We could’ve just added great photos of Neil Armstrong that popped up this week–and we did include a few–but we also have some great images from terra firma, including this self-conscious penguin, a surreal fireworks photo, an ominous take on Hurricane Isaac, and a controversial bike without pedals or a seat. Check out the gallery to see them all.
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A Rare Photo of Armstrong
Despite taking the glory for being the first man on the moon, not many photos of Neil Armstrong are around–most of the time he was holding the camera and doing the photography. This shot, as Gizmodo points out, might be the only clear one we have of him on the surface. It was first uncovered by space author Andrew Chaikin, and included in his book, “Voices from the Moon.”
The Fliz Bike
The Fliz Bike is exactly what it looks like: a bike without pedals or a saddle. It supposedly creates “a comfortable, ergonomic” experience for the rider, but the Internet hasn’t been very constructive with its criticism so far.
Slow Exposure Fireworks
Photographer David Johnson snapped a series of fireworks at the International Fireworks Show in Ottowa, Canada. We love fireworks photos already, but these especially surreal and beautiful ones were made by Johnson refocusing his camera during long exposure shots. You can see more of his work here.
Earth From the First Moon Landing
This beautiful image of Earth was taken by someone after the first moon landing, but neither Buzz Aldrin nor Neil Armstrong could remember whom. See more historic photos from the journey at American Photo.
Venezuelan Poodle Moth
The Venezuelan poodle moth is only maybe real; we sincerely hope it is, at least. This photo has actually existed since 2009, and was taken by a real zoologist, but there’s some debate on what exactly the moth is (new species or something else?) besides nightmare fuel.
Penguin on a Scale
The ZSL London Zoo’s annual weigh-in happened recently, with zookeepers taking measurements for every animal. Here a keeper weighs a Humboldt penguin and possibly tries to avoid making it feel self-conscious.
S.F. Earthquake Today
Photographer Shawn Clover merges photographs from the aftermath of San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake with photos of the same spots today, giving an eerie window into how it might look had it happened in modern times. See the whole collection here.
Saturn and Titan
Curiosity has been getting all of the attention lately, but NASA’s Cassini probe beamed back this (natural-color) photo of Saturn, with Titan in the foreground. Read more about it here.
Prosthetic Leg
Behind the scenes of the Paralympics are technicians working on high-end prosthetics. Photographer Suzanne Plunkett caught this photo of technician Marko Salewski, who worked on a prosthetic leg for Britain’s discus thrower Darren Derenalagi.
Hurricane Isaac at Night
We’ve seen full-color weather images of Hurricane Isaac has it approaches the coast, but this view, captured by the Suomi-NPP satellite, is a more ominous take.