awesome algae and first impressions at microscopy

Starting out in microscopy? Post images and ask questions relating to the microscope and get answers from our more advanced users on the subject.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

albert
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:50 am
Location: new york city
Contact:

awesome algae and first impressions at microscopy

Post by albert »

Scraping a little algae from my fish tank with a razor blade has revealed among the most interesting micro organisms ive seen through the microscope thus far. There are what look like little diatoms all over -not sure that is what they are, they're reddish-brown and with the green of the algae, all the different colors make among the most beautiful slides I have prepared yet..

I found a couple of pretty large organisms swimming around in there. I happen to be at 400x when one swam by filling a third the viewing area!
another had spikes along his mostly clear yet armored looking body

both we partially transparent - they do not like the light..
(was also a few mites that looked like little clear crabs)
In the most gelatinous looking one I could see little diatoms in its belly, Pretty awesome to watch..
-even if I can't take a photo (just yet)

My first thought thought after experimenting around with this (Leica cme) for a week or two is how little we have progressed since the mid 1600s
when it comes to magnification.

Image

as the levels of magnification achieved then (350x approx) are comparable to what we use today in any standard compound microscope.
and images above 400 have terrible depth of field.
I was wondering if this is better on better 'plan' (as opposed to achromat) objectives?

It is amazing Leeuwenhoek achieved such a level of magnification through a single small highly polished home ground lens, (every time I see at the thing I wonder how he managed view liquid on it) but even more amazing that even the best modern standard optics are 4x 40x 400x & 1000x
do not do over well above 400x

Its obvious there are limitations to glass optics..

watching bacteria at 1000x they still look minuscule..
little dark dashes attacking the algae cells, while other groups sit quietly (multiplying I guess) in groups, others whipping around so swiftly they are just small blurs.
Of course today we have scanning electron microscopes that can show us 20,000x in well defined high resolution images but I was hoping for greater clarity as higher magnifications.

They are all fascinating to watch, would just be nice of higher magnifications were possible :)
best,

albert

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic