell harness all at the same time. The Issohadores move with more agile steps and jumps, then, suddenly, they run, swiftly throw their lasso ("Sa Soha") to catch and pull towards them as prisoner the male friend or the woman they have singled out in the crowd."
Nati in tempi remotissimi, come attori attivi nei riti pagani, di loro si è persa l'origine e il significato.
"Sos Mamuthones" e "Sos Issohadores" , sono sopravvissuti con tutto il loro fascino e mistero.
"Senza Mamuthones non c'è carnevale", affermano i mamoiadini: il che vuol dire che è questa la più importante manifestazione e quasi simbolo del carnevale stesso e che l'apparizione dei Mamuthones è segno di festosità, di allegria e di tempi propizi.
La preparazione della mascherata, crea un fervore operoso, un'atmosfera agitata e fremente che si propaga in tutta la comunità.
Quella dei Mamuthones, è una cerimonia solenne, ordinata come una processione, che è allo stesso tempo una danza.
I Mamuthones si muovono su due file parallele, fiancheggiati dagli Issohadores, molto lentamente, curvi sotto il peso dei campanacci e ad intervalli uguali dando tutti un colpo di spalla per scuotere e far suonare tutta la sonagliera.
Gli Issohadores si muovono con passi e balzi più agili, poi all'improvviso si slanciano, gettano il laccio ("Sa Soba") fulmineamente e colgono e tirano a sè come un prigioniero l'amico o la donna che hanno scelto nella folla".
Oxford Circus to be precise! Christmas lights in London always catch the eye, this was just a quick shot on the fly but may return this week to take some more.
Alicja Kwade a créé un cadre spatial composé de murs de béton, de miroirs doubles, de cadres métalliques vides qui convoque le motif du labyrinthe, et plus précisément du dédale. À l'échelle de l'architecture de la nef, cette construction génère un rapport à l'espace, au temps et à la destinée. L’artiste entend décupler notre attention, nous désorienter et mettre nos sens en éveil en perturbant nos repères. Un jeu de réflexions grandeur nature qui lui permet de matérialiser les concepts abstraits de temps et d'espace.Au sol, est disposé un ensemble de 16 sculptures que l'artiste a modélisé en s'inspirant du concept de la suite de « Suite de Fibonacci » : selon ce principe, chaque sculpture constitue la somme des deux précédentes.
Pour Alicja Kwade, cette oeuvre fonctionne telle une image qui serait en constante évolution, au gré des déplacements du visiteur. En choisissant de faire se refléter ou non les objets à l'intérieur du dédale, l’artiste pousse les images à se mouvoir, les formes à se transformer selon une logique de séquençage. Au-dessus de nos têtes plane la menace d’un inquiétant pendule en action, composé d’une horloge et d’une pierre, qui tournent dangereusement à quelques mètres au-dessus de nos têtes au bout de chaines. L’espace est envahi du son amplifié du « tic-tac » généré par l’horloge. Cette vibration sonore dans l’espace matérialise le temps qui passe. Il illustre le souhait de l’artiste de rendre palpable, visible, concrète, une notion aussi abstraite que le temps qui s’écoule inéluctablement. Il souligne également une idée d’infini et nous pose la question de l’instant présent. Où sommes nous ? Est-ce le pendule qui tourne ou est-ce la Terre sur laquelle nous évoluons sans nous en rendre compte ?
Alicja Kwade has created a space frame consisting of concrete walls, double mirrors, empty metal frames that conjure the labyrinth pattern, and more precisely the maze. On the scale of the architecture of the nave, this construction generates a relationship with space, time and destiny. The artist intends to multiply our attention, to disorient us and to awaken our senses by disturbing our bearings. A game of life-size reflections that allows him to materialize the abstract concepts of time and space.At the ground, is arranged a set of 16 sculptures that the artist has modeled, inspired by the concept of the suite of "Suite de Fibonacci ": according to this principle, each sculpture constitutes the sum of the two preceding ones.
For Alicja Kwade, this work works like an image that would be constantly evolving, as the visitor moves. By choosing to reflect or not the objects inside the maze, the artist pushes the images to move, shapes to be transformed according to a logic of sequencing. Above our heads hangs the menace of a disturbing pendulum in action, composed of a clock and a stone, which turn dangerously a few meters above our heads at the end of chains. The space is invaded by the amplified sound of the "ticking" generated by the clock. This sound vibration in space materializes the passing time. It illustrates the desire of the artist to make palpable, visible, concrete, a notion as abstract as the time that elapses inevitably. He also emphasizes an idea of infinity and asks us the question of the present moment. Where are we ? Is the pendulum spinning or is it the Earth on which we move without realizing it?
Acqua alta is the term used in Veneto, Italy for the exceptional tide peaks that occur periodically in the northern Adriatic Sea. The peaks reach their maximum in the Venetian Lagoon, where they cause partial flooding of Venice and Chioggia; flooding also occurs elsewhere around the northern Adriatic, for instance at Grado and Trieste, but much less often and to a lesser degree.
The phenomenon occurs mainly between autumn and spring, when the astronomical tides are reinforced by the prevailing seasonal winds that hamper the usual reflux. The main winds involved are the sirocco, which blows northbound along the Adriatic Sea, and the bora, which has a specific local effect due to the shape and location of the Venetian Lagoon.
Precise scientific parameters define the phenomenon called acqua alta, the most significant of which (i.e., the deviation in amplitude from a base measurement of "standard" tides) is measured by the hydrographic station located nearby the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. Supernormal tidal events can be categorized as:
intense when the measured sea level is between 80 cm and 109 cm above the standard sea level (which was defined by averaging the measurements of sea level during the year 1897);
very intense when the measured sea level is between 110 cm and 139 cm above the standard;
exceptional high waters when the measured sea level reaches or exceeds 140 cm above the standard.
Generally speaking, tide levels largely depend on three contributing factors:
An astronomical component, which results from the movement and alignment of celestial bodies, principally the Moon, secondarily the Sun, and marginally other planets (with effects decreasing in relation to their distance from the Earth); this component is dependent upon the laws of the astronomical mechanics and can be computed and accurately predicted for the long run (even years or decades)
A geophysical component, primarily dependent upon the geometric shape of the basin, which amplifies or reduces the astronomical component and, because it is dependent upon the laws of the physical mechanics, can be also computed and accurately predicted for the long run (even years or decades);
A meteorological component, linked to a large set of variables, such as the direction and strength of winds, the location of barometric pressure fields and their gradients, precipitation, etc. Because of their complex interrelations and quasi-stochastic behavior, these variables cannot be accurately modeled in statistical terms. Consequently, this component can only be forecast for the very short run and is the principal determinant of acqua alta emergencies that catch Venetians unprepared.
Two further contributing natural factors are the subsidence, i.e. the natural sinking of the soil level, to which the lagoon is subject, and eustasy, i.e. the progressive rise of sea levels. While these phenomena would occur independently of human activity, their effects have increased because of inhabitation: the use of lagoonal water by the industries in Porto Marghera (now ceased) sped up subsidence, while global warming has been linked to increased eustasy. Venice's "Tide Monitoring and Forecast Center" evaluates that the city has lost 23 cm in its elevation since 1897, the year of reference, 12 of which are attributable to natural causes (9 because of eustasy, 3 because of subsidence), 13 are due to the additional subsidence caused by human activity, while the "elastic recovery" of the soil has allowed the city to "gain back" 2 cm.
Geophysical determinants linked to the Adriatic Sea
The long and narrow rectangular shape of the Adriatic Sea is the source of an oscillating water motion (called seiche) along the basin's minor axis.
The principal oscillation, which has a period of 21 hours and 30 minutes and an amplitude around 0.5 meters at the axis' extremities, supplements the natural tidal cycle, so that the Adriatic Sea has much more extreme tidal events than the rest of the Mediterranean. A secondary oscillation is also present, with an average period of 12 hours and 11 minutes.
Because the timeframe of both oscillations is comparable to naturally occurring (yet independent) astronomical tides, the two effects overlap and reinforce each other. The combined effects are more significant at the perigees, which correspond to new moons, full moons and equinoxes.
Should meteorological conditions (such as a strong scirocco wind blowing north along the major axis of the Adriatic basin) hamper the natural outflow of excess tidal water, high waters of greater magnitude can be expected in Venice.
The particular shape of the Venetian lagoon, the subsidence which has been affecting the soil in the coastal area, and the peculiar urban configuration all magnify the impact of the high waters on city dwellers and on the buildings.
Furthermore, the northbound winds called bora and sirocco often blow directly towards the harbors that connect the lagoon to the Adriatic Sea, significantly slowing down (and, at times, completing blocking) the outflow of water from the lagoon toward the sea. When this occurs, the ebb is prevented inside the lagoon, so that the following high tide overlaps with the previous one, in a perverse self-supporting cycle.
The creation of the industrial area of Porto Marghera, which lies immediately behind Venice, amplified the effects of high waters for two reasons: first, the land upon which the area is built was created by filling large parts of the lagoon where smaller islands just above sea level previously lay. These islands, called barene, acted as natural sponges (or "expansion tanks") when high tides occurred, absorbing a significant portion of the excess water.
Second, a navigable channel was carved through the lagoon to allow oil tankers to reach the piers. This "Oil Channel" physically linked the sea to the coastal line, running through the harbor in Malamocco and crossing the lagoon for its entire width. This direct connection to the sea, which was obviously non-existent at the time of Venice's foundation, has subjected the city to more severe high tides.
Porto Marghera and its facilities are not the only human-made contributors to higher tides. Rather, the municipality of Venice has published a study that suggests the following initiatives may have had an irreversible and catastrophic impact on the city's capacity to withstand acque alte in the future:
the building of the Railroad Bridge (1841/1846) connecting Venice to the land, because its supporting pillars modify the natural motion of lagoonal water;
the diversion of the river Brenta outside the Chioggia basin, which drained the 2,63 hectares of the river's delta that functioned as expansion tanks, absorbing extra lagoonal water during high tides;
the building of offshore dammed piers (Porto di Malamocco, 1820/72; Porto di S. Nicolò, 884/97; Porto di Chioggia, 1911/33), which obviously restrict the natural movement of water;
the building of the Ponte della Libertà (1931/33), which connects Venice to the land;
the building of the Riva dei Sette Martiri (1936/41), an extension to the Riva degli Schiavoni;
the building of the artificial island Tronchetto used as a car and bus terminal (17 hectares, 1957/61):
the doubling of the Railroad Bridge (1977).
Through careful composition of a modern building's facade, I created an abstract study in light and shadow. The crisp geometric forms cascade down the frame like a dark ribbon, while the precise lighting emphasizes the architectural rhythm.
NiSi NM-180 manual focusing rail. A good and precise tool, not as good as the Novoflex Castel XQ II rail I use with my bellows, but it still does the job fine when manual focus stacking is needed.
Composite shot made up of 11 focus-stacked exposures, set automatically using the built-in function on the Z7 camera. Stack processed with Helicon Focus. Nikkor Z 50mm ƒ/1.8 S lens.
Nimble and precise, Vastt uses his gravity defying powers to create mind-bending battlefields. His four wing daggers are perfect for up close combat, or can be guided from a distance to fall to their targets. Vastt's Mask of Durability protects him from even the heaviest of impacts and allows him to slice through the toughest materials.
Build Notes:
Just a quick guy for the upcoming Bionilug convention display. Also hey first MOC I've posted this year!
The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on the former Jurgaičiai or Domantai hill fort after the 1831 Uprising. Over the generations, not only crosses and crucifixes, but statues of the Virgin Mary, carvings of Lithuanian patriots and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by Catholic pilgrims. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 55,000 in 1990 and 100,000 in 2006.
Nimble and precise, Vastt uses his gravity defying powers to create mind-bending battlefields. His four wing daggers are perfect for up close combat, or can be guided from a distance to fall to their targets. Vastt's Mask of Durability protects him from even the heaviest of impacts and allows him to slice through the toughest materials.
Build Notes:
Just a quick guy for the upcoming Bionilug convention display. Also hey first MOC I've posted this year!
Photo taken by Herwart Schneider and kindly provided by him for inclusion on this page.
München-Riem
ca. June 1980
HA-MOE
Ilyushin Il-18V
182005505
Malév Hungarian Airlines
HA-MOE is taxiing in to Riem’s ramp. This airframe was noted at Riem on 3 August 1968, 12 September 1972, 27 March 1976 (in Malév’s then new colours), 22 September 1978, 14 June 1980 (possible the precise date for this shot) and 3 December 1980 (certainly there were more visits).
Information from airhistory.net - thanks to Alastair T. Gardiner:
This Il-18 was built in December 1962 as an Il-18V but converted to a freighter in 1979. It was retired and made its last flight to Szolnok (LHSN) in April 1987 for display at the Szolnok museum (still there in February 2024 in poor condition).
Detailed information on this airframe:
www.scramble.nl/database/soviet/details/82_57835
HA-MOE with Malév at BSL in December 1976 (later colours):
www.flickr.com/photos/echomike/52535473047
HA-MOE with Malév Air Cargo at BUD in May 1986:
www.flickr.com/photos/baettig/14074811153
HA-MOE preserved at Szolnok in June 1990:
www.flickr.com/photos/23199966@N02/15210352371
Overview of Szolnok museum in March 2015:
imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/9/5/6/4032659.jpg
HA-MOE still at Szolnok in May 2022:
www.flickr.com/photos/158583312@N02/52158054923
Scan from Kodachrome slide.
The church hosts also a marking in the form of a meridian line inlaid in the paving of the left aisle in 1655; it was calculated and designed by the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who was teaching astronomy at the University. A meridian line does not indicate the time: instead, with its length of 66.8 metres (219 ft) it is one of the largest astronomical instruments in the world, allowing measurements that were for the time uniquely precise. The sun light, entering through a 27.07 mm (1.066 in) hole placed at a 27.07 m (88.8 ft) height in the church wall, projects an elliptical image of the sun, which at local noon falls exactly on the meridian line and every day is different as to position and size. The position of the projected image along the line allows to determine accurately the daily altitude of the sun at noon, from which Cassini was able to calculate with unprecedented precision astronomical parameters such as the obliquity of the ecliptic, the duration of the tropical year and the timing of equinoxes and solstices. On the other hand, the size of the projected sun's image, and in particular its rate of variation during the year, allowed Cassini the first experimental verification of Kepler's laws of planetary motion.
Cassini and Domenico Guglielmini published an illustrated account of how the meridian line was accomplished in 1695.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Petronio,_Bologna
La iglesia también alberga una marca en forma de línea meridiana incrustada en el pavimento de la nave izquierda en 1655; fue calculada y diseñada por el astrónomo Giovanni Domenico Cassini, que enseñaba astronomía en la Universidad. Una línea meridiana no indica la hora: en cambio, con su longitud de 66,8 metros (219 pies), es uno de los instrumentos astronómicos más grandes del mundo, lo que permite mediciones que para la época eran excepcionalmente precisas. La luz del sol, que entra a través de un orificio de 27,07 mm (1,066 pulgadas) colocado a 27,07 m (88,8 pies) de altura en el muro de la iglesia, proyecta una imagen elíptica del sol, que al mediodía local cae exactamente sobre la línea meridiana y cada día es diferente en cuanto a posición y tamaño. La posición de la imagen proyectada a lo largo de la línea permite determinar con precisión la altitud diaria del sol al mediodía, a partir de la cual Cassini pudo calcular con una precisión sin precedentes parámetros astronómicos como la oblicuidad de la eclíptica, la duración del año trópico y la sincronización de los equinoccios y solsticios. Por otra parte, el tamaño de la imagen proyectada del sol, y en particular su tasa de variación a lo largo del año, permitieron a Cassini la primera verificación experimental de las leyes de Kepler sobre el movimiento planetario.
Cassini y Domenico Guglielmini publicaron un relato ilustrado de cómo se logró la línea del meridiano en 1695.
Have you ever noticed precise, conical divots in soft earth beneath large trees or at the base of cliffs? The conical pits are ant traps, dug and maintained by antlion larva, which may occupy the trap for two or three years before transforming to an adult (see first comment).
The larva lies patiently, just barely beneath the surface at the bottom of the pit, waiting for the sound and vibration of sliding sand, meaning that a beetle or spider or ant has fallen into the trap and is trying to climb out. The larva grabs it with its large jaws, injects venom to immobilize the prey and enzymes that turn the prey's tissues to mush. The antlion then siphons the digested material through the mandibles and tosses the hollow carcass out of the trap.
This is a live larva (promptly returned to its trap after this shot) caught beneath pines in a ponderosa pine forest in Boulder, Colorado.
Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have for the first time precisely measured the distance to one of the oldest objects in the universe, a collection of stars born shortly after the big bang.
This new, refined distance yardstick provides an independent estimate for the age of the universe. The new measurement also will help astronomers improve models of stellar evolution. Star clusters are the key ingredient in stellar models because the stars in each grouping are at the same distance, have the same age, and have the same chemical composition. They therefore constitute a single stellar population to study.
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and T. Brown and S. Casertano (STScI) ; Acknowledgement: NASA, ESA, and J. Anderson (STScI)
Until 1973 North American Juncos with dark eyes were split into five different species. Two of these were widespread; The Slate-colored Junco of the eastern United States and most of Canada (which is blue grey throughout with a white belly), and Oregon Junco in the East (with a dark hood, brown upperparts and pinkish flanks). But all forms have now been lumped into a single species known as Dark-eyed Junco, although people still refer to the distinctive races as if they were species. There are now 15 named races but recent molecular analysis found little difference between them.
This is the western race of Dark-eyed Junco, also known as Oregon Junco (Junco hyemalis subsp thurberi). It was also formerly known as Thurber's Junco after George Thurber, a 19th century American botanist. Apparently the name Junco was an old Spanish name for Reed Bunting deriving from the Latin for rush (Juncus), though the bird isn't associated with rushy habitats. Hyemalis means of the winter, because it is a winter visitor to much of the United States. Mark Catesby (1663-1749 the English Naturalist who wrote the Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahamas) called it Passer nivalis (Snow Sparrow) and Snowbird was an alternative name for it as it arrives with the snow over much of the USA. In fact, it was Dark-eyed Junco that was the bird that Anne Murray sang about in her 1975 hit Snowbird ("Spread your tiny wings and fly away. And take the snow back with you where it came from on that day").
In the early days of American ornithology a number of birds carried the name Oregon (eg Jay, Chickadee, Towhee) but these old names have fallen into disuse as less geographically precise names have gained acceptance. But when these "Oregon" birds were first named in the first half of the 19th century, Oregon Country then Territory was a much larger area, before the State of Oregon was founded in 1859. Oregon Country comprised of Oregon, Washington, parts of Idaho and Montana, and even part of British Columbia in Canada. It seems inappropriate that geographically widespread birds should bear the name of a single place, though this tradition persists in the American Warblers (eg Tennessee, Nashville, Cape May, Connecticut, Kentucky).
The precise extent of the once wooded area from which Southwood in the town of Ramsgate takes its name is uncertain. Today, Southwood has much clearer definition in the local inhabitant's mental map as a predominantly residential area and as the home ground of Ramsgate football. It equates with the area of the former Southwood Farm and of Southwood House. Southwood's large, Victorian water tower is also one of Ramsgate's distinctive and prominent landmarks. The Southwood neighbourhood occupies an area of about half a square kilometre, and consists of predominantly late nineteenth and early twentieth century houses. It sits on elevated ground one kilometre to the west of Ramsgate town centre and behind the more prestigious houses, cliff-top promenades, and greens of the West Cliff area.
The Tower was built in 1887 and was made a grade II listed building in 1988, now converted into flats. I can see the back of this building from anywhere in the front of the house.,
Apparently my house was lot 3 when the farm was sold and was used as a brickfield until the row of houses were built in 1902. A brickfield is a common location name in southeast England. Its name derives from a field where the topsoil was removed and the clay beneath was stripped, and mixed with chalk and ash to create bricks, we now have topsoil and chalk so I suppose all the clay was used up!
MY THANKS TO ALL WHO VISIT AND COMMENT IT IS APPRECIATED
This print reads almost like a child’s illustrated primer on speed. Steam locomotives, streamlined railcars, and a jaunty monoplane are each framed in circular vignettes, set against a bold checkerboard that echoes both Western textile design and traditional Japanese pattern logic. The drawing style is flattened and graphic—no attempt at atmospheric perspective—yet the machines themselves are rendered with enough specificity to be recognizable as contemporary marvels. That combination is key: the world is stylized, but the technology is real.
Stylistically, this sits squarely in the orbit of interwar modern design. There is a faint Art Deco sensibility in the geometry and repetition, but filtered through Japanese design principles—clarity of line, controlled palette, and an almost poster-like economy. The circular medallions function like windows onto progress, each isolating a machine as an object of fascination.
For children, and boys in particular, this is aspirational imagery. It is not fantasy in the fairy-tale sense; it is fantasy grounded in the present and near future. Japan in the 1920s–30s was rapidly industrializing and looking outward. These motifs introduce the child to a world defined by motion, engineering, and national advancement. Clothing becomes a kind of wearable narrative: one literally wraps the child in images of modernity.
For Japanese children, this had an additional layer. Unlike Western nursery imagery, which often lingered on pastoral or storybook themes, these prints align the child with the forward thrust of the nation. The locomotive and airplane are not just toys—they are emblems of participation in a modern, technologically capable society.
These lively prints, with their trains, automobiles, aircraft, and airships, were almost certainly produced by hand, though not in the sense of a single artisan painting each garment freehand. Rather, they belong to a highly skilled workshop tradition in which repeatable designs were executed through labor-intensive processes. The most likely technique is katazome, a method of stencil resist dyeing in which a rice paste resist is applied through finely cut paper stencils, then the cloth is dyed in successive stages. Each color requires its own stencil and careful alignment, so while the pattern can be repeated across the fabric, the work itself remains manual, precise, and time-consuming.
The visual character of these textiles reflects that method. The motifs are crisp and clearly bounded, the color fields flat but subtly varied, and the internal line work fine enough to suggest stencil cutting rather than mechanical printing. There is a slight liveliness to the surface, a sense that the dye has been absorbed into the fabric rather than laid uniformly on top of it. This distinguishes the cloth from industrial roller printing, which by the interwar period was widely available but tends to produce a more even and impersonal result. Here, the hand is still present, even as the imagery celebrates machines.
That tension is part of what makes these garments so compelling. They depict the newest forms of transportation, emblems of speed, engineering, and global modernity, yet they are realized through techniques rooted in preindustrial craft. The result is not a contradiction but a synthesis. The child who wore such a kimono was literally wrapped in images of the modern world, but that world was filtered through a disciplined, tactile process that maintained continuity with Japanese design traditions.
These textiles also occupy an intermediate position in production. They are neither unique works of art nor fully industrial products. Instead, they represent a form of controlled repetition, in which skilled artisans produced multiple examples of a design without surrendering the nuances of handwork. This aligns with their function as children’s garments. They needed to be durable, legible, and appealing, yet they also carried cultural weight, introducing the child to a visual vocabulary of modern life.
Seen in this light, the method of production reinforces the meaning of the imagery. The machines are modern, but they are not alien. They are rendered in a way that is orderly, approachable, and integrated into a broader aesthetic system. The cloth does not simply display trains or airplanes. It domesticates them, making them part of the patterned world the child inhabits.
Les Pyrénées, traversées cette semaine par le Tour de France. Les astronautes et les cyclistes ont un certain nombre de choses en commun, comme le fait que nos rations alimentaires soient mesurées à la calorie près. On est aussi auscultés sous toutes les coutures, avec de temps en temps un est d’effort maximal sur le vélo (ergometer). Le principe est simple : on vous branche des électrodes partout, et vous respirez dans un appareil qui mesure précisément la quantité d’oxygène… et c’est parti : de plus en plus de résistance sur les pédales, jusqu’à ce qu'on ne soit plus capable de continuer… bien sûr, on en fait une compétition, vous vous attendiez à quoi ? :) Une différence notable en revanche : les cyclistes du #tourdefrance doivent garder les mains sur le guidon alors que notre vélo spatial, lui, n'en a pas !
The Pyrenees where the Tour de France spent the week. Astronauts and cyclists have quite a few things in common, when on a mission or in a race we eat and monitor our food intake down to the calorie, and we bike almost every day. Two things I don't share with the professional cyclists: we cannot comply with the new UCI rules that require cyclists keep their hands on the handlebars – because there are no handlebars on our bicycle – and even though we are flying at 400 km altitude, there is no way I am cycling up the Tourmalet without more practice. Much respect, Paris is not so far anymore!
Credits: ESA/NASA–T. Pesquet
439B8952
Hill of Crosses is a site of pilgrimage about 12 km north of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania. The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on the former Jurgaičiai or Domantai hill fort after the 1831 Uprising.Over the generations, not only crosses and crucifixes, but statues of the Virgin Mary, carvings of Lithuanian patriots and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by Catholic pilgrims. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 55,000 in 1990 and 100,000 in 2006.
Over the generations, the place has come to signify the peaceful endurance of Lithuanian Catholicism despite the threats it faced throughout history. After the 3rd partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795, Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire. Poles and Lithuanians unsuccessfully rebelled against Russian authorities in 1831 and 1863. These two uprisings are connected with the beginnings of the hill: as families could not locate bodies of perished rebels, they started putting up symbolic crosses in place of a former hill fort.
When the old political structure of Eastern Europe fell apart in 1918, Lithuania once again declared its independence. Throughout this time, the Hill of Crosses was used as a place for Lithuanians to pray for peace, for their country, and for the loved ones they had lost during the Wars of Independence.
The site took on a special significance during the years 1944–1990, when Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union. Continuing to travel to the hill and leave their tributes, Lithuanians used it to demonstrate their allegiance to their original identity, religion and heritage. It was a venue of peaceful resistance, although the Soviets worked hard to remove new crosses, and bulldozed the site at least three times (including attempts in 1963 and 1973). There were even rumors that the authorities planned to build a dam on the nearby Kulvė River, a tributary to Mūša, so that the hill would end up underwater.
On September 7, 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the Hill of Crosses, declaring it a place for hope, peace, love and sacrifice. In 2000 a Franciscan hermitage was opened nearby. The interior decoration draws links with La Verna, the mountain where St. Francis is said to have received his stigmata. The hill remains under nobody's jurisdiction; therefore people are free to build crosses as they see fit. (-wiki)
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Or to be precise, a Black Legged Kittiwake, captured from Mumbles Pier today. Really thrilled to see these ( and their chicks ) today because last year the Pier was closed for its ongoing refurbishment and this year, i wasn't sure if I'd get here due to Lockdown, let alone the fact that The Pier was open . One of my favourite seabirds with their raucous call which gives them their name, a call you can hear all the way from Knab Rock, Mumbles and further away depending on the wind direction.
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Probably one of the most famous views in the county, if not the country, but my first visit to this precise spot... something to tick off my list!
Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris. Designed by Jean Nouvel (b. 1945), inaugurated in 1987.
The museum explains: "Reproducing traditional Arabic geometric patterns, the south façade is composed of 240 mashrabiya screens. Both industrial and decorative, a screen rather than a wall, the mashrabiya possesses the delicacy of a clockwork mechanism and the sophistication of a mosaic. A photoelectric cell allows for precise control of the light according to the amount of sunlight."
Or to be more precise, there's snow on popcorn tree. The clusters of seedpods resemble popcorn in the fall before the birds and squirrels gobble them up.
But during a recent, rare winter snowstorm event this past weekend, we had some accumulating snow on the trees, shrubs, grassy areas and a few other things, for a couple of hours when it was coming down hard and wet. When it stopped snowing, however, it started to melt away.
But for those few hours it was a lot of fun to see as we rarely ever have snow down here in the southeast, where we live.
Palmer, Alfred T.,, photographer.
Women are trained to do precise and vital engine installation detail in Douglas Aircraft Company plants, Long Beach, Calif.
1942 Oct.
1 transparency : color.
Notes:
Title from FSA or OWI agency caption.
Transfer from U.S. Office of War Information, 1944.
Subjects:
Douglas Aircraft Company
Airplane industry
Women--Employment
World War, 1939-1945
Assembly-line methods
United States--California--Long Beach
Format: Transparencies--Color
Rights Info: No known restrictions on publication.
Repository: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Part Of: Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Collection 12002-39 (DLC) 93845501
General information about the FSA/OWI Color Photographs is available at hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.fsac
Higher resolution image is available (Persistent URL): hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsac.1a35357
Call Number: LC-USW36-130
a swallowtail to be more precise, with a broken wing and no less beautiful. It is probably lucky to still be alive with all the sparrows I saw the other day trying to attack it.
Brave butterfly it is!.
I’ve returned from Hertfordshire, Royston to be precise. We said our goodbye’s just before 8am and made it back home by 11:45. The keynote there is I didn’t have to stop for a pee, credit for that has to be down to the medication I’m on for my prostate, although as usual the cramp in my legs was giving me gyp. I filled the tank in Royston’s Tesco’s, it was 199.9p a litre, last time I filled up here in mid May it was 174p, but the kicker was that petrol was 186p, why the 13p differential. Jesse put on a brave face but was a little twisty, he doesn’t like to say goodbye to has Nonna and Nonno, but he had a treat lined up for this morning, a visit to the cinema (for the first time) to see Lightyear. We’ve been watching the trailers all week, I wish I could have been with him to see his little face. My visit was just timed right to catch the field next to my daughters full of Poppies and other meadow flora. This was the same field that was covered in Phacelia on our last visit. Although I took many a photo of this field of blooms this photo I’m posting is probably my favourite (so far) of the week, which includes my summer solstice jaunt up in Northumberland. I took this photo with a long lens on Saturday morning on the dog walk, it had the minimal feel I was looking for. I have a crazy lot of photo’s to sift through at the moment so I won’t be hard pushed to post a few this week. I hope you all have had a good weekend.
Ahi weaves precise slashes and pyroclastic strikes to form his unique eruptive fighting style, leaving only ash and obsidian in his wake.
Made some changes to Ahi. The shins have been replaced to be more sleek, and some of the torso colors have been changed to be less messy. Also, the sword blade is the correct color. The leg articulation is a lot better in this version, so he can actually pull off some neat poses.
Flying towards Mount Everest at dawn, from the Nepal side.
Mount Everest (also known in Nepal as Sagarmatha and in Tibet as Chomolungma) is the Earth’s highest mountain. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. Its peak is 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level1 and is the 5th furthest point from the centre of the Earth.The international border between China and Nepal runs across the precise summit point. Its massif includes neighbouring peaks Lhotse, 8,516 m (27,940 ft); Nuptse, 7,855 m (25,771 ft) and Changtse, 7,580 m (24,870 ft).
The first recorded efforts to reach Everest’s summit were made by British mountaineers. With Nepal not allowing foreigners into the country at the time, the British made several attempts on the north ridge route from the Tibetan side. After the first reconnaissance expedition by the British in 1921 reached 7,000 m (22,970 ft) on the North Col, the 1922 expedition pushed the North ridge route up to 8,320 m (27,300 ft) marking the first time a human had climbed above 8,000 m (26,247 ft). Tragedy struck on the descent from the North col when seven porters were killed in an avalanche. The 1924 expedition resulted in the greatest mystery on Everest to this day: George Mallory and Andrew Irvine made a final summit attempt on June 8 but never returned, sparking debate as to whether they were the first to reach the top. They had been spotted high on the mountain that day but disappeared in the clouds, never to be seen again until Mallory’s body was found in 1999 at 8,155 m (26,755 ft) on the North face. Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary made the first official ascent of Everest in 1953 using the southeast ridge route.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
A recent trip out to the coast to clear my head of the spinning humdrum of work saw me at the north end of Cannon Beach contemplating which roll of film was going to take the place of my just-finished Bergger Pancro 400. My hand came out of my film bag holding a roll of Kodak E100 and I thought, "this or Portra 160?" Color negative, or color positive? I love slide film, but I don't work with it much. A big part of this is the scarcity of Fuji Velvia, my preferred chrome film. Another part of this is cost. A third part is that scans from slides always seem a bit pale in comparison to the original slide. I guess a fourth part is that E100 is a little too normal in its saturation for my tastes. But despite these reasons, I actually love shooting slide film, both for its results but also its process. Knowing I am working with a film that requires a bit more care and thought from me in gauging exposure makes me slow down and eye the scene. With color negative I just have to be close and if I have any doubt, I add a stop or two of exposure since it forgives it so readily. Color slide has a much narrower window and shows your failures more prominently. But doing a roll of slide now and again is a good way to stay on one's toes and make sure that their metering process really is precise. I don't mind that routine honing of my skills, so to speak. And that is how and where this image came about. I should also add that I spotted this reflection before the family moved into the scene. I could tell walking up to the tide pool I was going to enjoy the low angled symmetry I would find here. And then the family came along. My first reaction was "Drat, wouldn't you know it". But my second, more measured reaction, was "Hold on a sec and see what they do". In then end I think they made the scene more interesting for me and I exposed three images of them moving along the beach as their own photographer made portraits of them.
Hasselblad 500C/M
Kodak E100