Image of the Week
Striking images of optics and photonics, contributed by OPN readers
Light in Sweet Media
Reflections of light from white LED strips on the shiny surface of caramelized strawberries. In an experiment, the reflections were analyzed using the principles of Möbius transformations.
— Alberto Tufaile, Soft Matter Lab, EACH, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
04 Oct 2024
Green Tunnel
Scattering produced by a 520-nm laser projected onto a 3D-printed cylinder creates a green tunnel that illuminates the printing layers. Image taken with a Nikon 5100, f/4.5, ISO 320.
— Baruc Zago Mazzocco, Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Óptica y Electrónica, Puebla, Mexico
27 Sep 2024
Chemical Flowers
This photomicrograph reveals a floral-like pattern formed by absorption around a central nucleation point in a crystallizing chemical film. The observed colors arise from variations in the orientation and thickness of the crystal grains as viewed through crossed-polarizers and a wave plate. The intricate structure results from molecular charges.
—Karl Gaff, Art of Science Photography, Dublin, Ireland
20 Sep 2024
Modeling the Hawaiian Shoreline
Present-day coastal flood risk on the island of Hawaii, with higher risk indicated in dark blue. Sea surface temperature anomaly data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) indicate low temperatures in the east (red) to high in the west (orange). Inland, high-probability locations of wetlands are shown in bright yellow and could aid in climate-adaptation planning.
—NASA/Lisa Tanh, Matilda Anokye, Ian Lee, Connor Racette
13 Sep 2024
White-Light Interference
A glass plate placed on one of the arms of a common path interferometer creates a modified interference pattern on half the beam. Image captured in the Optics and Photonics Lab of the Technological University of Tulancingo, with the collaboration of Noel Ivan Toto Arellano.
—Ana K. Reyes, Universidad Tecnológica de Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico
06 Sep 2024
Lipid "Islands"
A close-up image of the surface of a soap bubble reveals lipid "islands” of soap floating on a very thin film of water, magnification 250×.
— Karl Gaff, Art of Science Photography, Dublin, Ireland, Wiki Science Competition 2021; CC-BY-4.0
30 Aug 2024
Swirling Magnetic Field
A close-up of Sagittarius A*, our Galaxy's central black hole, taken by radio telescopes around the world. Superposed are illustrative curved lines indicating polarized light likely emitted from swirling magnetized gas.
—EHT Collaboration
23 Aug 2024
Mayfly Beauty
Micrograph of tracheae and tracheoles in the gills of a mayfly larva, taken in polarized light and dark field.
—Marek Miś, Suwałki, Poland, Wiki Science Competition 2021; CC-BY-4.0
16 Aug 2024
Domain Walls of Foam
The disturbance observed when opening a beer bottle, likely the result of rapid expansion of gas and bubble formation, creates turbulence in the liquid, causing visible agitation or a “domain wall.”
— Nagarajan Nallusamy, CPPICS, IIT Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
09 Aug 2024
A Nephroid Caustic
A caustic is the curve line where all light rays that have been reflected from a curved surface (here the internal surface of a ceramic bowl on a blue paper sheet, and illuminated with sunlight) meet. Fujifilm XH-2, f/11, 1/3 sec, ISO-125, focal length 33 mm (50 mm equivalent on FF).
—Andrea Aiello, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany
02 Aug 2024
