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Stunning View of Earth From 99 Million Miles Away !!!

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Earth

 

NASA’s Curiosity rover has shared its very first picture of Earth from Mars.

 

The photo was taken about 80 minutes after sunset on Jan. 31, 2014, NASA said. The rover tweeted the photo on Thursday with the accompanying caption: “Look Back in Wonder… My 1st picture of Earth from the surface of Mars.”

At the time the photo was snapped, Earth was 99 million miles away from Mars, according to NASA. The space agency says the image was processed to remove the effects of cosmic rays.

Our home planet looks like just a tiny white dot above the horizon. An even tinier and fainter spot below Earth is our moon.

“A human observer with normal vision, if standing on Mars, could easily see Earth and the moon as two distinct, bright ‘evening stars,” NASA said in a release.

 

 earth:moon
source:::Business insider .com
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Incredible Images of Airlines in Storm Clouds …

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Nervous flyers may want to look away now.

These stunning (or horrifying, depending on your view of air travel) images show planes approaching huge, angry storm clouds that completely dwarf them.

The incredible snaps, which look like a scene from an apocalyptic horror movie, were taken by photographer Ramon Stalenhoef, 39, not from a plane or helicopter, but from the balcony of his apartment in Amsterdam.

Brooding: Photographer Ramon Stalenhoef has taken a stunning set of pictures of planes above Amsterdam flying into huge storm clouds

Brooding: Photographer Ramon Stalenhoef has taken a stunning set of pictures of planes above Amsterdam flying into huge storm clouds

Room with a view: Mr Stalenhoeff took the pictures from his apartment near Schiphol Airport

Room with a view: Mr Stalenhoeff took the pictures from his apartment near Schiphol Airport

Plane crazy: The pictures capture that moment of dread just before your flight enters a storm

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Plane crazy: The pictures capture that moment of dread just before your flight enters a storm

He said: ‘Some people think I shot it from another plane. Or that I went up in a balloon or climbed the highest building in town

‘But the truth is even more surprising. I just shot it from my balcony. From the second floor of my apartment.

‘I live in Amsterdam and my balcony offers a great view of the flight paths of different aircraft that are on their way to Schiphol Airport.

Ready for its close up: Zooming in reveals that this is a KLM flight

Ready for its close up: Zooming in reveals that this is a KLM flight

Up, up and away: This 747 is about to fly into jumbo storm clouds

Up, up and away: This 747 is about to fly into jumbo storm clouds

‘Thanks to the dramatic low hanging clouds and my large telephoto lens I was able to take pictures of which you think they are shot high in the sky.’

Ramon, who works as the Creative Director for an advertising agency, is inspired by photography that show a different picture than is possible with your eyes:

‘This is also an interesting aspect of photography. Photos always show a different picture than your eyes would see. Therefore photos work on peoples imagination.

‘In this case I wanted to tell the story of small and fragile looking planes high in the mighty sky.’

Ramon started taking photos in 2008 after buying his first DSLR:

‘I bought my first DSLR in 2008 and what drives me is the ‘instant satisfaction’ of taking pictures.

‘Within a fraction of a second you can amaze yourself and others. Think about it, it’s amazing to freeze time and to awe!

‘When I look through the camera I’m really aware of everything around me. I look for small details, great moments, amazing light, everything.’

To capture his images, he used a Canon 5D Mark II camera, a Canon 200mm f/2.8 L lens and a Canon 2x teleconverter.

source:::::mailonline.com UK

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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2548628/Incredible-snaps-airliners-approaching-storm-clouds-Amsterdam.html#ixzz2rtOlAfIo

Aerial Perspectives…. Thro the Lens of Aerial Photographer ….

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One of the world's greatest aerial photographers to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean's images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

The work of one of the world’s greatest aerial photographers is to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean’s images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

Above, B-52, ‘Bone Yard’, Tuscon, Arizona, USA

Picture: Alex MacLean/Beetles+Huxley

One of the world's greatest aerial photographers to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean's images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

A fully licensed pilot, MacLean uses his highly efficient Cessna 182 plane to explore the world recording landscapes, architecture and human behaviour from a bird’s eye view. Above, shipping containers, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA, 2011.Picture: Alex MacLean/Beetles+Huxley 

One of the world's greatest aerial photographers to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean's images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

Bathers in wave pool, Orlando, Florida, USA, 1999

One of the world's greatest aerial photographers to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean's images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

Desert housing block, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 2009

One of the world's greatest aerial photographers to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean's images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

Over ramps, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, 2008

One of the world's greatest aerial photographers to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean's images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

Floating daisy docks, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 1990

One of the world's greatest aerial photographers to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean's images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

The Jolly Roger, Ocean City Amusement Park, Ocean City, Marylandd, USA, 2011

One of the world's greatest aerial photographers to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean's images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

Marked territory, Viareggio, Italy, 2010Picture: Alex MacLean/Beetles+Huxley  

One of the world's greatest aerial photographers to be exhibited in London for the first time. Photographing from 5000ft, Alex MacLean's images reveal the complexities and absurdities of contemporary life across America and Europe.

Brightly painted houses, Burano, Italy,

source::::The Telegraph UK

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How Birds Fly in V Formation ….

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A new study says birds precisely time when they flap their wings, and position themselves to capture upwash (“good air”) and avoid downwash or (“bad air”).

photo credit: Mark Unsöld

Birds flying in a distinctive V formation strategically position themselves in aerodynamically optimum positions, and experience positive aerodynamic interactions that maximize upwash (“good air”) capture, according to a study the journal Nature by researchers at Royal Veterinary College, University of London.

The data, captured from free-flying migrating birds using specially developed GPS technology, reveals the mechanisms by which birds flying in V formation can both use areas of beneficial upwash while avoiding regions of detrimental downwash (“bad air”).

These aerodynamic accomplishments were previously not thought possible for birds because of the complex flight dynamics and sensory feedback that would be required to perform such a feat.

Dr. Steven Portugal is lead researcher at the Royal Veterinary College. He said:

The intricate mechanisms involved in V formation flight indicate remarkable awareness and ability of birds to respond to the wingpath of nearby flock-mates. Birds in V formation seem to have developed complex phasing strategies to cope with the dynamic wakes produced by flapping wings.

Dr. Portugal and his team studied a free-flying flock of northern bald ibises (Geronticus eremita), a critically endangered species. They equipped 14 juvenile birds with back-mounted synchronised GPS and inertial measurement devices. The team recorded the position and every wing flap of all individuals within the V during 43 min of migratory flight. The precision of these measurements allowed the relative positioning of individuals in a V to be tracked, and the potential aerodynamic interactions to be investigated at a level and complexity not previously feasible.

Read more from the Royal Veterinary College

source::: earth sky news

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