Geyser in stereo
There is so much that is neat about these photos shared by the US Geological Survey I hardly know where to start.
This is a pair of photos of Old Faithful geyser was taken in 1871 during the Hayden survey of the Yellowstone area. That survey was the first federally-funded survey of the Yellowstone country – part of a series of surveys conducted after the Civil War that enabled the construction of the trans-continental railroad lines and exposed the wonders of the west.
The photos and reports of the Yellowstone area sent back by the Hayden survey led to the US Government deciding to set aside the Yellowstone country for preservation, similar to what had happened with the Yosemite territory in California a few years earlier. Since Yellowstone was not in an area incorporated as a state, photos like this led to Yellowstone being established as the first National Park.
This is one of a series of paired photos taken to allow for stereo imagery. Stereo imagery involves taking a pair of photos from adjacent sites, simulating the view that the eye sees. It sometimes takes a bit of practice, but from photos like this taken and placed side by side you can actually train your eyes and brain to see 3-D structure. It takes a bit of practice and you might have to resize the images on your screen to get it.
-JBB
Image credit: USGS https://flic.kr/p/rM5HFT
How to see in stereo: http://bit.ly/1p3zKzn
The Hayden expedition: http://to.pbs.org/1F0EY8I