...actually, it's a pellet of “dry ice” floating on a shallow bed of dark blue water and shooting off geysers of carbon dioxide as it warms up. The dry ice is solid CO2 which sublimates directly to gas as it warms up (skipping the liquid phase altogether).

It is mesmerizing to watch. Particles glide along the surface, spin, and merge when they touch. Here is a very cool video of the icy bodies spinning and shooting around.

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Comments

jvers says:

I love your science pictures. They are always intriguing.
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

Meteorry says:

WOW...no more comments than another WOW! :-)
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

OskarN says:

out of this world!
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

callumalden says:

"Step into the vortex Beeblebrox..."
:D
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

!efatima says:

so cosmic so beautiful. mesmerizing indeed. sheesh kabaab!
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

jogales says:

Looks like a galaxy. Really cool, and so is the video.
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

Ken Mitchell [deleted] says:

Brilliant + video
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

ivo says:

very very very cool!
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

tarotastic says:

Great idea. Really impressive. Microcosmos!!
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

lotusutol says:

a spiral galaxy in the endless universe, this reminds me of =)
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

Eppie says:

I echo everything that everyone said above...
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

theocean says:

is your other name bill nye?
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

festeban says:

Wonderful
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

Senex Prime says:

Is this the new Doctor Who title sequence? :-) Looks fantastic!
Posted 54 months ago. ( permalink )

whisper-star says:

=) .. Really nice
Posted 53 months ago. ( permalink )

jurvetson says:

thanks y'all. you are very kind!
Posted 51 months ago. ( permalink )

edwinsail says:

A 'good' foto should be 'fun' to look at (sez I). This one certainly is fun! Though I'm slightly disappointed that it's not really a foto of where we are in this galaxy...
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

jeremyong says:

breath taking(all!)
Posted 37 months ago. ( permalink )

optick says:

I liked the photos too. They are so abstract, and I like the science behind them. Thanks for putting in the link to the video as well.
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

borealnz says:

So very interesting and very beautiful !!! It reminds me of an eye!!

Spiral theme at
The World Through My Eyes
Posted 34 months ago. ( permalink )

juandesant says:

As an admin for a group called Computer Simulations, I'd really love to have this picture in our pool…
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

juandesant says:

Thanks for the link to the "portable coments exhibit machine"! I'm using that film, together with a computer simulated comet, in order to teach kids what comets really are!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Navas says:

This is great - I love the sparkling blue!

--
Seen in Galaxies on Earth (?)
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

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Comments

jvers says:

Meteorry says:

OskarN says:

callumalden says:

!efatima says:

jogales says:

Ken Mitchell [deleted] says:

*ivo* says:

tarotastic says:

lotusutol says:

Eppie says:

theocean says:

festeban says:

Senex Prime says:

whisper-star says:

jurvetson says:

edwinsail says:

jeremyong says:

optick says:

borealnz says:

juandesant says:

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ivo says: