What is this?

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Where did you see that? Did you get to see inside?

It's at the Air and Space Museum annex out by Dulles airport. It's relatively new. I had been meaning to get out there for a few years, but never did. The kids were never old enough for it to be worthwhile. Until now. And even then, they were kind of bored. It's a bit overwhelming, there are so many planes there, and very few interactive exhibits like kids love.

You couldn't look inside this shuttle, but you could get really close to it.

If you like aircraft, the museum's got a lot of really cool ones. The official name is the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Udvar-Hazy put up big bucks to get his name on that place. He's a very interesting guy.

[BigV]

What is this?

[BigV]

Originally Posted by BigV

What is this?

Sorry I am so late in addressing this one. I've been quite busy.

It is hard to explain what it is. This is a close up of a display at the Pacific Science Center. It is a sphere filled with a liquid that has a pearlescent aspect to it. The sphere is completely full of this liquid. It is pretty big, about a foot across. The sphere is encased in a transparent cylinder and the whole affair is attached to a turntable like a lazy susan.

The idea is that you can spin the apparatus around faster and faster and get the liquid going faster too, but lagging. And the equator moves faster than the poles. Then it's fun to stop the apparatus and watch the liquid swirl and eddy in confusion.

Here is a bigger picture of SonofV experimenting on a subsequent trip.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by BigV

What is this?

frost/ice crystals on the edge of your car hood?

[glatt]

Originally Posted by BigV

It is hard to explain what it is. This is a close up of a display at the Pacific Science Center. It is a sphere filled with a liquid that has a pearlescent aspect to it. The sphere is completely full of this liquid. It is pretty big, about a foot across. The sphere is encased in a transparent cylinder and the whole affair is attached to a turntable like a lazy susan.

The idea is that you can spin the apparatus around faster and faster and get the liquid going faster too, but lagging. And the equator moves faster than the poles. Then it's fun to stop the apparatus and watch the liquid swirl and eddy in confusion.

Sounds like a mini Jupiter. Cool.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by glatt

frost/ice crystals on the edge of your car hood?

Correct. The roof of the car Monday morning was covered with frost. But this was quite unusual. Each little ice crystal was a little rod that stood up. The effect was like fur or velvet.

Another pic for context later.

[Gravdigr]

Hoar.

[beauregaardhooligan]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Hoar.

Seems like I read sumthin' about each hoarfrost crystal grows under a speck of dirt or dust. I've seen it quite often early in the morning, it doesn't last long.

My turn.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Looks like a car radio?

[beauregaardhooligan]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Looks like a car radio?

Not audio but...

I guess I won't be giving much away by saying that it's a close up.
The face is probably an inch and a 1/4 across.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Oh, well if it's not audio it must be a super iodine laser aimed, charcoal boilered, ruby axel bearinged, Transmogrifier.

[glatt]

I have absolutely no idea what it is. Clearly, it's got an electronic component to it. But the rest looks rather strange. Reminds me of some sort of specialized lab equipment.

Edit: It looks like some sort of clear chamber containing a weird mixture of fluids that don't actually mix, with some sort of electronic sensor off to one side.

[beauregaardhooligan]

Nice, xoB. In about 18 minutes I'da been agreeing with you!

Originally Posted by glatt

...Clearly, it's got an electronic component to it...

Edit: It looks like some sort of clear chamber...

Not a chamber, it's solid.

[classicman]

and light emits through the colors? I believe the lenses are missing from the image. . . Am I even close?