FOTD -- January 16, 2010 (Rating ?) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: A few days ago on the Fractint list I saw a question about close groupings of Mandelbrot midgets. Actually, such clusters are quite common. I found today's scene within 30 seconds of starting a search. And there are far more impressive clusters of midgets not too far off, some of which will appear in the near future as FOTD's. Today's scene lies along the negative X-axis of the Z^(2.1) Mandeloid, in the debris left behind when the single main spike splits into two well-separated spikes. The two large minibrots, which are surrounded by clusters of infinitely-divided smaller minibrots, have been caught in a rather compromising position. Of course, the minibrots are not perfectly quadratic, but they are close enough to be easily recognizable. I have not yet checked the smaller clusters of midgets, but I suspect they are much the same as the one in the image. I wasted nearly 5 minutes trying to decide on a rating for the image before finally rating it at a question mark. The name "Minibrot Assembly" is a description. The calculation time of a speedy 1-1/3 minutes will cause no suffering. And as always, the finished image is available for instant viewing on the FOTD web site at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> The clouds returned to FC on Friday, while the temperature hovered around 45F +7C. Early in the day, the fractal cats gave up waiting for the sun. They spent most of the time asking for the heat to be turned up. With the cost of fuel as high as it, they did not get what they wanted. My day was about average. FL was displeased with my 'negative' attitude. But negative or positive, the next FOTD will be posted in 24 hours. Until then, take care, and let me know when you find the positive answer. Jim Muth jamth@mindspring.com jimmuth@aol.com START PARAMETER FILE======================================= Minibrot_Assembly { ; time=0:01:21.58-SF5 on P4-2000 reset=2004 type=formula formulafile=slices.frm formulaname=MandelbrotN center-mag=-1.22604913/\ -0.00671166/1135/1/100/0 params=2.1/0/0/0/0/0 float=y maxiter=15000 inside=0 logmap=31 colors=000zzzzzzvvvsssppmcqsZrsUssPtsNusNutNutMutM\ utMutMttLstLrtLqtLpuKouKnuKmuKluKkuKjuKiuKhuKgvKfv\ KevLdvMcvNcvOcvPcvQcvRcwScwTcwUcwVcwWcwXcwYcwZcw_c\ x`cxacxbcxccxdcxecxfcxgcxhcyicxjcxkcxlcxmcxmcwmcwm\ cwmcwmcwmcvmcvmcvmcvmcvmcumcumcumcumcumcumctmctmct\ mctmbtmbsmasmasmasm`sm`rm_rm_rmZrmZrmYqmYqmXqmXqmW\ qmWqmVpmVpnVpoUppUpqToqTorSosSotRouRnvQnwQnxPnyPnz\ QoyPnxPmwPlvPkuPkuOjtOisOhrOhqOgqNfpNeoNdnNdmNcmMb\ lMakMajM`iM_iLZhLYgLYfLXeLWeKVdKVcKUbKTaKSaKSbLTcL\ UdLUeLVfMWfMWgMXhMXiMYjNZkNZkN_lN_mO`nOaoOapObpObq\ PcrPdsQdtSewUgtWerYcp_ana_lcYjeWhgUfiSdkQbmO_oMYqK\ WtIUwGSzEQzCOzAMz8Kz6Iz4Fz1Gz3Gz4mz5mz7mz8mz9mzAmz\ CmzDmzEmzGmzHmzImzJmzLmzMmzNmzPozQqzRszSuzUwzVwzWw\ zXwzUwzuwzqwzmwziwzfwzbwzZwzWzzSzzOzzKzzHzzDzz9zz6\ zzDzzJzzQzzWzzbzzhzzozzuzznzzhzzbzzWzzQzzKzzDzz7zz\ 1zz2zz3zz4zz5zzzzpzzpzzpz } frm:MandelbrotN {; Jim Muth b=p1, z=p2, c=p3+pixel: z=z^(b)+c, |z| <= 16 } END PARAMETER FILE=========================================