Foggy Morning on Portage Lake and the Tyndall Effect

Posted on by farlane

Foggy morning, photo by Jiqing Fan

Wikipedia says that Portage Lake is part of the Keweenaw Waterway, a partly natural, partly artificial waterway that cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula to provide access for shipping from Lake Superior. If you click the link you can get an aerial view.

View Jiqing Fan’s photo bigger and see more in his massive Houghton & UP MI slideshow. He writes:

Saw the fog on Lake Portage from my apartment window after I woke up today. I knew the potential this fog can bring so I darted down to the lake shore. But the fog was so heavy that the foliage on the other bank were completely blocked. Just when I was about to give up and head back for school, the fog started to break as the sun rises. And then the magic started to unfold before my eyes. Soon the fog lifted and fill the campus uphill, the entire campus was bathed in soft morning light and there were Tyndall effect everywhere! I can not think of a better way to start a day of work.

What’s the Tyndall effect you ask? The UC Davis ChemWiki explains that the Tyndall effect was identified by 19th Century Irish scientist John Tyndall.

Because a colloidal solution or substance (like fog) is made up of scattered particles (like dust and water in air), light cannot travel straight through. Rather, it collides with these micro-particles and scatters causing the effect of a visible light beam. This effect was observed and described by John Tyndall as the Tyndall Effect.

The Tyndall effect is an easy way of determining whether a mixture is colloidal or not. When light is shined through a true solution, the light passes cleanly through the solution, however when light is passed through a colloidal solution, the substance in the dispersed phases scatters the light in all directions, making it readily seen.

For example, light is not reflected when passing through water because it is not a colloid. It is however reflected in all directions when it passes through milk, which is colloidal. A second example is shining a flashlight into fog or smog; the beam of light can be easily seen because the fog is a colloid.

Yay science!

Lake of the Clouds from the Escarpment Trail

Posted on by farlane

Lake of the Clouds from the Escarpment Trail, Porcupine Mountains

Lake of the Clouds from the Escarpment Trail, Porcupine Mountains, photo by Linda Carter

Linda writes that this photo is taken about 400 feet above Lake of the Clouds on the Escarpment Trail, which starts at Lake of the Clouds Overlook. She says that if you go the whole loop it’s 8 miles, but 2 or 3 miles along the trail you get the most beautiful views of the Lake.

Agreed!

View her photo bigger and see more in her Porkies slideshow.

There’s at the Porcupine Mountain State Park website including a map of the Escarpment Trail & Lake of the Clouds area and more Lake of the Clouds on Michigan in Pictures!

A Stream of Ice and Fire

Posted on by farlane

A Stream of Ice and Fire

A Stream of Ice and Fire, photo by posthumus_cake (www.pinnaclephotography.net)

Fall color is everywhere this weekend in Michigan – get out and get some before the ice gets louder than the fire!!

About this photo of the Carp River in Porcupine Mountains State Park from five years and one day ago, Matthew writes:

Autumn in the Porcupine Mountains, from a few years ago…arguably one of the most bizarre weather experiences I’ve encountered. When I arrived, it was full-on blizzard conditions. The snow only lasted a few hours, but for that time, the forest was utterly surreal.

View the photo bigger, see more more in his Porcupine Mountains slideshow and also at his website, Pinnacle Photography.

More from the Porcupines on Michigan in Pictures including this photo that Matthew took from the Lake of the Clouds overlook in 2009!!

Presque Isle Fog

Posted on by farlane

Presque Isle Fog by Mark Obrien

Presque Isle Fog, photo by Mark O’Brien

On Thursday October 16 from 6-8 pm, Mark’s show of black and white prints opens at the Argus Museum at 525 West William Street in Ann Arbor. The show runs through December 5th, and the museum is open 9-5 weekdays.

View Mark’s photo bigger and see more in his Recent monochrome work slideshow.

PS: There’s a nice feature on the Argus Museum on Michigan in Pictures that features one of Mark’s photos!

Fall Color at the Cut River Bridge

Posted on by farlane

Cut River Bridge

Cut River Bridge and Fall Color, photo by Manistique Michigan

The page on the Cut River Bridge at Historic Bridges begins:

Among Michigan’s largest and most well-known historic bridges is the iconic Cut River Bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This bridge is large enough that MDOT actually has maintained this bridge as an area attraction. Surrounding the bridge is a roadside park and a series of trails around the bridge. The intent to make this bridge something more than just a crossing goes back before this bridge’s status as a historic bridge to its initial construction. The bridge was designed as an attraction even when it was built, since sidewalks above the bridge in this rural area are present. Also, a set of stairways, part of the original design, take pedestrians under the bridge where they can view the supporting trusses. The abutments and piers were also given unusually exceptional detail, in particular the use of decorative stone facing. The two main piers give the appearance are attractive cut stone arches.

The bridge includes a total of 888 tons of steel and its height over the Cut River is 147 feet. It offers views of Lake Michigan from its deck. The bridge was originally painted a silver color, but is today painted green. This bridge is a steel deck cantilever truss bridge. This structure type is much more common in more hilly states like Pennsylvania, but is extremely rare in Michigan. The structure has visual complexity as a result of the extensive lattice and v-lacing on its riveted, built-up members, which are all very massive, typical for both a bridge of its size and its age. The bridge retains original standard-plan metal guardrails (Michigan’s “signature” type R4 railings) on the sidewalks that flank the roadway on each side. It also retains standard Michigan State Highway Department plaques.

Read on for lots more about this bridge that was constructed in the early 1940s. If you do make it to Cut River, do yourself a favor and hike down – it’s very cool!

View the photo bigger and see lots more autumn splendor at the Manistique Facebook page. and learn about the community at Manistique.com.

More bridges on Michigan in Pictures!

 

Fall Color at Upper Tahquamenon Falls

Posted on by farlane

Upper Tahquamenon Falls

Upper Tahquamenon Falls, photo by Ashley Williams

If you’re wondering what fall color looks like in the northeastern Upper Peninsula, wonder no more! Ashley took this shot at Michigan’s largest waterfall, the Tahquamenon Falls last week. As you can see, it’s shaping up nicely.

If you’re wondering about statewide color, the Freep shared a NASA photo of Michigan’s fall color from space that’s pretty cool!

View her photo background bigtacular and see more in her Michigan’s Upper Peninsula slideshow.

There’s lots more fall wallpaper and more Tahquamenon Falls on Michigan in Pictures!

Sunset over the Keweenaw

Posted on by farlane

Sunset over the Keweenaw

Sunset over the Keweenaw, photo by Ashley Williams

Here’s a beautiful shot from late October last year on the Keweenaw Peninsula in the U.P. With temps this cold, it won’t be long until the color returns! Hope you get a chance to get out and enjoy the outdoors this weekend.

View Ashley’s photo background bigtacular and see more in her slideshow. You can also follow her on Facebook or Instagram and visit her photography website.

More from the Keweenaw and more fall wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.

Elmo’s Tower

Posted on by farlane

Elmo's Tower

Elmo’s Tower, photo by David Clark

The things I learn about through Michigan in Pictures! About Elmo’s Tower on the Keweenaw Peninsula David writes:

I was amazed to find that I’ve never posted a photo of Elmo’s Tower. This tower was built — by hand! — by the late Elmo Negro, at a beautiful rock outcrop along the Cliffs. It’s just above the Phoenix mine, and overlooks the Eagle River gap. The tower has no function other than to be a pleasant place to enjoy a day (and have a barbecue).

More about Elmo (who was apparently a great dancer too) at Pasty Central.

View David’s photo background bigtacular and see more in his Summer slideshow.

The U.P. stand-off: Lions vs Packers

Posted on by farlane

The U.P. stand-off

The U.P. stand-off, photo by Ann Fisher

The Detroit Lions host the Green Bay Packers this Sunday at Ford Field for the first of two divisional meetings. Wikipedia notes that the longest continuously-running NFL rivalry is the Lions vs Packers. They first met in 1930 when the Lions were known as the Portsmouth Spartans (they were based in Portsmouth, Ohio until they moved to Detroit in 1934 season). They’ve been division rivals since 1933 and have always met at least twice a season since 1932, without any cancelled games.

As Ann notes, that rivalry is no contest in Marquette. Thought it may be in Michigan, the U.P. is Packers territory.

View her photo of lawn geese all dressed up for the season background big and see more in her 2014 U.P. slideshow.

Lots more Detroit Lions on Michigan in Pictures.

Morning coffee at Chippewa Harbor

Posted on by farlane

Chippewa Harbor Isle Royale

Morning coffee at Chippewa Harbor, photo by Brent West

Hard to imagine a more beautiful spot to enjoy your morning joe than Chippewa Harbor at Isle Royale National Park.

You can view Brent’s photo bigger and click for a couple more of his Isle Royale shots.

Lots more from Isle Royale on Michigan in Pictures.