Posts Tagged japan

Memorable Aurora

A Memorable Aurora Over Norway

Image Credit & Copyright: Ole Christian Salomonsen (salomonsen @ Flickr)

I could post stuff like this every day. Except then I’d have to call the blog Green Auroras instead of Silver Rockets, because… well, y’know.

There was a special on TV Japan this morning featuring aurora video footage from Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The オーロラ (OH-rora) seems to be globally fascinating. Who wouldn’t be fascinated if they stepped outside and saw the above??

It was one of the most memorable auroras of the season. There was green light, red light, and sometimes a mixture of the two. There were multiple rays, distinct curtains, and even an auroral corona. It took up so much of the sky. In the background were stars too numerous to count, in the foreground a friend trying to image the same sight. The scene was captured with a fisheye lens around and above Tromsø, Norway, last month. With the Sun becoming more active, next year might bring even more spectacular aurora.

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Japanese Retrofuture

A Space Wheel from the "Battle of the Planets" (1978)

A Space Wheel from the "Battle of the Planets" (1978)

Japanese retro-futurism? Hai douzo (yes please!) Two lovely toy illustrations from Battle of the Planets.

Images courtesy of Dark Roasted Blend.

Another beautiful ship from "Battle of the Planets", made by Entex Toys

Another beautiful ship from "Battle of the Planets", made by Entex Toys

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Star Jets

Star Jets ride at Tokyo Disneyland

I love this illustration of my favorite part of Tomorrowland! A thoughtful souvenir, from someone who clearly knows my fairly obvious if you read this blog tastes.

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Starry Café

Planetarium Starry Cafe

Tokyo’s Haneda Airport is home to a unique café and planetarium: the Planetarium Starry Café. Dine under the stars… in an airport! (Read more about Haneda here.)

Image courtesy of USA Today, TIAT.

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Moon Light

The Moon, by Nosigner (Eisuke Tachikawa)

Image courtesy of Nosigner (Eisuke Tachikawa)

This amazing Moon light is by Japanese designer Nosigner (Eisuke Tachikawa), in response to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. It’s a beautiful piece, I would LOVE to own one.

Conceived by Japanese designer Nosigner as a symbol of hope after the earthquake and tsunami left Japan with almost none to be had, the Moon light is an accurate rendering of our only natural satellite.

Nosigner said after the twin disasters struck, many Japanese prayed to the ‘super moon’, the biggest full moon in a cycle of 18 years. “‘The Moon’ is the light of our hope,” the designer wrote on his blog.

To mould each crevice and scar on the moon’s surface accurately, Nosigner collected 3D topographical data from the lunar orbiter Kaguya.

Via designboom.

The Moon, by Nosigner (Eisuke Tachikawa)

Image courtesy by Nosigner (Eisuke Tachikawa)

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Scaled Endeavour

Space Shuttle Endeavour 1/144 model

I’ve long been a fan of Japanese goods—the detail, the quality—but this scale model of Space Shuttle Endeavour goes beyond anything I’ve seen. It’s simply gorgeous, and perhaps the most amazing thing is the amount of texture. No smooth-surfaced orbiter here:

Detail of OMS pod, Space Shuttle Endeavour 1/144 model

At nearly $500, it’s out of my price range, but if you find yourself with the funds necessary this December, DO pick one up! (Hat tip to collectSPACE for the link and info!)

Space Shuttle Endeavour 1/144 model

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Japanese Sci-Fi, Part 2

Space train, 1981 by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

Space train, 1981 by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

One more futuristic illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki, seeing as it’s a Moon train. I want to ride a Moon train..!!

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Japanese Sci-Fi Illustrations

Space colony, 1980 by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

Space colony, 1980 by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

These fantastic illustrations by Shigeru Komatsuzaki are a treat for the eyes! There’s many, many more at the aforementioned link.

Thunderbird 3, 1964 by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

Thunderbird 3, 1964 by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

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Star Wars Day

Darth Vader, by Steve Bialik

Darth Vader, by Steve Bialik

I found this post weeks ago. I wasn’t intentionally waiting for Star Wars Day, but here we are, so here you go: “Artist Steve Bialik represents legendary Star Wars characters as samurai from traditional Japanese art.”

Jabba the Hutt, by Steve Bialik

Jabba the Hutt, by Steve Bialik

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Milky Way Waterfall

Milky Way Waterfall

Milky Way Waterfall © Masahiro Miyasaka, taken at Zengoroodaki Waterfall, Norikura, Nagano, Japan

This is the overall winner of the Galilean Nights Astrophotography competition (part of the International Year of Astronomy), taken at a beautiful waterfall in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. This photo won the Earth and Sky division, as well as the overall competition; oddly enough, second runner-up in Earth and Sky was also shot in Nagano Prefecture. Although I’m surprised to see that a third of the winning photos (2/6) come from Nagano, I really shouldn’t be — it is an exceedingly beautiful place.

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