The three of us collected samples today from Kingsbury Water Park near M42 – weather was rather variable but we had great fun and shows what can be done with simple kit
Andy
Alan & Andrew at Kingsbury Water Park:
Feather, using Alan and Angella’s own ex-school binocular microscope:
Alan and Angella’s pictures of vegetative matter from pool under Leitz microscope with x10 and x20 objectives:
My daughter Hannah has made some sourdough – so I thought I’d take a look under the microscope.
Following photos – 32x objective, 2.5x Optovar, brightfield (so equivalent to 80x objective) – except last one which is Phase 2.
I am not sure whether circular bodies are air bubbles or yeast cells or something else….
Andy
Brightfield:
Phase 2:
It has been a long time since I last did some phase contrast microscopy with my Zeiss IM35 microscope so here is a quick study of some sediment from the bottom of my pot pond.
Andy
Algae – x10 objective, variety of Phase and illumination settings (all transilluminated – various aperture settings on illuminator and light intensity, and Phase 1/2):
Algae fond pot pond x32 obj x2 Optovar 020819:
Video:
This year, I haven’t had much opportunity to use my microscope.
My daughter Hannah and I collected a sample of water from Stowe Pool in Lichfield and I looked at it under my Zeiss IM35 microscope.
Andy
Photos:
x4 objective, x2 Optovar (equivalent x8 Objective):
Shows protozoa feeding on vegetative debris. See video below for movement of multiple protozoal organisms in this field of view.
x32 objective:
Ball of cells – cilia visible on each cell:
Cilia visible from corners of stack of cells, and below this diatom:
Algae:
Stack 4 cells with cilia at corners:
Photo x32 objective, x2 Optovar (equivalent to x64 Objective):
Detail of cell wall and contents at junction between two algae cells:
Algae fonds x32 Obj x2 Optovar:
Stack 4 cells with cilia at corners:
Video:
Alan and Angella took me out for lunch to the Samuel Barlow @ Alvecote – a lovely little pub next to the canal. Before we left, we took a water sample from the canal. The sample proved to be relatively sterile – I suspect due to oil from the multiple boats in local marina.
Andy
On analysing the specimen, this diatom could be seen, viewed through my Zeiss IM35 microscope. I concentrated the specimen first using a centrifuge. Otherwise the following are live unstained views. Colours on the diatom are due to refraction as the organism’s shell is crenulated, refracting light, and has depth making it impossible to focus precisely upon it, worse when magnification increased.
Photo x20 objective:
Photo x32 objective:
Video (various objectives):
Following are photos from sap coming out of cut end of house plant leaf.
Zeiss IM microscope.
No stain.
Andy
x32 objective, Optovar x1 intermediate lens:
x63 objective, Optovar x1 intermediate lens:
x63 objective, Optovar x2 intermediate lens, some sharpening with unsharp mask in GIMP2:
x63 objective, Optovar x2 intermediate lens, further contrast and brightness enhanced in GIMP2:
The following photos are from water under bulb in jar in kitchen (growing in jar of water to stimulate root growth).
Zeiss IM microscope.
Andy
x4 objective photo showing some algae growing in water – it is exposed to sun on window sill:
Video also x4 objective:
Following photos from area of leaf on house plant that is infected with ?fungus Zeiss IM microscope 6/1/2019.
Both x20 objective.
Andy
Optovar x1 intermediate lens:
Optovar x2 intermediate lens:
This fungus was growing on the earth around the base of the plant in a plant pot in our kitchen in Lichfield. Interconnecting hypae can be seen but the stand-out difference between these photos and those of fungus on bread and cheese I have posted in past is the lack of spores.
Andy
x10 objective:
SIngle hyphus:
Branching hyphae matrix:
x40 objective:
x100 oil immersion objective, using virgin olive oil as immersion oil (as I could not find the proper immersion oil bottle!):
