Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/Grand prismatic spring.jpg

Grand Prismatic Spring
The Grand Prismatic Spring of Yellowstone National Park showing steam rising from hot and sterile deep azure blue water (owing to the light absorbing overtone of an OH stretch which is shifted to 698 nm by hydrogen bonding ) in the center surrounded by huge mats of brilliant orange algae and bacteria. The color of which is due to the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoid molecules produced by the organisms. During summertime the chlorophyll content of the organisms is low and thus the mats appear orange, red, or yellow. However during the winter, the mats are usually dark green, because sunlight is more scarce and the microbes produce more chlorophyll to compensate, thereby masking the carotenoid colors. The effect is thus somewhat simillar to, but oppositely timed, to what is seen in deciduous plants. A jaw droppingly beautiful image IMHO, with lots of sciencey goodness to boot! Image is probably a scan and is a bit blurry at full size but its so large that I think it's easily overlooked, though perhaps an unsharp mask is in order. 15/2, 13 votes for orginal version, 1 vote for edited version, 1 vote for either version, 2 votes opposed -- Jtkiefer  T - 02:44, August 28, 2005 (UTC) 
 * Nominate and support. - Deglr6328 20:11, 14 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Support, fascinating. Phoenix2 01:25, August 17, 2005 (UTC)
 * Support. thats is a great picture. -- ZeWrestler  Talk 03:11, 17 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Support. Very striking, also a bunch of interesting phenomena -- Balster neb 06:27, 17 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Support original Dsmdgold 23:15, August 17, 2005 (UTC)
 * Oppose, Pretty but not FP worthy in my eyes. --ScottyBoy900Q ∞ 03:20, 18 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Support original The most striking piucture possible for Grand Prismatic Spring. I find edited version too contrasted. Circeus 04:27, August 18, 2005 (UTC)
 * ( + ) Support Edited version --Fir0002 12:22, August 18, 2005 (UTC)
 * Support original, per above. Phoenix2 21:44, August 19, 2005 (UTC)
 * Support - amazing picture. FTIII 0:57, August 20, 2005 (UTC)
 * Support original - A striking image. Sorry Fir0002, but your enhancements are way over the top. (Donovan|Geocachernemesis|Interact) 03:03, 20 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Support either image - This is the kind of picture that makes me want to travel there and see it with my own eyes. Raven4x4x 04:15, August 20, 2005 (UTC)
 * Support. Need I say more...--May the Force be with you! Shreshth91  ($ |-| r 3 $ |-| t |-|)  06:45, 20 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Support original. Enochlau 06:21, 21 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Support original. Nature amazes us enough in the first as it is, no need to exaggerate colours. --  user:zanimum
 * Support original. Mark1 06:56, 24 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Oppose: Looks unreal.
 * That's exactly why I like it, and why we need a picture to explain it. It's certainly real. Raven4x4x 00:08, August 26, 2005 (UTC)
 * Support original Just a beautiful thing to look atMlpearc (talk) 02:09, 24 January 2010 (UTC)