The trajectory of a foam boomerang with LED lights, by Michael Murphree.
From an article called The science of boomerangs, in last month's issue of Popular Mechanics.
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Amazing boomerang photo
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted on: September 7, 2007 2:30 PM, by Mo
Comments
It seems to have three points, not the traditional two.
Posted by: Tegumai Bopsulai, FCD | September 7, 2007 3:08 PM
If you could track a planets rotation and orbit, through time, would it not be similar in appearance? I'm just asking.
Gary Gagne
Posted by: Gary Gagne | September 7, 2007 8:57 PM
If you could track a planets rotation and orbit, through time, would it not be similar in appearance? I'm just asking.
Gary Gagne
Posted by: Gary Gagne | September 7, 2007 9:24 PM
Way cool!!!
Posted by: Matthew | September 7, 2007 9:28 PM
Fascinating
Posted by: Matt Miller | September 7, 2007 10:36 PM
Makes a great picture, even without the science, but a good article. No mention of Australian boomerang clubs. Have gone off to google what is going on with that.
Posted by: Lisa | September 7, 2007 10:39 PM
Very cool picture with the LED's showing the path. You can also see a star in the middle of the path.
Posted by: G M | September 7, 2007 10:40 PM
I love seeing the beauty of science!
Posted by: cc | September 7, 2007 10:49 PM
Several of the designs shown (click the link) do have three instead of two points.
The last bit of the last page:
"Made for the Maximum Time Aloft event at competitions, the MTA has asymmetrical wings that present more surface area to the wind, maximizing lift. And at a mere half-ounce, the 13-in.-wide MTA floats on the slightest updraft.
“It’s a crazy shape compared to most other designs,” Darnell says. Its airfoil, how-ever, is extremely efficient. It loses little energy to the formation of noise, for example.
A few years ago, officials informally timed the silent rang at 17 minutes aloft. “Sometimes, an MTA just disappears,” says Ted Bailey, a former president of the U.S. Boomerang Association. “We call that ‘losing it to the jet-stream god.’”
Posted by: Hank Roberts | September 7, 2007 11:41 PM
EPIC!! This is a fabulous idea for using LEDs. I love it. It took me a minute to figure out what the picture was. THis is great.
Posted by: Amy | September 7, 2007 11:53 PM
Perhaps you'd be interested in more about boomerangs, at http://www.4p8.com/eric.brasseur/my_boomerang.html
Having studied atlatls, boomerangs, bows, most of my life, this is the best site I've found in almost 60 years of searching for knowledge.
Posted by: malignedtruth | September 8, 2007 12:11 AM
Man, those guys had to stand pretty still to avoid begin caught in motion like the boomerang. Doesn't look like a three pointer, though, because of the double helix at the end.
Posted by: Jonathan Rudolph | September 8, 2007 12:23 AM
This same photo was made several years ago in an article on the flight of boomarangs in Scientific American.
Posted by: charles francis | September 8, 2007 12:31 AM
yeah maybe because one of the points represents centre of gravity or COM whatever... the other two are the two ends supposably
Posted by: Nitin | September 8, 2007 2:43 AM
That's my new computer wallpaper!
Posted by: Monado | September 8, 2007 9:30 AM
No, look closely... it's a triple helix at the end.
Three points.
Very cool photo either way, though.
Posted by: KCProgramr | September 8, 2007 11:52 AM
I stand by my call of a 3-pointed boomerang; it is clearly a regular triple helix throughout except for some distortion near the release point.
Posted by: Tegumai Bopsulai, FCD | September 8, 2007 12:12 PM
A google search for scimitar darnell gets you amongst others, an Amazon.com page for Black Jax Sports with an illustration. $19.99 plus S&H will get you one.
It has 3 arms.
Posted by: JohnnieCanuck, FCD | September 8, 2007 4:18 PM
That's a very inspiring picture to me for some reason. I love it. Cheers me up. Looks like a magick spell or something extremely high tech at work. Funny it's from such "primitive" constituent parts. Wonder about the shutter settings on the camera. What is the reason for the "dotted" sections I wonder?
*iza
Posted by: Izabael DaJinn | September 8, 2007 8:02 PM
What a great idea! Amazing picture
Posted by: gozino | October 20, 2007 6:50 AM