An exhaust cloud engulfs Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as space shuttle Endeavour lifts off into the night sky.

Launch of the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station was at 4:14 a.m. EST. This was the second launch attempt for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-130 crew and the final scheduled space shuttle night launch. The first attempt on February 7, 2010 was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather.

The primary payload for the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station is the Tranquility node, a pressurized module that will provide additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is a cupola, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. The cupola resembles a circular bay window and will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior. The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor spacewalks and docking operations, as well as provide a spectacular view of Earth and other celestial objects. The module was built in Turin, Italy, by Thales Alenia Space for the European Space Agency.

Kennedy Media Gallery: KSC-2010-1674

Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin 'Connell.

Sadly, the other day I was passing by this tree, with the idea of taking a photo of it with an Autumn feeling, but actually that tree was broken, so it's over for it. Sad, sad news for me.

Canon EOS 40D, 17-40 L.

This is a shot of one of three white tigers living at my local zoo here in Singapore. They were in the news in November 2008 after they killed a deranged man who jumped into their enclosure. This is a picture of one of the two females. I've visited several times in the past few weeks and she is usually lounging around whenever I stop by-- letting the male pace around and keep watch for intruders. This time, however, she caught sight of me, started growling, and made me quite happy that there was a moat separating us.

Monopod. Canon Digital Rebel XSi (450D), EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L USM at f5.6, 1/500, ISO 800. Processed using Camera Raw.

Panorama taken with my old manual lens. 4 images stitched together. I highly recommend the multi-monitor version. The original picture is very wide and requires 2 monitors to fully appreciate.

Canon EOS 400D, Helios 44-2 (58mm f/2), RAW, 1/80 second, stopped down to around f/11.

Isn't she a beauty? Took this on a visit at the Cologne Zoo in May. Just got my EF 70-210 f/4 and learned to love it.

Taken early in the morning during a break in the rain at Sugar Lake. The calmest I have ever seen this lake before.

I stayed out during the evening meal time to get a great sunset in Tuscany. Several other drivers pulled off the autostrada on the right. I got here early, and waited on the color and the clouds to develop. I sat in a wheat field for what seemed like forever before I got the perfect shot.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 28mm 2.8, Photomatix, Adobe Photoshop CS4.

An HDR panorama taken at the Roman baths in... Bath!

If you've got dual or triple monitors you should like the full resolution option :o)

Nikon D60.

San Francisco's Pier 7. Taken on a foggy morning just before sunrise. This is looking back toward what should be the SF skyline. This is an HDR image with only very mild tone mapping used.

Nikon D300 and Nikon 18-200 lens.