Ayman writes: December 13, 2020 – A FedEx A300 freight plane takes off from Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan, carrying the first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for distribution across the US.
You love to see a Michigan company once again stepping up to help our country in time of great need! Head over to Ayman’s Flickr for more pics!
Fotoman91 says he got this shot of a cool old building in the center of Williamston that he’s always been fascinated by. See more in his Color gallery on Flickr.
Magnetic North by Aaron Springer
The NOAA/NWS Space Weather Prediction Center reports that geomagnetic Storm Watches are in effect from December 10th & 11th, 2020 due to anticipated Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) effects giving us a good chance of seeing the northern lights! The CME occurred on December 7th and analysis suggests CME arrival possible late on 9 December, initially resulting in G1 (Minor) storm levels. As CME effects continue, activity is likely to increase, especially if the magnetic field carried with the CME connects well with Earth’s magnetosphere. The potential for strong storm levels exists and a G3 (Strong) Watch is in effect for December 10th. CME-related disturbances are forecast to continue into 11 December, likely resulting in G2 (Moderate) storm levels
As a quick rule of thumb, we can occasionally see Northern Lights at the G1 level, often at G2 and almost definitely at G3. Here’s hoping for clear skies!!
Aaron took this photo at Otter Creek in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore back in March of 2015 & shared: A very memorable night. After seeing all 4 indicators in red on [a now defunct aurora tracker website] (and I had never seen that before), I bolted for the lake with what was an already late start. Soon after arriving I punched through the ice while jumping from flow to flow in the shallows. This was the first time I have ever shot these and despite having one leg wet to the knee I managed to stay out for five hours on sheer excitement.
See more in his Aurora Borealis gallery on Flickr & here’s hoping for some clear skies tonight!
sault ste. marie international bridge, michigan by twurdemann
The International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie is the only vehicular crossing between Ontario and Michigan within a 300-mile distance, connecting the sister cities of Sault Ste. Marie across the St. Mary’s River.
See more in twurdemann’s International Bridge gallery on Flickr.
Geminid Meteor by Ken Scott Photography
Science News has an excellent story by Ken Crowswell on the Geminid Meteor Shower which peaks this Sunday night (December 13) when:
…countless meteors will shoot across the sky as space particles burn up in our atmosphere and meet a fiery end. Most meteor showers occur when Earth slams into debris left behind by a comet. But not this meteor shower, which is likely to be the most spectacular of the year. Known as the Geminid shower, it strikes every December and arises not from a flamboyant comet but from an ordinary asteroid — the first, but not the last, linked to a meteor shower.
…Unlike the Perseid meteors, which people have been observing for nearly 2,000 years, the Geminids are relatively new. First reports of their existence came from England and the United States in 1862. The shower in those days was weak, producing at most only one or two dozen meteors an hour. During the 20th century, however, the shower strengthened. Nowadays, at the shower’s peak, a single observer under a dark sky can see more than 100 meteors an hour. That’s better than most Perseid performances.
A heat-seeking spacecraft named the Infrared Astronomical Satellite discovered a small asteroid & Harvard astronomer Fred Whipple noticed it followed the same path around the sun as the particles in the Geminid meteoroid stream:
The newfound asteroid, Whipple declared, must be their long-sought source. The find also explained why the meteoroids were so dense: They come from a space rock rather than an icy comet.
The asteroid revolves around the sun every 1.43 years and comes very close to the sun, cutting well inside the orbit of Mercury, the innermost planet. Astronomers therefore christened the asteroid Phaethon, a son of Helios the sun god in Greek mythology. At its farthest, Phaethon ventures beyond the orbit of Mars and reaches the asteroid belt, home of the largest space rocks, between the paths of Mars and Jupiter.
There’s so much more right here – a truly excellent article if you have the time!
I’ve featured this photo Ken took in December of 2012 before – he’s one of the best for night sky pics! As we’re heading into the holidays, definitely consider one of Ken’s Leelanau calendars – they’re fantastic! Follow Ken on Facebook for the latest & see more in his massive Skies Above gallery on Flickr.
Blue Skies, White Sails, and Big Red by Bill Johnson
Reaching back to September of 2013 for this tasty shot of a sailboat gliding past the Big Red Lighthouse in Holland. See more in his awesome Lighthouses album on Flickr!
Nature’s Simplicity by Lisa Flaska Erickson
“Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy.”
~Isaac Newton
Lisa shares a nice pop of color (and a pretty cool pic). Follow her on Facebook & Instagram for more!
Houghton Douglass Falls by Michigan Nut Photography
Waterfalls of the Keweenaw says that Houghton Douglass Falls on Hammell Creek is:
A wildly tall and impressive waterfall, Douglass Houghton Falls was once a popular destination for locals and Michigan Tech students alike. Crumbling cliff walls and numerous accidents, many of them fatal, pushed the land owner to cut off access. While the falls are still reachable by following Hammell Creek upstream from Lake Linden, the danger of a careless visit cannot be understated.
This waterfall is well over a hundred feet with several plunges bouncing off the sharp, volcanic rock. Steep walls make it difficult to reach the small drops in the meadow above, but a great view down towards Torch Lake can be made down the green creek valley. A small exploratory shaft is drilled into the side of the falls only a few feet above the creek. While it’s hard to reach and dangerous to explore, this waterfall is one of the highlights of the Copper Country.
More about how to visit at Waterfalls of the Keweenaw.
John took this pic back in October and notes that at 100′ feet, Houghton Douglass is Michigan’s tallest waterfalls. You can read the comments on the pic right here, follow the Michigan Nut Photography Facebook page for more, and view & purchase photos at michigannutphotography.com!
More Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures!
Sandstone Creek Ravine by Joel Dinda
If you’re like me & love to hike, the two weeks of deer season put a little damper on your outdoor fun. Years ago, I proposed December 1st be designated a holiday so a very happy “Back into the Woods Day” to you all!
Joel took this photo at Fitzgerald Park in Grand Ledge back in 2012, and since you can see more in his Into the Woods gallery, it’s clear he deserves a lot of the holiday naming credit!
CMU’s Clarke Historical Library says that on Nov 30, 1885, the Northern Michigan Asylum for the Insane opened in Traverse City. It’s now known as the The Village at Grand Traverse Commons and 10 years ago I worked there and was able to lead and was able to lead a group of photographers including Carolyn on a tour of the then un-renovated parts of what was known as Building 50. FYI, the section we toured is now the luxurious Cordia senior residential club.
The facility was a Kirkbride Institution, designed by Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride. Kirkbride was a Pennsylvania Quaker and founding member of the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane who developed a concept of treatment known as the Kirkbride Plan. This plan proposed a particular way of housing patients that included segregating by severity of mental illness and fresh air and natural light where possible:
It was believed crucial to place patients in a more natural environment away from the pollutants and hectic energy of urban centers. Abundant fresh air and natural light not only contributed to a healthy environment, but also served to promote a more cheerful atmosphere. Extensive grounds with cultivated parks and farmland were also beneficial to the success of an asylum. Landscaped parks served to both stimulate and calm patients’ minds with natural beauty (enhanced by rational order) while improving the overall aspect of the asylum. Farmland served to make the asylum more self-sufficient by providing readily available food and other farm products at a minimal cost to the state.
Patients were encouraged to help work the farms and keep the grounds, as well as participate in other chores. Such structured occupation was meant to provide a sense of purpose and responsibility which, it was believed, would help regulate the mind as well as improve physical fitness. Patients were also encouraged to take part in recreations, games, and entertainments which would also engage their minds, make their stay more pleasant, and perhaps help foster and maintain social skills.
There’s lots more from Kirkbride Buildings where the author has done some spectacular scholarship and created an excellent resource for these amazing structures. The Kirkbride System produced a photographic environment of uncommon richness that is evident in the photos from the group A little trip up north… It’s also reflected in the grounds and the shops, restaurants & businesses that are part of the Commons today.
See this photo bigger in Carolyn’s Photogs Up North gallery. You can learn more about her on her website or Facebook page!
Michigan in Pictures 