Anyone have a microscope?

[Anno]

Being in a light polluted city I gave up on having a telescope a while back and sold it. I'm thinking about getting a microscope instead now.

Does anyone have one? Any tips on attaching cameras or funny/inspirational microscope stories? What kind of things are good to look at? Anything surprising?

[MiguelQ]

Well rain water, blood, hair, skin, algae, dirty water with bacterium

[TelosianEmbrace]

Just an idea, anno. Ever thought of taking up macro photography?

[Anno]

Just an idea, anno. Ever thought of taking up macro photography?

I do like Macro Photography but I've never really found any passion or excitement with it. It gives some pretty good alternative perspectives to things we often take for granted but I prefer the idea of microphotography as it opens up a new world we don't normally see.

I was looking at a microscopy forum last night and the only thing that put me off is how casual they are about killing insects and micro-organisms to view/photograph them.

[conk]

My girls had a cool microscope that fed to the computer. The images could be seen on the PC. They had a blast with it. Inexpensive and fun! Look them up.

[Ruby L.]

Oooh! Very cool, conk! Thanks for the tip. I didn't need a microscope, but i think I might, now! :)

Cool idea, Anno, to explore the world beyond our natural scope.
And just because other 'scopists are killing insects for the purposes viewing them doesn't mean you have to do the same. Obviously. Just use ones that tend to keep really still. (I'm just kidding.)

There're also interesting microscope projects, such as Dr. Emoto's water crystals, as you most probably know about. It'd be interesting to see how specifically energised water affects other things... like the cellular structure of a leaf when soaked in the water for a day.

Hmmm, energy under a microscope. I think I've just interested myself. :p

Have fun, if you get a microscope. It sounds good, already!

[phillipbbg]

I use a digital number with my pc works great for basic in field stuff

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002JCSCYI/ref=asc_df_B002JCSCYI4248547?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B002JCSCYI

[Anno]

[...]
There're also interesting microscope projects, such as Dr. Emoto's water crystals, as you most probably know about. It'd be interesting to see how specifically energised water affects other things... like the cellular structure of a leaf when soaked in the water for a day.
[...]

You read my mind! That's on my list of things to try. I want to try media exposure. Playing different songs and videos to the music then freezing it. I'm interested to see how all the videos we watch (camelot/icke etc) affect the water so we can see how they might be affecting us.

I'm also making a list of near by sacred sites and vortex sites to see if there is any difference in the crystals in the soil there compared with say, a supermarket. Or in the cells of plants growing there.

Winter is definitely a time to find hobbies you can do in the warm!

I like the idea of exploring the worlds around us that we can't see normally but can with some simple tech. Infra-red filming is another great one. My video camera has infra-red night vision and with some lenses and filters I got I can see infra-red during the day. It's a whole other world.
One of the most interesting things I've seen is a big old Ivy Bush. In normal light it just looks like a bush and you see the odd flying insect but in Infra-Red it comes to life and there are so many different types of flying insect in there from hover flies and wasps to house flies. Plants all show up as white and seem to glow and things that seem black to us (like my camera bag) also show up white.

When I get one I'll post any results on here and am happy to take requests.

[Ruby L.]

Wow!

I have to tell you my heart literally pounded with excitement as you listed the ideas you had in mind to observe through a microscope, Anno. What a flippin' brilliant idea to check out the energy structure of water exposed to the videos we watch here. (And infinitely more exciting than viewing a floating leaf. :lol: )

I say, get thee a microscope, ASAP, sir!

Thanks, also, for sharing your story about filming with Infra-Red light. It must've been quite a sight to see that little Ivy bush teeming and buzzing with life, existing there all the very while even if we can't see it.

And, yes please-- do share pictures of your finds! I have a feeling it's going to be an insightful winter for you, and a fun one for us as we look through the world you discover under the microscope.

Rock on, Anno! Very, very cool ideas, indeed.