Thematic Photographic 207 -- Pics Taken with a Smart Phone

It's not often that I would publish photos I shot with anything other than my Canon 40D.  We have other cameras, including my original Canon Rebel and the Canon Power Shot.  Our phones also had photo capabilities, but very poor quality.  Well, now we have the "smart" phones.  Mine is the Android Charge and it takes very satisfactory photos!  So, for Carmi's challenge over at Written, Inc, to show pics taken with a smart phone, I am unveiling the first of my "smart" photos. One day last May I left the 40D behind and tried out the 'Droid at the Strategic Air and Space Museum near Offutt AFB, Nebraska.  

Formerly located at Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue, NE, the SAC Museum moved into this beautiful building in 1997.  For more on its history click here.

The first plane to be moved from the old location was the incredible SR-71A Blackbird.  This awesome aircraft greets visitors as they enter and is takes one's breath away!  The Blackbird is still considered the fastest aircraft ever built and holds many speed and altitude records.  For more on this intimidating craft click here. 

The hangars are enormous, housing dozens of aircraft, from the huge flying fortresses to the tiny XF-85 Parasite.  The following photos are just a sampling.  For more about the aircraft click here. 

As the name says, this is the air AND space museum so there are several amazing and fun exhibits that take visitors into the space age.  We were fortunate to see the "Suited for Space" traveling exhibit which included the following two photos.  These are x-rays of a space suit and helmet, showing the complex design for the flexibility and comfort of the astronauts.

We had a great time exploring this museum.  In addition to the historical pieces, there are interactive exhibits, such as trying to destroy an asteroid heading for earth.  We watched children having quality time with their parents and it was a blessing to witness that!

For more "smart pics" be sure to visit Written, Inc. and check out the comments.  Feel free to join in, too! Thanks for stopping by!

Repost for Thematic Photographic: Undulatus asperatus --- New Cloud Formation Appears Over the Missouri Ozarks

I am reposting this from two years ago for this week's Thematic Photographic theme: CLOUDS.  Since I captured these very rare formations, when I hear references to clouds, these come to mind.  They were very scary looking but very little rain from them.  The upper level winds created constant movement.  By the way, these are not black and white photos as they would appear to be.

It's not often that one can be witness to a new weather phenomenon.  In fact so unusual that, for the first time since 1951, a cloud type is under review as a new form.

From KY3.com Weather:
A storm system moving across the Ozarks on Monday morning produced widespread interest for more than just the thunder and rainfall it produced. As the system moved across the region, the balance of instability aloft and a relatively stable low level airmass helped to produce what was likely a potentially new form of clouds now under review by the World Meteorological Society or WMO. The cloud type in question has been named, "Undulatus asperatus".

It seemed as though I was looking at rapids on a river --- from underneath!  We did get some rain from these, but not storms.  The temperature was only about 62 degrees at the time and a little breezy.

Here are more photos I took of this awesome sight:

Just goes to show ya, God is always creating new things for us to see --- and it's all FREE!