Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Galactic eye

Luc Perrot, www.lucperrot.fr
Today I saw this incredible picture on the Astronomy Picture of the Day. It's a composite made of eight images from a fisheye lens put together to make what looks to me at first glance like a God's Eye. He took the pictures at night, illuminated with a lamp, and put them together to make a complete circle. In the middle is the Milky Way, and if you look closely you can also see his tent, a shoreline, and much more. He took this on the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. Click to enlarge to truly appreciate the image. APOD continues to amaze me, and I never miss a morning picture to give me a more accurate perspective of the world. Sometimes I get too focused on minutia when I need to look at the bigger picture.

Another wonderful thing from the blogging world that I discovered through Sharon's Paws Create is a website filled with donated art that goes to help the animals suffering from the Oil Disaster. Sharon has donated some beautiful art, and the other amazing donated art that is being sold will bring tears to your eyes, they are so poignant and beautiful. Go on over to Ripple to buy a beautiful piece of art for $10. Here's what they are about:
Each sketchcard on this blog $10. The $10 is a donation to help the animal victims of the Deep Water Horizon Gulf Oil Spill. Every penny is donated. The two nonprofits that are benefitting are The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and The International Bird Rescue Research Center. You can purchase a card if you donate directly to one of the nonprofit and email me the confirmation and your address to ripplesketches@verizon.net. The artist will mail you the signed card.
The creator of the blog also adds, "We don't have to feel helpless. We can help. Our small actions together will ripple outward."
:-)

19 comments:

  1. DJ, unfortunately I couldn't rotate the photo. Reunion Island is one of the most beautiful island in the universe, I have seen pictures of it and it's just fantastic!

    Okay I will go to Sharon's blog, I can see it in my dashboard. And you know what? This coming Sunday I will run again for a cause, proceeds will help less fortunate children around the country without shoes to have at least one pair! Isn't that uplifting?

    It's almost 11 pm but it's okay for me to stay up late 'cos tomorrow is a holiday!

    AL

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  2. That picture is amazing. There is so much detail in it. It is good to know that work is being done to raise money in an effort to help the animals in the gulf. I will stop by Sharon's blog to see what she is offering.

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  3. Incredible photo! Wow. I need to check out that site. As for Ripple - it is a great cause. I love the last sentence, and firmly believe it.

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  4. Wow, that's a really cool picture. I love the astronomy site. We have so many creative people producing intriguing things on the web, I am constantly amazed. It's great to have the world at our fingertips.

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  5. Great photo. Off to take a look at the other site. Thanks for posting.

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  6. Beautiful photo DJan...I just visited Luc Perrot's web site...more beautiful photos!

    ♥...Wanda

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  7. Wow.. very cool. I'm back from almost two weeks away from the computer and am trying to catch up. I haven't commented on them, but I've read through most of your posts and enjoyed them. I'm so impressed with your over 4,000 sky dives. You're one gutsy woman!

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  8. Amazing. It's truly beautiful. I'll have to check out the site, thanks!

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  9. Thanks for this. I'll follow and see what I find.

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  10. You did it again, an amazing blog post! You are ever curious.

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  11. An interesting picture that one.
    I like the idea of the art for birds in a crisis situation. They need all the help they can get.

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  12. WOW!! that photo is AMAZING! It knocked my socks off.

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  13. What a great image..makes our whole world look so small:)

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  14. I wish I were artistic like those artists. They must see the world and galaxy differently. I wonder what adorns their walls at home.

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  15. "We don't have to feel helpless. We can help. Our small actions together will ripple outward."--How beautiful!! Thank you, dear DJ!! You always bring us the most amazing stuff!!! Love this! Love you, Janine XO

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  16. There are a lot of beautiful photos on and in this post.

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  17. What an incredible picture !
    I'm off to check out the links, for a very worthy cause indeed.
    Such an interesting post ...as always my friend ;)

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  18. That is an incredible photo, I went back a second time to look at it again.

    Ripple is a great cause, I was over there yesterday looking at the cards but the doorbell rang before I could choose. I'm going back tomorrow and make a donation.

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