APOD: Frosted Leaf Orion (2010 Nov 17)

[APOD Robot]

Frosted Leaf Orion

Explanation: Sometimes, you can put some night sky in your art. Captured above Japan earlier this month, a picturesque night sky was photographed behind a picturesque frosted leaf. The reflecting ice crystals on the leaf coolly mimic the shining stars far in the background. The particular background sky on this 48-second wide angle exposure, however, might appear quite interesting and familiar. On the far left, although hard to find, appears a streaking meteor. Below and to the right of the meteor appears a longer and brighter streak of an airplane. The bright star on the left is the dog-star Sirius, the brightest star on the night sky. To Sirius' right appears the constellation of Orion, including the three linear belt stars below the red giant Betelgeuse. The bright patch of light further to the right is the Pleiades open star cluster. Similar views including the constellation Orion can be seen above much of the northern hemisphere for the next several months, although you might have to provide your own leaf.

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[neufer]

From Robert Fludd, Utrisque comsmi... historia (1617-19).
By permission of Duke University Library.

Macbeth Intro - Presentation Transcript

# Microcosm / Macrocosm

• * The individual (microcosm) is a reflection of the state and the universe (macrocosm).
  * Shakespeare’s characters and the world they inhabit are always microcosms of the universe.
  * What they do affects all reality.

# In addition to characters, images can be microcosms:

• * Gardens and Gardeners
  * Castles
  * Beds
  * Meals and Banquets

http://www.jstor.org/pss/2866458

[danikamom]

Looks like a Japanese Maple Leaf.
Beautiful composition.

[Worm5406]

I agree.. Definitely a Japanese Maple

[nix1199]

Yep, looks like Japanese Maple to me too. So pretty!

[Ann]

What strikes me about this picture is the color of the objects on the Earth and in the sky. The very red leaf, quite likely a Japanese maple leaf as several others have pointed out, is seen against green leaves or foliage on the ground. We can't see the color of the trees, but we know that their naked trunks and branches are generally grey-brown in color.

The sky, on the other hand, is dominated by azure hues. The sky itself looks bluish, and it is bluish because the Earth's atomosphere preferentially scatters blue light even at night. The handsome winter constellations and clusters are predominantly blue: all the bright stars of Orion except Betelgeuse and the sparkling blue Pleiades.

And yet, from a cosmic point of view, the Earth itself is probably bluer than most things in the universe.

Ann

[CBVilleneuve]

There is more than one Japanese Maple... This one is the Corallinum.

[neufer]

from a cosmic point of view, the Earth itself is probably bluer than most things in the universe.

Neptune in Poznań, Poland.

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Click to view full size image

[Frank McCabe]

Castor bean leaf.

[StACase]

Castor bean

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... UWOXOnPVDL

[castello]

Why does Orions belt look so small? Sometimes it fills 1/3 of the sky!

[Puddock]

Lovely image! I am not sure that it's a Japanese maple (although it would be most appropriate!) - I think it's bigger and thicker. Don't know what a castor bean looks like but it sounds possible.

[Bogdan]

colage...

[Mr T]

Panama Red

[mexhunter]

Very nice photo and composition.
Greetings
César

[agulesin]

Looks like Horse Chestnut to me, but maybe I'm biased having grown them as a lad! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesculus_hippocastanum

One point that is missing from the explanation is how the photographer managed to prevent the stars from being smudged; I've tried many long exposures but never been able to get results like this...

[Indigo_Sunrise]

The Japanese Maple gets my vote.









How soon till we get the correct answer?

p.s. Excellent image, btw!

[mak]

It appears to be an Acer palmatum, or smooth Japanese maple

[milamthomas]

The leaf? Sweetgum.
This is my favorite section of sky. So much to study in my scope.
It's a beautiful photo, well done.

[fionbharr]

Acer Palmatum

[Joe Horton]

I don't know if it's called "Japanese maple" in Japan. Do Japanese just call it "maple"? I have one in front of my front door, but haven't checked it for frost yet this morning.

JH

[neufer]

<<Acer palmatum, called Japanese Maple or Smooth Japanese Maple (Japanese: irohamomiji, イロハモミジ, or momiji, 紅葉) is a species of woody plant native to Japan, North Korea, South Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their attractive leaf shapes and colors. They are highly sought after and are relatively costly trees given their size.

When Swedish doctor-botanist Carl Peter Thunberg traveled in Japan late in the eighteenth century, he secreted out drawings of a small tree that would eventually become synonymous with the high art of oriental gardens. He gave it the species name palmatum after the hand-like shape of its leaves. This would hardly surprise the Japanese who for centuries referred to their group of maples as kaede and momiji, references to the 'hands' of frogs and babies, respectively. For centuries Japanese horticulturalists have developed cultivars from maples found in their country and nearby Korea and China. They are a popular choice for bonsai enthusiasts and have been used throughout the history of the art.

Example of leaf variation among various cultivars of Japanese Maple

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Acer palmatum is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching heights of 6–10 m often growing as an understory plant in shady woodlands. In habit, it is often shaped like a hemisphere (especially when younger) or takes on a dome-like form, especially when mature. The leaves are 4–12 cm long and wide, palmately lobed with five, seven, or nine acutely pointed lobes. The flowers are produced in small cymes, the individual flowers with five red or purple sepals and five whitish petals. The fruit is a pair of winged samaras, each samara 2–3 cm long with a 6–8 mm seed. The seeds of Japanese maple and similar species require stratification in order to germinate.>>

[gregory.j.copeland@gmail.com]

The leaf has 7 lobes not 5 I'd say Horse Chestnut.

[biddie67]

I think it is a Horse Chestnut also but I don't know if they grow in Japan.

[KalamazooHawkins]

The leaf is from a Japanese Maple!