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http://GigapanMagazine.org vol 1 issue 2
Here is a panorama of the Amundsen Scott South Pole Station on the evening of December 31, 2008. The snowy landscape around the Pole is fairly quiet, as almost everyone is getting ready for the New Year’s Eve party in the gymnasium of the elevated station. We have not yet taken apart our Christmas tree, and the 2008 Pole marker remains in the snow where it was placed on January 1 of last year. Tomorrow during a 1pm ceremony, the Geographic Pole marker will change to its 2009 version, which was designed and made by the 2008 overwinter crew. The new marker will be set onto a post in a new hole in the ice that is located about 30 feet closer to the Dome. The American Flag and the sign with its brief written accounts of Amundsen's and Scott's arrival at the Pole will move along with it. The South Pole Station is situated on top of the largest sheet of ice on Planet Earth. The elevated station, the Dome, and everything else that you see here drift a little bit toward grid northwest each day. Once each year the location of the Geographic Pole is officially corrected to place it once again over the axis of rotation of the planet. In 2008, we use GPS to confirm the location of the Pole. All of this constant, predictable glacial motion and the annual marker movement create an interesting pastime for the crew and visitors to the station, especially for the folks who brought their own GPS’s to the Pole. In the summer of 1911-12, Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott had a much more difficult time confirming that they and their parties had in fact arrived at 90 degrees south latitude. On the left of the image you see the ice-carving efforts of some of the station crew. They have been working on these giant blocks for several weeks, and their art will be judged on January 4. The ambient temperature, which has now risen to approach 0 degrees Fahrenheit, makes ice carving a comfortable exercise, as long as the wind is fairly calm. It looks like they had some great ideas and that they have been busy at their task. Which carving would earn your vote? The 30 images of this panorama were photographed with a Nikon D 80 and stitched with Autopano Pro. Please enjoy The South Pole on New Year's Eve 2008. |
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Ledge trail is a long abandoned trail that runs from the backside of Curry Village up to Glacier Point. About half way up you can cross the creek and climb up the rocks to this spectacular view. At one time power or telephone lines ran up this way, and there are a trio of eyehooks embedded in the rocks, thus my name for this spot, "Eyehook Point". From here you can see down into Yosemite Valley with a panorama that goes from Yosemite Falls to Nevada Fall and everything in between. Royal Arches, Washington Column, North Dome, Tenaya Canyon, Half Dome, Mt Watkins etc.
Check out the higher rez mid day version of this view at http://gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=10095 Check out http://geoimages.berkeley.edu/worldwidepanorama/wwp608/html/JoelBaldwin.html for a 360/180 spherical panorama from this spot. |
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Stephen King fans celebrate the release of his long-awaited new novel, UNDER THE DOME, by hiding words from the book’s final sentences along the North Bank of London’s River Thames, under the dome of St Paul’s cathedral.
The novelist’s final forty-five words - displayed on banners and placards - are scattered throughout the Gigapan image by randomly placed members of the public. The book’s conclusion is revealed by zooming in on the shot and reassembling the scrambled sentences. www.stephenking.co.uk Image by nathangallagher.com |
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Taken at Washburn Point, a half mile south of Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. This pano was taken using AutoMate 1.0 , the motorized pano head from The Gadget Works (TheGadgetWorks.com). It is composed of 102 images taken in six rows, with a Canon 10D and a 200 mm lens on top of the AutoMate. The entire process took only 10 minutes. Be sure to look for the climbers on Half Dome and the people on the top. |
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From Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park at sunset and Full Moon rise.
Spot the waterfalls, and hikers! |
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Yosemite National Park looking East from Glacier Point. In this Panorama more of the upper valley south of Half Dome is seen. People the size of dots are seen on top of Half Dome. |
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For many first time tourists to Yosemite Valley, their first view of the valley is much like that of the Maiposa Battalion, who in 1851 were the first non-natives to see and publicize the existence of these wonders. Tourists have visited the valley in ever increasing numbers ever since.
Visitors entering Yosemite National Park on Highway 41 have quite a drive from the south entrance gate. The winding road goes for 27 miles and after 45 minutes of driving you come around a broad corner under Turtleback Dome and get your first view of El Capitan and Half Dome just before you plunge into a long tunnel. As you approach the end of this tunnel slow down. At the exit you’ll want to put to the left or right into the parking lots and walk to the railing to absorb this spectacular view. |
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The Minnesota located in St Paul was designed by Cass Gilbert and modeled after Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome - the unsupported marble dome is the second largest in the world, after Saint Peter's. Work began on the capitol in 1896, and construction was completed in 1905. Above the southern entrance to the building is a gilded quadriga called The Progress of the State which was sculpted by Daniel Chester French and Edward Clark Potter. It was completed and raised to the roof of the capitol in 1906. The base of the building and interior spaces used varieties of native stone, including Kasota stone, and the rare Pipestone used by Native Americans for their peace pipes. |
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This is a high res and wider field-of-view version of the Yosemite Association's Ahwahnee Meadow webcam at http://www.yosemite.org/129/Web-Cam-View.htm.
Can you find the rock climbers on Royal Arches? Can you see anyone on Half Dome? Can you see anyone at Glacier Point? What else can you see? |
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I have been to Yosemite a few times, but oddly had not been to Glacier Point. From this location you can see all of the valley floor and have a fantastic view of Half Dome. You can see from here that it was a fantastic day. We were lucky to be there in the fall and see all of the colors changing. If you havent been, put it on your list, if you have been, it's about time to go back! |