I printed this panoramic photo of the Oslo Opera House as a gift to a relative. The measures are 40×120 cm. That would be approximately 16×47 inches using the idiotic system (it’ll actually make more sense to use nautical miles instead of the imperial system. In nautical miles the photo measures 0.000215983 X 0.000647948). It’s my largest print so far and I’m pleased with the result. It was printed on an aluminium plate (No! Not aluminum, but aluminium).
The question was «What is the mass of planet Earth?»
In the science section of howstuffworks.com the answer is this:
«The quick answer to that is approximately 6,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000 (6 x 1024) kilograms.
The interesting sub-question is, “How did anyone figure that out?” It’s not like the planet steps onto the scale each morning before it takes a shower. The measurement of the planet’s weight is derived from the gravitational attraction that the Earth has for objects near it.»
6,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000 (6 x 1024) kilograms? Not according to Gunda…
I shot a few versions of this photo before I was satisfied. I ended up with this overexposed version, which I think highlights the important objects that makes the photo and leaves out the rest (the background was just creating noise and unwanted attention in this image). The theme for the Weekly Photo Challenge this week is Future Tense and I think this photo suits the challenge:
«In today’s challenge we want you to grab an image from your world that holds the promise or portent of the future.»
Sources:
One of Wilson A Bentley’s numerous photos of snow crystals. Photo borrowed from: Smithsonian Institute
Now that it is mid-winter and the snow has spread like a carpet over large parts of the world, I believe the timing is just about right to take a second look at the beautiful snow crystals and their history. In the history of snowflakes, we also find a story about the good, thorough, scientific investigation, where empirical data – evidence – is being painstakingly collected:
When they make Jim Beam, the distillers pour the Bourbon (which at this point is clear and has no colour) into empty, charred oak barrels and store them in what is called a rackhouse (which is something like a barn full of barrels).
Cardinal Guzman 