stephbg: I made this! (Default)
stephbg ([personal profile] stephbg) wrote2011-08-30 11:03 pm

The microscope has arrived!

The microscope arrived yesterday, but would you believe I've been too busy working to play and post pictures? 8 1/2 hours chargeable in 2 days baby! But here, have some new and improved pretty rock pictures:



I'm still getting the hang of the beast and its features aka limitations. It's quite difficult to get something into frame and keep it there whilst finding focus, and the depth of field is extremely shallow so angles are punished harshly. But flat surfaces are also punished because the light bounces off them. I'll get there.

Muahahahahaha.

Anyway here are a couple of early attempts. This is part of a geode I photographed with my usual camera. Note the plume in the top right corner:



And here is a detail from the same geode as taken with the microscope:



Not great focus, but yunno, Art. Have some more geode action:









This is a closeup of a chrysocolla (which sounds more than a little bit like a bacteria):



This little hollow is about 4mm across:



And for comparison, the whole stone (or one like it), which is about two cm across:

[identity profile] ariaflame.livejournal.com 2011-08-30 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Went past rock and crystal shop this evening on way to Fantastic Planet and thought of you.

Pretty!

[identity profile] stephbg.livejournal.com 2011-08-31 01:56 am (UTC)(link)
I had a bit *cough* of a spending spree there recently. They've got really great stock but judging by the prices of the more common items it's a bit expensive - not surprising given their overheads. I was in there for over an hour last time. If you don't actually buy anything it's cheap entertainment.

[identity profile] delicious-irony.livejournal.com 2011-08-30 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Humble Apprentice apologises for making much work for Esteemed Superior.
*kowtows*

[identity profile] stephbg.livejournal.com 2011-08-31 12:57 am (UTC)(link)
Esteemed Superior had plenty of work before appearance of Humble Apprentice. Esteemed Supervisor is overjoyed to be able to do so much work now.