Astronomy Picture of the Day 5-29-03

NASA ^ | 5-29-03 | Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell

[petuniasevan]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2003 May 29

Frizion Illume
Credit & Copyright: Peter Wasilewski, (Goddard Space Flight Center)

Explanation: Scientific images of cosmic dust clouds or even frozen water can be esthetic too. In fact, this picture of thin layers of forming ice crystals uses a scientific understanding of light's wave properties solely for artistic purposes. Titled "Illume", the picture was created by astrophysicist Peter Wasilewski. To make the picture, the crystals were illuminated by light shining through a polarizing filter -- a filter that restricts the otherwise randomly oriented light waves to vibrate in only one direction. While passing through the ice, different colors of the polarized light are then refracted and reflected along slightly different paths by the delicate crystalline layers. Viewing the scene with a second polarizing filter brings out the wondrous display of structure and color. Painting with "light, the laws of physics, and an attitude" Wasilewski has created a series of these evocative ice images that he refers to as Frozen Vision or Frizion.

[petuniasevan]

My alternate title: "And now for something completely different".

By all means, visit the link "Frizion" above. The gallery is great!

Here is the Egg Nebula in polarized light, from the 4-09-03 APOD:

[petuniasevan]

[WSGilcrest]

I always look for the polarized tag when shopping for sunglasses. Great for driving and fishing. Interesting that you find how many other things have polarized lenses in every day life when your looking through two lenses that are out of phase. Like the numbers disappearing on the LCD display at the gas pump.

[petuniasevan]

Every time I look for polarized sunglass clip-ons, I check them carefully. Many pairs are "out of phase" and that gives me a headache.

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping
& good morning (-:

[RightWhale]

a scientific understanding of light's wave properties solely for artistic purposes

A sort of understanding. There are formulas based on lab data using instruments containing special crystals that split light into groups depending on polarization, but what is it in light that makes polarization possible? Skylight is polarized, light reflected off windows or water is polarized. But why? Might as well ask why grass is green.