Pluto when the light from the closest approach arrived at Earth
This pair of images shows Pluto during the New Horizons space probe flyby of 14th July 2015. At 11:49 UTC (9:49pm Brissie time) the probe made its closest approach. The photo on the right is a shot of the planet Pluto when the light of the flyby reached us 4hrs 25min later (2:14am 15th July Brisbane time).
Taken using a Canon 600D and 12” Skywatcher Goto Dobsonian , 18x 10 sec exposures ISO 6400.
Added bonus: for a 3D view of Pluto, against the background stars, cross your eyes over so that both images align
Brilliant idea Tom, but you have the frames the wrong way around - Pluto is appearing behind the stars. To have Pluto in front of the stars, the left-hand frame needs Pluto displaced relatively to the right of the stars, and vice versa for the right-hand frame. I can't upload the corrected image here, so I'll let you do that, but the effect is great!
Geometrically it does - assuming your left eye is looking at the left frame, and the right eye is looking at the right frame, then the front object has to be displaced to the right in the left-hand frame. Test this by placing two fingers, one directly behind the other in front of your nose, then closing each eye alternately. I used to do a lot of work with this kind of technique for geomorphic mapping from aerial photographs, so I got very familiar with the geometry.
I presume you're not somehow seeing the right frame with the left eye and the left frame with the right eye? I'm not even sure I could torture my eyes into that position, but hey, it might be possible!!
I presume you're not somehow seeing the right frame with the left eye and the left frame with the right eye? I'm not even sure I could torture my eyes into that position, but hey, it might be possible!!
Yeah that's exactly what I do. Aren't you supposed to look crosseyed? Once the pain subsides it's not that bad.
Yeah that's exactly what I do. Aren't you supposed to look crosseyed? Once the pain subsides it's not that bad.
Wow, I never knew that was possible. And I don't think that's typical at all - it means you'll see every "magic eye" image inside-out, because you'll combine the repeating patterns in reverse. But in this case, it worked for you .
Usually you relax your eyes so that they are looking more in parallel (as if they are looking at a very distant object), but then focus on the nearby position once the images overlap.
The 3d view worked fine for me. I wear progressive lens spectacles and crossing my eyes the correct amount creates a third image between the two posted images with Pluto appearing to float in front of the background objects. Great effect Mark
The 3d view worked fine for me. I wear progressive lens spectacles and crossing my eyes the correct amount creates a third image between the two posted images with Pluto appearing to float in front of the background objects. Great effect Mark
Hii Leon, I have a trick i use to get my eyes started. Look at the pair of images full screen on the computer monitor. Then hold your index finger or a pencil up in front of your eyes, quite close, (about 15cm away for me), and focus on the pencil. While focussed on the pencil you can see in the background on the computer monitor, a third image sort of appears between the two "real" images on the monitor. Try to shift your focus from the pencil to the "arrow" that points to Pluto in the middle image and at some stage you will suddenly see that arrow sharp and clear. Your eyes are now sort of crossed but really are looking at that third arrow. The middle image now has that 3d depth. It might be fleeting at first, and your eyes wont feel comfortable but concentrate and slowly shift your focus from the pencil to the middle arrow. Hope it works for you, Mark
Last edited by gts055; 15-07-2015 at 04:41 PM.
Reason: spelling
Well, this has been instructive, and I apologise if I appeared to doubt anyone, particularly Marc! I've now learned about different methods of seeing stereograms (parallel and cross-eyed) - but they require the images to be the opposite ways round. So I see cross-eyed stereograms like this one inside-out, always being a parallel guy (just like stereoscopes and Magic Eye), but you'll see them the right way around.
Another discussion is here. If you use the parallel method and Google "stereogram", you'll view a load of 3D objects floating in front of a more distant background. Using the cross-eyed method on standard stereograms (such as the old ones in the Wiki link) has the background floating in front. But for all you cross-eyes out there , do a Google search for "cross-eyed stereogram" and you get a bunch of images that any crazy person like me who uses the parallel method will see inside out! Quite weird seeing the background floating in front of the target object.
So the long and the short of it is... nice cross-eyed stereogram of Pluto!
Andy, interesting reading there. And for Leon, you might try this method copy pasted from one of Andy's links :
As an aid to fusion, a fingertip can be placed just below the division between the two images, then slowly brought straight toward the viewer's eyes, keeping the eyes directed at the fingertip; at a certain distance, a fused three-dimensional image should seem to be hovering just above the finger.
I looked at it cross eyed, flipped the lap top upside down , then looked at it via a mirror - still cant see the 3 d effect .No wonder all the DS things look upside down being honest some of us will never see the 3 d effect , myself included, our visual cortex is unable to fuse the images,however thanks for your work
This is sooo cool!!! Love the 3D view. 
. 
I cross my eyes as best i can and all goes blurry from strain. 
, do a Google search for "
being honest some of us will never see the 3 d effect , myself included, our visual cortex is unable to fuse the images,however thanks for your work
