Mushroom cloud of ‘Gadget’ over Trinity, July 16, 1945
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The year 1945 saw the US culminate the Manhattan Project with the first ever atomic bomb, detonated at a test site in New Mexico, just south of Los Alamos.
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2020-11-23T21:09:15-08:00
The year 1945 saw the US culminate the Manhattan Project with the first ever atomic bomb, detonated at a test site in New Mexico, just south of Los Alamos. This test remains one of the most polarizing moments in US history, and the entirety of this moment is beautifully captured in one photograph. Three observation bunkers stationed 10,000 yards away caught a clear glimpse of the bomb as it detonated. A perfect neon orange mushroom cloud sits directly in the middle of the frame, the earth around the epicenter is kicked up and rushed away in a powerful gust of debris. The photo is beautiful, the bright orange from the explosion engulfs the landscape around it. Although the observation bunkers were over five miles away from the detonation site, the explosion takes most of space in the frame. Everything in frame glows with an ominous red, which is fitting considering the terrifying power that this weapon holds. This photograph is a perfect example that shows the duality that photography can possess. Beyond being a stunning image, this photograph represents the culmination of countless of hours spent on scientific research and development. The scale of the research that went into this moment and the bomb's destructive nature makes this photo as terrifying as it is beautiful.
