FOTD -- January 27, 2008 (Rating 6.5) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: I know that today's FOTD is late, but the wait was worth it. The image shows a scene on the northeast shore line of the large period-2 bud of the HyperMandelbrot set, which is just starting to undergo some very strange things. The result looks surpris- ingly like a scene on some alien planet, perhaps even a fractal planet. I named the image "Steps on the Steppes". The buds appear to recede into the distance in a very step-like manner. I rated the image at a 6-1/2, which includes an extra half-point for my coloring efforts. And why not? The coloring is 98 percent of the image. The calculation time of 9-1/2 minutes is somewhat slow, especi- ally for an image that rates only a 6.5 and is almost 12 hours late. The image will soon be posted for instant viewing on the FOTD web site at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> But due to the lateness of the FOTD posting, Paul might not have a chance to post the finished image for several hours yet. So be patient and try later if the visit to the web site comes up blank. Some clouds, some sun, periods of light snow, and a temperature of 30F -1C mixed together here at Fractal Central on Saturday to produce a typical midwinter day. The fractal cats wasted most of the day sleeping, while I wasted most of the day pondering the meaning of fractals. Not surprisingly, I found no answer. But regardless, the next FOTD fractal will be posted in 24 hours. Until then, take care, and the meaning of fractals is most likely the same as the meaning of life. Jim Muth jamth@mindspring.com jimmuth@aol.com START PARAMETER FILE======================================= StepsOnTheSteppes { ; time=0:09:27.06-SF5 on P4-2000 reset=2004 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm formulaname=HyperMandelbrot2 passes=1 center-mag=-0.8342207552006937/+0.187609876583259/\ 1376.26/1/41.5/0 params=0/0/0/0/0.0125/0/1e-011/0 float=y maxiter=3850 inside=255 logmap=-100 symmetry=none periodicity=0 colors=000EBREBREBRDBRDBSDBSDBSDBSDBSDBSDBSDBSDBTC\ BTCBTCBTCBTCBTCBTCBUCBUCBUCBUBCUBCUBCUBCVBCVBCVBCV\ BCVBCVACVACWACWACWACWACWACWACWACWACX9CX9CX9CX9CX9C\ X9CX9CY9CY9CY9CY8CY8CY8CY8CZ8CZ8CZ8CZ8CZ8CZ8CZ7C_7\ C_7C_7C_7C_7C_7C_7C_7C`7C`6C`6C`6C`6C`6C`6Ca6Ca6Ca\ 6Ca5Ca5Ca5Ca5Cb5Cb5Cb5Cb5Cb5Cb5Cb4Cc4Cc4Cc4Cc4Cc4C\ c4Cc4Cc4Cd4Cd3Cd3Cd3Cd3Cd3Cd3Ce3Ce3Ce3Ce3Ce2Ce2Ce2\ Cf2Cf2Cf2Cf2Cf2Cf2Cf2Cf3Dg3Dg3Dg4Dg4Dg4Dg4Dg5Dg5Eg\ 5Eg5Eg6Eg6Eg6Eg6Eg7Eg7Eh7Fh7Fh8Fh8Fh8Fh8Fh9Fh9Fh9F\ h9GhAGhAGhAGhAGhBGhBGiBGiBGiCHiCHiCHiCHiDHiDHiDHiD\ HiEHiEIiEIiEIiFIiFIiFIjGIjGIjGIjGJjHJjHJjHJjHJjIJj\ IJjIJjIJjJKjJKjJKjJKkKKkKKkKKkKKkLKkLLkLLkLLkMLkML\ kMLkMLkNLkNLkNMkNMlOMlOMlOMlOMlPMlPMlPMlPNlQNlQNlQ\ NlQNlzmczmczlczkczjcziczhczgczfczecydbxcawb`v__uYZ\ tXYsXXrWWqWVpVUoVTnUSmURlTQkTOjSMiSKhRIgRGfRFeREdR\ DcRCbRBaRA`RB_RCZRCYRDN00 } frm:HyperMandelbrot2 {; periodicity must be turned off a=(p1),b=(p2): q=sqr(a)-sqr(b)+pixel, b=(p3+2)*a*b+p4, a=q, |a|+|b| <= 100 } END PARAMETER FILE=========================================