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Now and then, it's good for us all to shake up our perspective. We each have our own unique lenses formed through various experiences - but this list of side-by-side comparison photos might make you look at the world differently.

Sure we have all seen before-and-after pictures, maybe between old and young or weight loss, but these aren't the only awe-inspiring cool photos. What about different locations during different seasons? Or size comparisons of creatures and their anatomy? Or even some good stories with rough starts and the best possible outcomes? This Bored Panda interesting things round-up will include all of these and more, and it is sure to challenge your perspective. Don't forget to upvote your favorites!

#2

The Day After Asher Was Adopted In 2012 vs. Today

The Day After Asher Was Adopted In 2012 vs. Today

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#3

A Friend On Facebook Shared This Slide From Her Class. The Difference Between Urban, Suburban, And Rural

A Friend On Facebook Shared This Slide From Her Class. The Difference Between Urban, Suburban, And Rural

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#4

Chinese Explorer Zheng He's Ship Compared To Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria. They Both Lived In The Same Era

Chinese Explorer Zheng He's Ship Compared To Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria. They Both Lived In The Same Era

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Lil Bare
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There were even junks that had built-in-rice-farms to nourish the travellers. Ancient china was so rich in culture and technology (4 big inventions) and then all went to hell in the last 300 years. What a pity. Never be complacent people. Its the road to self detonation :(

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Carol Emory
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Zheng He emperor actually had 3 of these ships...all capable of holding 300,000 Chinese. They also had the ability to round the horn of Africa before the Portuguese did. Can you imagine how history would have changed if China had managed to pull into the harbors of Europe? They were originally built to masquerade as vessels searching for Zheng He's brother, the former emperor that was thought to have fled during an attack, but actually fled to the hills where he was killed by his own brother. The ships were actually merchant ships that obtained items all around Asia and Africa to bring back to the Emperor for his private collection. When he passed, his replacement saw no need for the ships anymore and had them destroyed.

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Harleen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So Columbus pulled up next to him and yelled, "Thou art compensating for thine diminutive nether regions!"

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Troux
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You could discover new land by walking to the front of the ship.

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Louise Stange-Wahl
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sad that we never hear about these spectacular feats of engineering unless you happen upon it. Looks to me that the Europeans could have learned a lot from the Chinese!

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Joseph Miller
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The only thing that can be learned from this is that chinese propaganda is strong and based on falsehoods, and that they're always trying to compensate. This ship was a treasure ship, and not nearly as seaworthy as Columbus's. Also, it was made to show off, not for exploring. Lastly, most non-Chinese historians and scientists agree that it wasn't nearly as big as Chinese historians say, and there's a lot of online resources on this matter.

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Fixin'Ta
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, I've been on a replica of the Santa Maria. Thing was TINY. I don't see how they even made the voyage across the Atlantic, much less with a full crew.

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María Hermida
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me too, and I thought exactly the same. Lots of people in such small space, rationed water, no showers... Absolutely claustrophobic and stinky. The smell must have been obnoxious.

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Kelly
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Landing in the so-called America, followed by "Amerigo" Vespucci. They reached far away lands, it seems they didn't get lost.

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Kathy Baylis
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Carrier vs rowboat. For long voyages like theirs, I would much prefer the larger ship. Though it probably needed more crew, it would also have so much more room for supplies.

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Joseph Miller
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, non-Chinese scientists and historians have proven this is b.s. and it wasn't nearly that big. Big, yes, and impressive, yes, but don't be fooled by typical chinese propaganda and lies. Also, it wasn't build for exploring, just showing off, while Columbus's ship was made for exploring.

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Id row
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The man hours it must have taken to build that must have been astronomical.

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Greg Hoggarth
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's a real-life replica of Captain Cook's Endeavor which toured New Zealand back in the early 2000's. Surprisingly small ship by modern standards, yet he sailed from England in it.

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Kenneth Mlavetz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s thought that several Chinese ships of this size made it to North America. It’s also theorized the reason none where found Is they tore them apart and built houses.

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Thomas Pilley
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Makes more sense for explorer ships to be smaller to cover more area faster. Not to mention they are wind driven. Pretty impressive size for back then.

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Scott Merz
Community Member
4 years ago

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Quillermo Pellicaan
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is not the size that marters, but it's about having the balls to go further than the others....

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Calum Sanderson
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is one of the reasons I preferred the third Pirates of the Caribbean film out of the original trilogy - I want more Chinese piracy!

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Andrew Joseph
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

lmao........ & Christopher Columbus is revered soo much................. jeez

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Elizabeth Gardner
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

good grief his ship is enormous even by today's standards of local craft.

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Laura G
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Makes Columbus’ journey all the more impressive. I say the journey, not the result.

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Edward Drew
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just think of the labor (slavery) it took to build it back then!

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Margaret O'Connor
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well you know what they way about guys who drive huge trucks: he must have been really compensating for something! Besides, he wasn't an explorer; all he did was creep along the coast.

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Elizabeth Scarborough
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Mayflower was tiny as well. I don't understand why Europe made such small ships and China cold make these massive Ocean Liners.

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Shirley Heyn
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, they did have more sailors to work with. . . but if you line up the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, they might be about the same length, but maybe not width. Where did they sail to?

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Sebastian Melmoth
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Neither of them...Santa Maria never made it to America; well...he did land on parts of Central and South American coasts as well as Cuba,Hispaniola, Bahamas, and many small islands. He didn’t make it to North America and isn’t as great as US teachers led us to believe. he was somewhat of a tyrannical k**b who was stripped of his titles and died in relative obscurity.

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Andrew Johnson
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4 years ago

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Jack Chandra
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just read the Wikipedia entry on the huge boat. First mention of the dimensions of the ship was 100 years after they were destroyed - no contemporary accounts. The size of this boat would exceed the size of steel reinforced wooden boats from the 19th century - raising serious engineering doubts it could ever be built.

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María Hermida
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I lived in Hong Kong for a year and I saw seemingly impossible structures with very basic materials. They make very high scaffolds, and I mean veeery high, only with bamboo cane and rope. And there are a lot of old buildings made of wood, only wood, without using nails. I'm not an engineer so I don't know anything about structures, but they were extremely ingenious and made very good use of the available materials. Bamboo is an exeptionally resistant material, and yet very light. As far as I know there are some contemporary documents on this ship, but I'll check my sources.

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CbusResident
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But there was another thing the Western world had, and had way before anyone else, just a few centuries later: the application of Newtonian physics to ballistics. Once you have that you have guns and cannons that actually hit things. (See this Ted Talk: https://n.pr/32ic6de). A big ship? In terms of military power, so what? The British triumphed in the naval battle of The Spanish Armada precisely by having smaller, more nimble, but deadly attack vessels.

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Grumble O'Pug
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah but he didn't come over to the new world and pillage it or rape little girls did he????

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Jeff Requier
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Zheng He's ship would be the size of a cruise ship or tanker. a to scale model of the Santa maria is in the West Edmonton mall. He had a normal sized ship for the time.

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Not Bored Panda
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Name is Zheng He, part of the last name "He" and 's meaning possession. So He's mean He (last name) is the possessor of the Ship.

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Leodavinci
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If the American continents did not exist, can you imagine the impression on Europe had one of these Chinese ships sailed east until they reached a European harbor?

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Not Bored Panda
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Zheng He is the name , possessive version of the last name is He's , since the Ship belongs to him.

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#7

The Difference 11 Days Can Make For This Maple Tree

The Difference 11 Days Can Make For This Maple Tree

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#8

B2 Stealth Bomber Compared To A Falcon

B2 Stealth Bomber Compared To A Falcon

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#9

My Wife’s Face On Our Wedding Day Compared To When She Met Rob

My Wife’s Face On Our Wedding Day Compared To When She Met Rob

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#10

Movie vs. Real Life

Movie vs. Real Life

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Magpie
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

LOL. But please don't do this to your little house cat. It does hurt their backs. In an older cat it may hurt a LOT.

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#11

Size Comparison Of My Maine Coon To My American Shorthair

Size Comparison Of My Maine Coon To My American Shorthair

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Withnail
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is my dream to retire to a cabin in the woods with a herd of Maine C**n's.

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#12

My Brother And His Friend, Both Age 13. We Loved The Difference In Height

My Brother And His Friend, Both Age 13. We Loved The Difference In Height

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Foxxy
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Woah, that is a huge difference and a huge benefit 😉 You have a someone who can reach the tall stuff and someone who can crawl into tight spaces. Just hope the taller one isn’t afraid of heights and the shorter on isn’t claustrophobic 😛

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#13

The Size Of A Tornado Compared To The Size Of Wind Turbines

The Size Of A Tornado Compared To The Size Of Wind Turbines

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#14

At The Beach vs. Cleaning Feet After

At The Beach vs. Cleaning Feet After

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#16

Smoker vs. Non-Smoker

Smoker vs. Non-Smoker

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#17

Barcelona During The Day vs. During The Night

Barcelona During The Day vs. During The Night

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#18

Graphics Then vs. Graphics Now

Graphics Then vs. Graphics Now

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#19

Nearly 25 Years After The Fall Of The Berlin Wall, The Difference In Types Of Light Bulbs Can Still Be Seen From Space

Nearly 25 Years After The Fall Of The Berlin Wall, The Difference In Types Of Light Bulbs Can Still Be Seen From Space

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Withnail
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had to Google this: "In the eastern part there are sodium vapour lamps with a yellower colour. And in the western parts there are fluorescent lamps... which produce a whiter colour."

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#20

Shark’s Brain vs. Dolphin’s Brain

Shark’s Brain vs. Dolphin’s Brain

PaviliaBay Report

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sakora
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When humanity dies through its own greed and stupidity, and there will be at least a piece of the ocean, dolphins will take over this planet.

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#21

World's Smallest Computer Compared To A Grain Of Rice

World's Smallest Computer Compared To A Grain Of Rice

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Withnail
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This computer measures 0.33mm on each side! According to my pal Google: "Currently, the tiny computer serves as a precision temperature sensor. It uses electronic pulses to convert temperatures into timed intervals. The result, for example, is the ability to report temperatures in a cluster of cells within a tumor with an error rate of around 0.1 degrees Celsius. 'Since the temperature sensor is small and biocompatible, we can implant it into a mouse and cancer cells grow around it,' said Gary Luker, a professor of radiology and biomedical engineering. 'We are using this temperature sensor to investigate variations in temperature within a tumor versus normal tissue and if we can use changes in temperature to determine success or failure of therapy.' https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/worlds-smallest-computer-dwarfed-by-rice-grain/

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#22

Fluffy Corgi vs. Regular Coat

Fluffy Corgi vs. Regular Coat

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Juliana Kessler
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Breed standards were a byproduct of the eugenics movement in the 19th century. (See https://www.trutv.com/shows/adam-ruins-everything/videos/pure-bred-dogs-are-genetic-monsters.html it's a tv Episode but they give all their citations) Genetic hybrids are healthier and usually super cute!

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#23

Human Skeleton Compared To Gorilla Skeleton

Human Skeleton Compared To Gorilla Skeleton

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Withnail
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The resemblances are remarkable and the differences fascinating. Massive rib cage and eye sockets and the comparatively small cranium on the gorilla.

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#24

We Live Next To The Ocean, Here's The Comparison Between The Outside And Inside Doorknob

We Live Next To The Ocean, Here's The Comparison Between The Outside And Inside Doorknob

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Toujin C'Thlu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The outside doorknob can double as a salt lick for any passing deer or cows.

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#25

Eagle Claws Are Pretty Big Even In Comparison With Mammalian Predators

Eagle Claws Are Pretty Big Even In Comparison With Mammalian Predators

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Withnail
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If someone told me that a Harpy Eagle's talons are longer than a Siberian Tiger or an African Lion's claws, I would not have believed them. I've found a new pub bet!

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#26

Microscopic Look At Bee Stinger vs. Needle

Microscopic Look At Bee Stinger vs. Needle

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#27

You Can See The Difference Between The Tap Water And The Sparkling Water That I Poured Over It

You Can See The Difference Between The Tap Water And The Sparkling Water That I Poured Over It

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#28

The Difference Between A Norwegian Soldier 75 Years Ago And Today

The Difference Between A Norwegian Soldier 75 Years Ago And Today

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#29

Japan’s Highest Bridge’s Height Is Compared To Godzilla

Japan’s Highest Bridge’s Height Is Compared To Godzilla

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#30

Before And After Comparison Pics Of A Street In Surf City, NC After Florence

Before And After Comparison Pics Of A Street In Surf City, NC After Florence

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Wil Vanderheijden
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And then there's one president denying climate chance, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and allowing American companies to continue or even to expand their environmentally-polluting activities. Because climate change is invented by the Chinese to harm American competitiveness.

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#31

My Jeans vs. My Wife’s Jeans. I’m 6’ 3”and She’s 5’ 2”

My Jeans vs. My Wife’s Jeans. I’m 6’ 3”and She’s 5’ 2”

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#32

Whenever Somebody Posts A Photo Of The Milky Way, People Invariably Ask "Is That How You See It With The Naked Eye?". Here's A Representation Of What You Do See Compared To What Comes Out Of The Camera

Whenever Somebody Posts A Photo Of The Milky Way, People Invariably Ask "Is That How You See It With The Naked Eye?". Here's A Representation Of What You Do See Compared To What Comes Out Of The Camera

This photo was taken at the Pinnacles Desert in Western Australia, the moon had just set below the horizon and the core of the Milky Way was rising towards the east and was at about 40 degrees. This obviously isn't a perfect representation but it's pretty close. You won't see any color as our eyes can't determine color very well in low light.
The photo you see on the left is directly out of the camera, no post processing has been done at all and you can see quite a bit of green towards the horizon and some orange and magenta hues in the core. My camera's white balance was set to auto and this is a 30 second exposure. ISO was set at 3200 and aperture was f2.8.
edit Ok it seems some people are able to distinguish color in the Milky Way and some aren't. Though it's more common to not see any color. I did quite a bit of research and almost every time this question was posed, people had varying views on what they could and couldn't see. No color - some color - lots of color. So I came to the conclusion that there are just too many variables to accurately depict what you can see, you can only approximate what the average person can see. Yes, some will see it more vividly, some will see it less vividly but the average person will see it similarly to what I showed in my photo. Oh and of course the location plays a large factor.........not everybody is able to sail 100 miles off shore to get the absolute best view possible so it's a bit pointless to use that as the standard bearer :) One other factor you should bear in mind is the technology we choose to portray these images on. Computer monitors. Again there are way too many variables at play here, especially when it comes to contrast and brightness. What I see on my computer monitor is most likely to be different to what another person sees.

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#33

Earth Compared To Its Water And Air

Earth Compared To Its Water And Air

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Natters
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm guessing the air is at sea level atmospheric pressure, if not air can be compressed

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#35

View From My House Of California Normal vs. California With Fires

View From My House Of California Normal vs. California With Fires

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#36

My Mom’s Phone From 1998 vs. My Phone From 2018

My Mom’s Phone From 1998 vs. My Phone From 2018

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Foxxy
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The phones from the late 90s to early 2000s were the best. Wish I could still buy the good old Nokia 3310 or 3315.

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#37

'Chernobyl' Actors vs. The Real-Life People They Played

'Chernobyl' Actors vs. The Real-Life People They Played

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#38

The Comparison Of Right Handed And Left Handed People At My High School

The Comparison Of Right Handed And Left Handed People At My High School

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TEE KAY
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I open doors with both hand depending on which way I approach the door

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#40

Shoe That Is On The Longboard vs. The Shoe That Does All The Pushing

Shoe That Is On The Longboard vs. The Shoe That Does All The Pushing

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#43

My Mood Every Day During 2018 Compared To 2017

My Mood Every Day During 2018 Compared To 2017

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