Scale and the Grand Canyon

[fbhjr]

One of the problems my wife and I had at the Grand Canyon was one of scale.
It’s big. OK. Everyone knows that.
But, it is hard to grasp how big. Even when you’re standing at the edge of it, it is very hard to understand how big it is.

For instance, in the photo below is a full size tourist helicopter flying along about half way up.


I’ll zoom in some. These are a series of photos, so it’s not in quite the same place each time. But, it is moving left to right across the photos.


Another zoom and it should be easier to spot.


OK, last zoom.


We saw those helicopters on the ground at the airport.

Looks like they hold 7 people.
But, it just disappears there in the canyon. Not even a flyspeck.

It is hard for me to grasp just how big it is, even when I saw this in person. It’s just that big…

Comments

[endlessblush.livejournal.com]

It's quite amazing isn't it.

[hindustar.livejournal.com]

maybe someday I might make it out and see it for myself, but your pictures are really great. Thank you!

The sheer size seems so incredible.

[merilune.livejournal.com]

I love the different colours of the rock. It's very pretty.

[chaquir.livejournal.com]

it must be so wonderful to see it in person though!

[becofoz]

Wow. I have been to the Grand Canyon but it's hard to fathom the size until you see something like that.

I really want to go back again one day. My first visit was so brief I barely saw anything.

[ravena-kade.livejournal.com]

I always find it hard to fathom open space like that. I always thought it was because I came from a very small and crowded state... and eing from teh city, there are tons of buildings that block the openness. Hell, we build on everything in Massachusetts. The widest space I see here is the bay, and the ocean when I am at the beach up North.

[jenny_evergreen]

That is an amazing example of scale!

[chris-warrior.livejournal.com]

that's awesome.

you're such an engineer. :D

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Wow! That series of photos really works well to show the scale. While looking at the first one, I figured you uploaded the wrong one. Looking at the second, seemed odd you'd make two mistakes in one post, but I peered and couldn't find the helicopter. When I reached the third one, I understood, but even looking back at the first two again, I still couldn't spot it.

So cool!

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

It isn't much more than a dark pixel in the first one at this screen resolution...

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yep. Makes perfect sense that I missed it!

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

I've uploaded the original with an orange circle over the helicopter for your reference:
http://www.phoenixswords.com/fbhjr/20141215/scale-05.jpg

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

You should have held a "Find the helicopter and win a great prize!" contest, no one would ever have won. I have an addon that lets me resize images in webpages, and even with that, I wouldn't have found it without the circle.

Thanks!