Quiver Tree and Giant's Playground

January 26, 2017

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January 2017 Viewer's ChoicePhotographer: Martin Heigan
Summary Authors: Martin Heigan; Jim Foster

As shown above a quiver tree (Aloe dichotoma) accents the odd rock formations of the Giant's Playground in the grasslands of southern Namibia. The playground rocks are actually diabase (dolerite); magma that was forced upwards perhaps 150 million years ago but cooled before reaching the surface. As the surface and near-surface rock and soil eroded, these diabase blocks were then exposed and in some cases uncannily balanced. Photo taken outside the city of Keetmanshoop, Namibia, on September 21, 2011.

Photo Details: Camera Model: NIKON D7000; Focal Length: 95mm (35mm equivalent: 142mm); Aperture: ƒ/6.3; Exposure Time: 0.0016 s (1/640); ISO equiv: 100; Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Windows).