I waited for it! :) The Decisive Moment

[SpikeyJohnson]

SO, here at my work there is this peg pendulum that everyone stops to watch. They all want to see the pendulum drop a peg but they eventually get board. Well in honor of these people I waited, and I shot it.

There was a bit of waiting and a decisive moment. While I was waiting the pendulum dropped a peg on the otherside of the compas.... Well I got the shot I was waiting for.

Fabled Moment by spikeyj37, on Flickr

 

[tirediron]

Nicely captured - but what's the point of the mechanism?

 

[CameraClicker]

Cool!

 

[snerd]

And why are there turkeys roaming around?!

 

[tirediron]

And why are there turkeys roaming around?!

Why not? Can't turkeys be interested in pendulums (pendulae?) too?

 

[photoguy99]

It is a foucalt's pendulum. Look it up for the details of the mechanism. They're pretty cool but require some patience.

 

[480sparky]

And why are there turkeys roaming around?!

They want to take some selfies with the camera!!!!!!

 

[SpikeyJohnson]

Haha, the turkey is an exhibit. This was the science building and they have a bunch of animal exhibits around the pendulum. Its quite an interesting little atrium.

 

[Gary A.]

Super job in the timing. With Thanksgiving coming up those turkeys will come in handy.

 

[SpikeyJohnson]

Thanks for the comment on timing. I shot only one shot for that too

 

[Gary A.]

Thanks for the comment on timing. I shot only one shot for that too

You are The Man. Seriously ... that makes it even better than super timing.

 

[JoeW]

Nicely captured - but what's the point of the mechanism?

I believe there used to be a Focault's Pendulum in the Smithsonian. It's a very effective way to demonstrate the rotation of the earth. The pegs are set up in a circle and the pendulum knocks them all down over a 24 hour period.

 

[The_Traveler]

The Foucault's Pendulum demonstrates the precession of the earth as it rotates. The plane of the pendulum stays the same but that of the earth moves beneath it.

 

[dannylightning]

nice photo, I got to look this up and find out what that is. looks interesting.