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Black River Falls – Ishpeming, MI

Posted on August 14, 2010August 14, 2010 by Michigan in Pictures

Black River Falls – Ishpeming, MI, photo by Odalaigh.

The awesomely awesome GoWaterfalling.com has this to say about Black River Falls which are located 8 miles south west of Ishpeming off of Country Road 581 in the Escanaba River State Forest:

The Black River surges through a narrow channel here. When viewed from the front, the falls looks like a plunge, but it actually slides down the rock at a relatively gentle angle. That is fairly typical of the type of waterfalls you find in this rocky country.

…The Black River flows into the Escanaba River, which flows into Lake Michigan, making this waterfall part of Lake Michigan’s watershed. However it is probably much easier to visit while circling Lake Superior than Lake Michigan. It is only about 10 miles off of the Lake Superior Circle Tour. It is over 60 miles off the Lake Michigan Circle Tour.

Check this out background bigalicious and in Charles’ slideshow.

Many more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures.

Chillin’

Posted on August 12, 2010January 27, 2013 by Michigan in Pictures

Chillin’, photo by docksidepress.

It’s been a long time since I added to the Michigan in Pictures Duckie Project. It’s been so hot that I think I want to join that little guy in the pool!

View this background bigtacular or in Matt’s August ’10 Grand Rapids slideshow.

Hope you’re finding ways to chill – share them in the comments below!

2010 Perseid Meteor Showers

Posted on August 10, 2010 by farlane

2009 Perseid meteor – Southeast Michigan, photo by ampangmarin

The post Star Trails, the Perseid Meteor Shower and the Tears of St. Lawrence on Michigan in Pictures and tells the story of one of the best meteor shows of the year. At its peak, this August meteor shower produces a meteor a minute and the peak is this Thursday night (August 12).

Observing the Perseids from Meteorshowersonline says:

This is the most famous of all meteor showers. It never fails to provide an impressive display and, due to its summertime appearance, it tends to provide the majority of meteors seen by non-astronomy enthusiasts.

This meteor shower gets the name “Perseids” because it appears to radiate from the constellation Perseus. An observer in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeing Perseid meteors as early as July 23, when one meteor every hour or so could be visible. During the next three weeks, there is a slow build-up. It is possible to spot five Perseids per hour at the beginning of August and perhaps 15 per hour by August 10. The Perseids rapidly increase to a peak of 50-80 meteors per hour by the night of August 12/13 and then rapidly decline to about 10 per hour by August 15. The last night meteors are likely to be seen from this meteor shower is August 22, when an observer might see a Perseid every hour or so.

Check this out bigger and in Iskandar’s Night Shots slideshow. Since meteors are basically a) global and b) really cool, check out the Perseid slideshow on Flickr.

Pretty lights at Michigan Fairs

Posted on August 7, 2010August 6, 2010 by farlane

I’m down at Lollapallooza, maybe looking for a Michigan angle but really just helping my daughter celebrate her 17th birthday.

This photo is from the Ottawa County Fair. Fair season is in full swing all across Michigan, and you can find out when and where they are using the fair locator at Michiganfairs.org!

Check this out background bigtacular and in Kevin’s Fun with Lights slideshow.

Viewing the Northern Lights in Michigan

Posted on August 5, 2010August 5, 2010 by Michigan in Pictures

20100804-DSC_6621, photo by xmatic.

Michigan in Pictures has seen over 10,000 people looking for aurora borealis aka the northern lights in the last two days. The cause of this is a major solar ejection that hit our magnetic environment on Tuesday/Wednesday. The good news is that here’s another plasma cloud on the way. The second wave may have hit last night, but it might hit tonight as well (and even if it doesn’t we may still be able to see some activity).

Most people I know downstate haven’t been able to catch them but xmatic up on the Keweenaw Peninsula got a great series of photos over of the aurora over Lake Superior. Check this out bigger and in xmatic’s northern lights slideshow.

Here’s a photo that Shawn Malone took of the aurora over Marquette Harbor in the Detroit News. Shawn has another photo on Michigan in Pictures and many more on her northern lights page.

Michigan in Pictures has lots more information including What makes the colors of the Northern Lights and information about the “rivers from the sun” that cause the northern lights.

Skywatchers should also mark August 12 for the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower!

Taking time with a Lake Superior sunset

Posted on August 1, 2010August 1, 2010 by Michigan in Pictures

_DSC1376, photo by adonyvan.

Hey everyone, sorry for being a day late with this. I plead film festival. ;)

Check this out bigger and see more from this shoot in his Houghton & UP MI slideshow.

Edge of the night

Posted on July 30, 2010July 30, 2010 by Michigan in Pictures

Edge of the night, photo by kevindooley.

Here’s a “beauty shot” from Michigan’s Creative Commons King, Kevin Dooley. You can learn a lot about how Flickr works from Kevin right here.

View it bigger and in his Water slideshow.

Here’s more messing about in boats on Michigan in Pictures, and have a wonderful weekend!

It’s your birthday Detroit, how about a history lesson?

Posted on July 24, 2010July 26, 2010 by farlane

Hotel Pontchartrain and Cadillac Square from City Hall, 1916, photo by Detroit Publishing Co, via Shorpy

Hello Detroit, it’s your birthday!*

History Detroit tells the story of Cadillac and the founding of Detroit on July 24, 1701. They explain how Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac made a plan with his mentor and Governor General of New France, Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac, to found a new settlement at the south of Lake Huron to increase security of French interests on the Great Lakes. Frontenac died, and his successor was not fond of Cadillac so:

Cadillac set sail for France in 1698 in order to convince King Louis to allow him to found a new settlement lower in the Great Lakes. Specifically, he was interested in the area south of Lake Huron known as le détroit, or the straits.

The area known as le détroit was ideal for a new settlement because the land was fertile, the location on the river was felt to be easily defended against the British and the climate was more hospitable than that in the more northern settlements like Michilimackinac.

Cadillac returned to Quebec, then travelled to Montreal where he gathered canoes, farmers, traders, artisans, soldiers, and Native Americans to accompany him on his quest. The men set sail on June 4, 1701.

Cadillac and his men reached the Detroit River on July 23, 1701. The following day, July 24, 1701, the group traveled north on the Detroit River and chose a place to build the settlement. Cadillac named the settlement Fort Ponchartrain du Detroit in honor of King Louis’s Minister of Marine.

Read More About Fort Ponchartrain and Cadillac.

You have to check this photo from Shorpy (a great blog where you can also buy these old prints) background bigtacular to see the amazing detail and activity captured including the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the bottom left corner. Here are earlier views of the hotel circa 1907, minus the upper floors, and 1910, minus most of the cars, and here’s Shorpy’s entire Detroit Michigan historic archive.

Need more? There’s a whole lot more Detroit on Michigan in Pictures and at absolutemichigan.com/Detroit.

* I feel a little weird giving a history lesson as a birthday present.