Jazz na Starówce

One of the good things about Warsaw in summer is all the jazz. There is the Warsaw Summer Jazz Days, where Herbie Hancock is playing next week, and Jazz na Starówce, a series of free open-air concerts in the old town. The photo is from the first concert this year and shows Toni Pujol, basist in the Spanish Xavier Dotras Trio.

Stars?

I took the picture above a few days ago. I thought it was very similar to an image I had seen at the Bad Astronomer of a globular star cluster (see below). Somewhat fewer stars, but definetly similar. However, the difference in scale is about 21 orders of magnitude. My image shows silver particles electrodeposited by a colleague on an ITO electrode. The width of the "cluster" is roughly 100 µm. It's a dark field microscope image which is why the particles appear as diamonds, or stars, on a dark background.

M9 by Hubble.

Spring in Warsaw

Finally winter gave away to spring. The last weekend we had some 17 degrees here in Warsaw and the plants are jumping into action. We, and thousands of other Warsovians, took a trip to Powsin to enjoy a walk in the nice sun.

Moon and smoke

Had a walk today in the evening and stopped like frozen (could have been literary seeing that it was almost -15°C) to watch how the smoke from the coal powerplant Siekierki was beautifully backlit by the full moon. Unfortunately I did not have my camera, and the phone picture above does not to it justice.

Monomania

The subject of my photos has become somewhat monomanic lately. For good reason, I think. Bear with me and I will soon come back to pictures to present here as well.

First Christmas

This year Christmas was a bit different. Our little boy was just over a week old, so obviously he stole the show, even if he did little more than eat and sleep. :)

Waiting

The view through the hospital window while waiting to know if everything would be ok... After an eternity it was ok.

Published

A little proud that one of my photos was published in the Danish Lolland & Falsters FritidsNyt. The issue is available here. My photo is on page 36 in the issue from week 40 44 2011.

Chopin by Night

Last evening as I passed Łazienki there was a nice full moon just over the Chopin monument. Unfortunately the park closes at sunset and the gates were locked. As I was standing trying to get a nice image through the grills of the gate a guard came from outside. His colleague on the inside opened the gate and let him in. I asked if I could just quickly run over to the statue to take a photo. "No way", barked the guard who was being relieved and attached the padlock. The other guard waited a minute, then opened the gate and said "Just close it when you leave".

I'm a little miffed at over-exposing the moon so severely, but Jupiter is nicely visible at the top of the image.

Yellow city

Warsaw this autumn is truly a yellow city. Not only for the normal yellow leaves of the "golden Polish autumn", but also because of all the signs providing help around constructions sites. With the construction of the new metro-line much of central Warsaw seem to be dug up and driving is even more of a challenge than usually.