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Bob

Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 3D

Comet in 3D

Today’s Astronomy Picture of the Day featured an anaglyph image of Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko taken by the Rosetta comet-probing spacecraft. I was impressed by the stereo image of this object in space in an up-close and personal view of another world.

From APOD:

Get out your red/cyan glasses and gaze across the surface of Churyumov-Gerasimenko, aka Comet 67P. The stereo anaglyph was created by combining two images from the Rosetta spacecraft’s narrow angle OSIRIS camera taken on September 22, 2014. Stark and jagged, the 3D landscape is found along the Seth region of the comet’s double-lobed nucleus. It spans about 985 x 820 meters, pocked by circular ridges, depressions, and flattened areas strewn with boulders and debris. The large steep-walled circular pit in the foreground is 180 meters in diameter. Rosetta’s mission to the comet ended in September 2016 when the spacecraft was commanded to a controlled impact with the comet’s surface.

March 31, 2017 by Bob's 3D Stuff Nerdliness

Curve Billed Thrasher

Curve Billed Thrasher

I was up on the hill behind the house looking at some of the vegetation up there when a Curve Billed Thrasher lit atop the bird block feeder. I had my camera and 300mm lens with me so I took several shots of the bird before it flew away.

Wikipedia has this information on this interesting species:

The curve-billed thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) is a medium-sized mimid that is a member of the genus Toxostoma, native to the southwestern United States and much of Mexico. Referred to as the default desert bird, it is a non-migratory species. Several subspecies have been classified since 1827, though there is no consensus on the number. Allopatric speciation is believed to have played a major role in the variations of the curve-billed. It shares striking similarities in appearance with another Toxostoma member, Bendire’s thrasher. Nevertheless, it is recognized for its grey color and sickle-shaped bill. It generally resides in desert regions of the United States and Mexico, but can inhabit areas predominately populated by humans.

The demeanor of the curve-billed has been described as “shy and rather wild”, but it allows humans to view it closely. It is very aggressive in driving out potential threats, whether competitors for food or predators of its chicks. The curve-billed thrasher sometimes mimics several other species, though not to the extent of other mimids. It has a variety of distinctive songs, and this extensive repertoire of melodies has led it to be known as cuitiacoache (songbird) in Mexico.

Click on the image to enlarge.

March 28, 2017 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

Hassayampa River Flowing

Hassayampa River Flowing

I cropped this panoramic image of the Hassayampa River from a shot that Verna took from the bridge on Friday. Normally, the river is dry above the surface at this time of year, but a couple of weeks ago we had some rainfall and snow in the mountains which is, apparently, still melting off.

Shortly after the rainstorms, this part of the river was full bank to bank with whitecaps and rapids. The water flow is diminished now and will eventually dry up until the summer monsoon season.

Click on the panoramic image to view full size.

March 25, 2017 by Climate Panoramas Photography

After Dinner Walks

Local Scenery

When we take our walks after a big meal, we are lucky to live in a town where the desert environment provides a very pleasant array of scenery. One path we take goes by a little hill with many mature saguaro cacti. At the end of that path we can see the mountain ranges across the Hassayampa Valley. Just north of the path is the street where one of the home owners has installed a waterfall feature along the frontage of their property.

Click on the composite image to enlarge.

March 4, 2017 by Arizona Leisure Photography Retirement

Throwback House Progress

October 2010 House Progress

Verna and I posed for this photo in October of 2010, just a few weeks before we moved in to our Arizona Home. The house foundation and framing started in August of that year, so this was about two months of progress into the four months that it took before it was certified for occupancy.

In the six years, four months and one week since this photo was taken, we have been and continue to be extremely happy with our decision to move to Arizona. Life threw some curves at us during that time, but we’ve recovered from those and continue to happily prosper (split infinitive intentional).

March 2, 2017 by Arizona Family Nostalgia Retirement

Bottoms Up

Bottoms Up

The steep driveway and the added length of our new RV combined to raise the back end up quite high over the concrete as I drove it down to the road. Verna took this photo and remarked that we looked like the Titanic sinking from her point of view.

Well, it wasn’t quite that bad of course. The new RV made the transition to the road without incident as we took it to get the diesel fuel tank topped of in anticipation of our California excursion next weekend.

We spent a good portion of this week putting “stuff” in the motorhome. Verna got new dinnerware and I got a new portable grill for the RV and we began transferring over the goods and accessories that were removed from the old Georgetown. We should be good to go for the trip a week from today.

February 10, 2017 by Arizona Retirement Vacation

Avalon 1998

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