ZapperZ's Great Outdoors Photo Contest

[Andy Resnick]

Full moon this evening...

 

[Borek]

Ready for a walk?

http://vimeo.com/4636202

 

[Andy Resnick]

Good seeing conditions this past week- the great globular cluster in Hercules and the Ring nebula:









Each frame was a 25 second exposure, ISO400; the total times are 47 minutes for the cluster and 21 minutes for the ring.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Wide-angle view of the milky way:



The bright blob in the upper right is Vega, the bright star roughly center is Deneb, and the fuzzy blob in the lower left is Andromeda:



The majority of aberration is due to use of a non-tracking camera mount; the extreme field of view of the lens (about 100 degrees) amplifies the difference between spherical and cartesian coordinates.

 

[Astronuc]

The Surprising Side Effect of a Winter Hike
Why you really need to spend more time outside, no matter how cold it gets.

http://www.organicgardening.com/liv...Surprising-Side-Effect-of-a-Winter-Hike_title

Even without the boost in creativity, destressing is important for one's health.

 

[DennisN]

Some Strange Things Are Happening To Astronauts Returning To EarthWho would have thought traveling to outer space could be such a profound experience? OK, probably everybody, but these former astronauts really articulate it in a way that was just a little mind-blowing.

http://www.upworthy.com/some-strange-things-are-happening-to-astronauts-returning-to-earth?g=6

Looking down upon earth.

Marvellous clip, thanks a lot for posting it! I've found it on youtube too - I'm downloading and saving that one.

Andy Resnick, very nice space photos! Great photos from others too in this thread, it's very nice to see!

Gonna go to my photo stash and see if I can contribute to the thread...

 

[DennisN]

View from somewhere in the mountains at Les Deux Alpes (an excellent skiing resort, one of the absolutely best I've been too):

Mountain detail at Les Deux Alpes:

A lonely swan on the Moselle, just outside Trier:

The incredibly large tidal area around, and viewed from, Mont Saint-Michel (the small dots close to the centre of the image are people):

 

[DennisN]

This guy on the tube has got talent for editing and audio :

The World Outside My Window - Time Lapse of Earth from the ISS
(published yesterday - fullscreen is definitely recommended: youtube link)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOAEIMx39-w

His previous clip is good to:
All Alone in the Night - Time-lapse footage of the Earth as seen from the ISS

 

[drizzle]

Beautiful pics DennisN :)

 

[Borg]

I believe that I won't be driving to work today. Just a guess but, I think that the roads will be icy.

 

[Astronuc]

World's most stunning mountaintop hotels

http://travel.yahoo.com/ideas/world-s-most-stunning-mountaintop-hotels-204007327.html

Some of the world’s most breathtaking resorts are located far from sea level. Nestled in mountain ranges and perched on top of desert cliffs, these hotels offer visitors picturesque views and quiet retreats away from the hustle of everyday life. Here are our picks for the world’s most stunning mountaintop hotels.

. . .

 

[PeroK]

Skye

The "Black Cuillin" hills on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, Easter 2013.

 

[Astronuc]

The "Black Cuillin" hills on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, Easter 2013.

Nice! A line of my ancestors comes from Skye. Please post more pictures.

 

[drizzle]

Beautiful PeroK. Thanks for sharing.

 

[leroyjenkens]

I took this picture on a nature hike a few days ago. I think it's pretty.

 

[Astronuc]

Find a beach.

http://travel.yahoo.com/photos/10-beaches-that-should-be-on-your-bucket-list-1389659035-slideshow/

 

[lisab]

I took this picture on a nature hike a few days ago. I think it's pretty.

Didn't notice this until now. Very nice!

 

[Astronuc]

Photo Gallery from USGS

January 24, 2014 — Kīlauea
Brief interruption to Kahaualeʻa 2 flow advance; spattering lava pond in Puʻu ʻŌʻō

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/multimedia/?display=default

That's one place I'd like to see in person.

 

[lisab]

Photo Gallery from USGS

January 24, 2014 — Kīlauea
Brief interruption to Kahaualeʻa 2 flow advance; spattering lava pond in Puʻu ʻŌʻō

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/multimedia/?display=default

That's one place I'd like to see in person.

I went there about a year ago, but it was quiet. So we walked across the crater (which was hot in some places) and then around the rim, and even found some of Pele's hair:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pele's_hair

Even though it was calm, it was still worth going to see!

 

[dlgoff]

This is one thing I like about Kansas:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/855/oj09.jpg

 

[Borek]

This is one thing I like about Kansas:

Cables in the sky? You would love it here:

 

[dlgoff]

Cables in the sky? You would love it here:

Love them.

 

[Borek]

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Love them.

Vietnam wins the cable wars

http://talkvietnam.com/uploads/2013/09/facebook-stirred-up-by-bill-gates-photo-on-vietnams-electric-pole-1196912-20130910124315-2.jpg

 

[DennisN]

Vietnam wins the cable wars

 

[DennisN]

Eye candy :!):

Nasa's New Set Of 'Cosmos' Space Images Is Billions Of Kinds Of Awesome

(note: some pictures are artistic impressions/simulations)

 

[drizzle]

Oh wow, that's beautiful! thanks for sharing Dennis.

 

[drizzle]

A prof from the Astronomy department painted a beautiful picture of sun reflection on the earth, and I asked him to send me the original photo. It's just outstanding, I thought I'd share it with you people. Enjoy. :)

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x1024q90/62/oixy.jpg

 

[drizzle]

This is bigger.

 

[Enigman]

Goes beautifully with your signature, milady.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Crescent moon this evening: 1.2% illuminated.

Data: 800/5.6, ISO 1600, 1/10 s. This image has been downsized- original is 1800 pixels on a side.

 

[Astronuc]

Add these to the list of places to go

http://www.boredpanda.com/magical-tree-tunnels/

 

[dlgoff]

Add these to the list of places to go

http://www.boredpanda.com/magical-tree-tunnels/

Those are just outstanding tree tunnels. They're definitely on my "to go" list. The first place reminded me a lot of the "Magical '70's".

 

[Sethi]

Some them i would like to share

Some of the pics i have taken shared here :)

 

[drizzle]

Beautiful Sethi, thanks for sharing. :)

 

[Andy Resnick]

Lots of us were outside today- human and otherwise. This one is half of a nesting pair that has been living nearby for a few years:

Details: 400/2.8, ISO 400, auto shutter (about 1/2000s). Handheld!

 

[Sethi]

Saw various beautiful pics here, inspired me to share few from my side. :)

 

[drizzle]

From today's hike

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/834/ahyxf.jpg

Beautiful pics Andy.

 

[Andy Resnick]

From today's hike

Beautiful pics Andy.

Likewise- and thanks!

 

[lisab]

From today's hike

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/834/ahyxf.jpg

Beautiful pics Andy.

Ah, that's nice. The transition between open space and forest is really beautiful.

 

[Mark44]

Probably my favorite outdoor picture of the pictures I've taken - alpenglow on Mt. Baker, the northernmost of the five volcanoes in Washington state. I took this on a climb back in the 80's. My climbing pal and I camped high up on the Coleman Glacier, at an altitude of about 8200'. I took the picture late in the day, as the sun was setting.

The picture quality is pretty mediocre. This was a scan from a photo, that produced a BMP file. To reduce the size, I opened the BMP in Paint, and saved it in PNG format.

 

[drizzle]

Wow Mark, that's beautiful.. Reminds me of the desert.

Thanks lisab.

 

[lisab]

Wow Mark, that's beautiful.. Reminds me of the desert.

The alpine environment: a beautiful place where Mother Nature tries creative ways to kill you.

The dessert environment: a beautiful place where Mother Nature tries creative ways to kill you.

Ah yes, they are similar !

 

[drizzle]

 

[Astronuc]

https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/video/playlist/amazing-wildlife/wolves-alter-course-rivers-162607632.html

https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/video/playlist/amazing-wildlife/cheetah-chases-impala-antelope-tourists-160000321.html

 

[Borek]

The alpine environment: a beautiful place where Mother Nature tries creative ways to kill you.

The dessert environment: a beautiful place where Mother Nature tries creative ways to kill you.

Sorry, but I disagree. In the alpine and desert environments Mother Nature is not creative, it uses just a brute force - frost, gravity, heat, no need for getting fancy.

In other places, say jungle, yes, that's where she got creative with her use of pathogens and animals.

 

[Andy Resnick]

For those interested, this Thursday: (from skyandtelescope.com)

"Thursday, May 15 2014

Jupiter's moon Io crosses the face of the planet from 9:41 to 11:57 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Io's tiny but more visible shadow follows it across from 10:42 p.m. to 12:59 a.m. EDT.
- See more at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/sky-at-a-glance/weeks-sky-glance-may-9-17/#sthash.kxrlJ1Vy.dpuf

 

[dlgoff]

I loved the abundance of wildlife here thirty years ago. That why I bought my little secluded place. It was a much wetter time then and Tree Frogs were everywhere. My bedroom has wall-to-wall windows on the south side and my x-wife had wall-to-wall indoor plants; kind of like a jungle. Anyway, one night I was fast asleep and dreaming when I was awoken by a "splat" sound.

Still half asleep, I quickly set up and turned on a lamp while realizing my left eye felt very cold. As things came into focus, I found a tree frog sticking to the side of the beds headboard. I figured what happened was, the frog came from the indoor "jungle" and set on my eye to get warm and a rapid eye movement from my dream cause it to jump off. True story. Cold eye and all.

Anyway, I snapped this little guy on the side of the house catching little insects attracted by the light from the door window. He reminded me of that dream-creature.

 

[Astronuc]

Various views of Crater Lake

http://pages.vassar.edu/zosiakrusberg/?attachment_id=102

http://1.usa.gov/Mr7xyv
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=6944

http://www.panoramio.com/photo_explorer#view=photo&position=373&with_photo_id=3575466&order=date_desc&user=718145

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/science/6972779520_7695d7b8d8_z.jpg

http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/375/cache/crater-lake-night-sky_37523_600x450.jpg

 

[Astronuc]

If one visits the Hudson Valley in NY, there is a lot of scenery to take in with numerous places to hike.

http://www.scenichudson.org/parks

There is also a lot of history to explore.