I would love to have a dual monitor version of this one! The 8192 X 2304 (16:9 ratio) please. ^_^ It's always been one of my favorites.

Very dramatic contrast between the simple, serene foreground and the bright almost explosive background. I hope you go back and generate dual-monitor versions for the top-10s that don't have them.

Will you be making a dual screen of this? It's my favorite.

I really love this one, it's the main desktop on most of my machines. I'd love it if you could make a version for the FB Timeline.



When you have a chance, of course. :)

This is one of my favorite works you have, is there anyway you'd be able to turn it into a facebook timeline? ^_^

I really like this one. It kinda reminds me of an Age from the game Myst Online: Uru Live. I can just picture a puzzle here that needs to be solved. I love it ^^

I wish I could actually use this one.. no dual screen.

I can kinda tell the inspiration behind this one is from the movie contact! Good job

I really like this image and was wondering if you still planned to make dual monitor for it...

Awesome wallpaper.... wondering when a dualscreen might become available. Keep up the good work.

I just have to say that I loved this image as soon as it came out. I keep coming back to it because it is so beautiful. This is a total work of art, and has a really beautiful soft look to it. Magnificent. Thank you. I would probably pay more then $25 just for this picture... and that's what you charge for a year?? Amazing.

My favorite wallpaper of all time, hands down.

I do love this picture and was wondering if you will ever render a dualscreen version of it. I have a dualscreen set-up at work, and I use all of your dualscreen pics.



Keep up the beautiful work, Ryan!

I'm a big fan of space scenes. Could this one be made into a dual screen background?

Can you take the dock out of the picture? Maybe put a shore there. Otherwise, I love the image.

Sorry - did not see everyone else's comment or your response :P ignore me... in a nice way



Having said that I should say that I like it :)

Any chance this getting the dual screen treatment?

I agree with some previous posters, reminds me of contact. In fact I am watching that exact movie right now and it's what reminded me to check this site for more beautiful space scenes. I'm at the part when she lands in pensacola and there's a beautiful celestial event happening above her. Please keep up the excellent work!

I Love this pic and would lvoe to see a dual / triple screen version...



I do however completely agree that the quality of the prospective multi-monitor versions have to be of the same High standard otherwise it's just simply not worth it!

I have been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for this to be released as a multi-monitor. Nothing against your current work, but this is by far my favorite since "Circumpolar". If there is any way you would change your mind about a multi monitor it would be greatly appreciated!!!

I WAS WAITING ON THE TRI-SCREEN VERSION ALSO AND SAD TO HEAR THERE WON'T BE ONE. I GUESS I WAS A BIT SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT YOU DID NOT START WITH THE TRI-SCREEN IMAGE AND CROP AND/OR RESIZE IT FOR ALL THE OTHER IMAGES. SHOWS WHAT I KNOW! ANYWAY, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

This is one of my favorites of the new work. I'd love to see a dualscreen version of it if you get the time.

Love this scene. Would love to add it at work where I have dual screen monitors.

any way we can get a dual screen version of this??

Love your work, just renewed my membership for several more years!



I would love a dualscreen version of this wallpaper, as it has been my laptop's background for some time, but needs to migrate to my desktop (which hasn't had a new background for quite a while now...)

Whens this coming to dual widescreen?



All us rich people want backgrounds too!

Glad to hear your doing better, Will you be adding this to the dual and triple screen versions?

This image is awesome!

Though I do like the pickle Jar version better.

The more intense clouds pull your eyes over the entire image. I like the sharper contrast.

Awesome. I actually think it's one of your best yet. Love it!

CAN YOU DO WALLPAPERS OF ANCIENT STAR CHARTS MOVING UPON CURRENT ONES?



CAN YOU DO ANY WALLPAPERS FEATURING NIBIRUS RETURN AND THE THE TWINS SEPERATED AT BIRTH.



BEFORE ENOCH.

HOW DO WE DOWNLOAD MOVABLE WALLPAPERS AND WHEN WILL YOU BE POSTING AN UPDATE ?



CAN YOU DO SOMETHING WITH STRING THEORY IN MOTION?



THANKS SO MUCH!

ALICIA

FOR THOSE OF US WITH A SHORT MEMBERSHIP WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MONTHS THAT THERE ARE NO NEW POSTINGS...



WILL YOU CARRY ON THAT MEMBERSHIP FOR AN EXTENDED 30 DAYS ? JUST CURIOUS...

FOR THOSE OF US WITH A SHORT MEMBERSHIP WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MONTHS THAT THERE ARE NO NEW PSOTINGS...



WILL YOU CARRY ON THAT MEMBERSHIP FOR AN EXTENDED 30 DAYS ? JUST CURIOUS...

Will you be rendering a dualscreen version?



Thanks.

This brings together the best of several past things, and it really works! So . . . how about that dual screen version?

This is a fantastic image! I can't wait to see it as a Tri-screen...

really like this new wallpaper, just wondering when we are going to get it in dual screen.

Is it me or is the planet odd shaped? It doesn't look round to me.



It looks great other than that.

I like them both alot. And too think that the blue lights and the dark clouds would be pretty sick! I like how no matter how long you sit and check it out new things pop out at you, so if your checking out theclouds or the astronomer then the lava planet grabs your eye. Sweet job man!!

I like the lights of the platform in version 2, but the clouds of version 1. Is there a way you could post a version 3 with the old clouds and the blue lights?

I prefer the picklejar one.. It just seems more surreal to me. I thought the clouds lit so brightly by the sky looked really cool and other-worldly.

I personally like the older one better, I believe that the clouds sort of subtract from the overall picture.

Cant wait for the dual- screen monitor version



Looks glate!



G

When I first saw this one, I immediately thought of one of my all time favorite movies that is much maligned, Contact.



Very well done, I love it.

I have made some 3d wallpapers in the past on my own, but it looks nothing compare to what Ryan makes.

I have a lifetime and a commercial membership and i hope you will make more of this fantastic wallpapers.

Once you removed the orange lights and put blue instead, it's perfect! Such a delightful juxtaposition of a dazzling explosion of light above, and a melancholy and dark foreground. Your best so far.

I like the newer version better, it's great.

I Like it. I have liked all of your images where the overserver is on the shore of a body of water located on a moon, with the primary body in view. I like the color density and distribution, as well as the dynamic range in the contrast. Above all else, it simply appeals to me.

I cant wait for the multi-moniter version!!!!



theres a lot going on in this picture though.

've got in love after first sight!

This one is a real beauty. I definitely prefer the newer version - I think the blue lights on the platform are less distracting and the more subtle light adds a sense of mystery. I'm not sure the lava planet doesn't make the whole thing a little busy though!

This one is a real beauty Ryan.

Yet another great image. You continue to amaze me Ryan. Please continue to take your time -- your art is simply not meant to be rushed. Besides with the volume of your work I can get by without a new wallpaper for a very long time!

Definitely the newer version. The little shreds of cloud, though having a realistic appearence, did detract from the overall appearance of the picture ... drew the eye away from the rising planet. I also love the fact that the moon is rather oblong. The "small" feeling (compared to the cosmos he is observing) of the figure on the platform kind of grabs you too.



Love it.

I like the brighter version with more clouds.

Yeah I like this, i'm not a great fan of sapce tpye images I prefer the more natural looking purely so I can imagine being there easier.



Have you got a Christmas image in mind yet? Something which I've not seen many people do well digitally, is snow. How it reflects or behaves in wind for example with drifting. Just an idea.



T.

Looks pretty good, lots of texture no grain, etc. I think I actually liked the picklejar version a little better because the clouds were reflecting the light more brightly... at the same time the new version adds a little mystique with the toned down clouds...

OK, maybe I'm a science geek or something, but I don't believe any planet in a double system with a twin (the Lava Planet) that close would be able to maintain liquid oceans. The gravitational forces would cause the planet to be extremely volcanic as the surface of the planet was torn apart by the passage of the two planets around each other, so any ocean would boil and evaporate.



Consider the volume of water the moon moves on Earth, then imagine the tides if the moon was 10 times closer!



The radiation from a nebula that close probably wouldn't be cool either, but I'd want to be an astronomer here too. Lose the lava planet and its perfect!

I definitely like the second version better though both are wonderful. I thought the clouds on the first version stood out a bit too much. With the clouds more subdued the picture looks softer and more attention is drawn to the lovely nebula instead. I also really like the lava planet in the background too as it makes the picture truly feel like it's a window onto an alien world. Great work!

Ryan,



I like the first version better. The red lights are better for astronomy and I like the sharper clouds.



I agree that that the lava planet is not necessary.

Another aspect to consider is that if this nebula is really that bright, the astronomer will never see much else at night. Probably why he doesn't have a telescope.



If you don't consider those things, the picture is visually pleasing.

I like both versions but I like this one just a bit better. Very beautiful!

Nice work, Ryan, I really like this one a lot. And I do prefer the second version, both for the clouds (which look more realistic to me) and the color change on the platform lights (for no better reason than I just love purple.) Keep it up, Dude!

I love it. The newer version seems a bit better to me. This is one of your best wallpapers ever!

Love it. It would be great as a dualscreen. I like the newer one better.

I'm indifferent about the lights on the observation station (either works for me) but I definitely prefer the bright clouds in version 1. It makes it seem like whatever they are observing is more alive and vital. Either one is pretty but if I had to choose, I'll pick the earlier version.

I think this is a great picture.



The orange lights (vs. the blue) look better to me, I think. It also makes sense to have orange-red lights anyways, because red is better for night vision, which you really want to preserve if you're stargazing at night. Blue destroys your night vision. Plus, you want the astronomy deck visible in the water to anything that might get near it, like boats. Orange and red make it more visible than blue (since blue would blend into the water more).



Anyways, yeah. My thoughts/suggestions. Both are very well done, though.

When I first seen this I also thought this would look better without the planet and moon in it, however I believe there still should be a far off planet in the back... just not as close as the lava planet.



Just a bit of criticism there but I do really enjoy this background and currently have it on my desktop, the anomaly in the middle is just beautiful.

I really liked this work! As I sat looking at it, I found about three distinct faces in the clouds. You have to look, but they are there. Two that I found were pretty small, but one was pretty big. I know this may have been unintentional, but it was fun to do.

I do agree that the Lava Planet is a little too much. If you took it out, it would be much better. I also don't like the fog, but in the end, it's your choice. Overall, 8/10. I like the image of the nebula.



Repeating my earlier plea; please do a remake of 'Creation'. It's one of my favorites, but the technology used to make it is a little outdated. Thanks!

This is a beautiful piece. It would be remarkable without the planet and the moon. Maybe a little something for the pickle jar, perhaps?

This is one of my top favorites, I think. I really love the slightly futuristic/otherworld scenes that still have an element of human in them, something tangibly "us".



Regarding the comment below pertaining to the fog, my impression is that this is not atmospheric fog, but rather a nebula very near to the base planet. Obviously there are a few low scattered water vapor clouds, but the large central structure appears to be a nebula to me.



Although the upper left object doesn't appear quite spherical to my eye (per other comments) I'm not bothered by this; nothing is perfectly spherical anyway, and objects in the proximity shown here would exert tremendous force on one another, and could absolutely distort one another. This is in effect inside our own solar system - Jupiter's distortion of little moon Io is the source of the heat energy that drives its volcanoes.

I've always been partial to planetscapes. But I think this one is just too busy. You have a beautiful 'anomaly' to focus on, but then theres the lava planet and the moon. Personally, I think the lava planet it too much.



Comparing the original vs. the update, the original clouds would've worked better without the planet. But I definitely like the blue lights better.



Over all, Great wallpaper 8/10

Correct me if I'm wrong Ryan, but I assumed the planet shapes were intentional.



Maybe that's the start of a black hole and so the light is distorted making it look like the planets are being sucked towards it.

I love it!!

I've been waiting for another good astronomy background for ages, but this one's from a totally different perspective I never imagined to be captured so well.



I really love it!



Thanks again!



9/10!

Well, I'm late in my response. I like this wallpaper, but the big and small planets look elongated, rather than more spherical. The small planet is a good example of the elongation, but you can also see that same tendency with the big planet to be more elongated. Other than that, I like it. Great job.

I usually download your artwork at the 1600 resolution and they scale perfectly, but for this image it did not scale correctly on my display, so I went with the 1280 one. When the 1600 one scaled down, it sort of squished the planets closer together.



I'm not sure if all your wallpapers do that when scaling down from 1600 to 1280 but I never noticed until this image.

Both of them look great, but I prefer the orange lights vs. the blue lights and the clouds looked fine to me in the first version. So my vote would be for the original version. Awesome work!

Would give my first 10* for the idea, but I think the final result is somewhat disappointing.



First: I don't like the fog in the sky. A dark, clear night would have a far better effect (but keep the clouds).



Second: the focus should be on the bright anomaly in the center ónly. I think the lava-moon on the right is just too much. Even the smaller moon on the left could be left out.



The whole picture seems somewhat restless, as if you didn't quite now where to go exactly with this one.



So a 10 for the potential, but a 6 for the outcome. Makes:



8*

Yeah, after comparing them, I think I prefer the second, its a little more subtle.

But I think I like version 1 a little better. Has more pop. But both are gorgeous!



Might have to switch between them on my desktop - or share with my laptop, since I think they are both amazing. Just depends on whether I'm feeling soft or needing a more vibrant image!

After comparing the two, I'll go for the 2nd version. Mostly because of the skies, but I also like the overall lightning better. The blue light on the platform does not take away the focus from the anomaly as I feel the orange does.

Although this image is not of my top favourites, it is quite beautiful and are already on my desktop.

My first thought when I saw this one was "Whoa!" I love what you did with the sky here - it's gorgeous!

The problem with this image is that the water doesn't bounce light onto objects that are near it or directly on it. Also I tend to think that your water, especially in the case of oceans or large bodies of water, is lacking a sense of motion. They seem to be big ponds that are nearly still, which is not the way large bodies of water look in most cases.

I prefer the clouds from the first, and the lights from the second. But either way, I really like it!

I vastly prefer the second version. The clouds look more realistic, IMO, and the orange lights on the pier made it too much a focal point (my eyes kept getting dragged down there, when I -want- to look at the anomaly).

Great job, as always.

Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating!

I think I would like this a good deal more if it were darker. That said, the second version is definitely an improvement. The clouds in the previous one are overdone, and I prefer the muted lights on the platform to the bright red ones.



Also, regarding that planet on the upper left...is the shape intentional? It has a strangely oblong appearance to me.

Excellent work - it's the style of image you do that I prefer the most.

However, I have o vote not only for the lights around the base from the first, but also the extra layer of clouds sit far better with me than the simpler clouds...

I love the 2nd Version. It looks much softer.

The atmospherics of this one really set it apart, Ryan. Excellent work, and this one is really cool!!! Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I went to download it at home and wondered why it looked better than I remembered it from work. THEN I read your comment that you changed it.



Obviously I like the second one better. Greater contrast makes the lighting better and the violet lights don't pull your eyes away from the anomaly.



Thanks Ryan!

Very nice. Brings back fond memories of the Myst game series.

another great image



i think that i prefer the changes to the clouds in the second version, however the orange lights around the platform looked much better than the blue



again an awesome image

I've noticed that my comments are posted with double spaces between paragraphs (as I hit enter between each).

But the preview shows only one. I am guessing it's the difference between a
and

somewhere. I'm trying this with just one enter and see how it looks posted.



Thanks again!

V--Z

Loved the first one. Love the second one, too.



My vote is the second clouds (and I'm sure The Astronomer would agree, better for viewing =), but I prefer the orange lights from the original. Of course they'd be red if it were a Terran astonomer. But then again, Terran astronomers need the Hubble to see anything like that =)



Thanks, Ryan. Just wonderful as always. Enjoy your holiday, and thank you!

Definitely the second one with the softer clouds and the different lights. Worth the wait!

i greatly prefer the original version.

Absolutely beautiful. Stunning.

Fantastic wallpaper!

Ditto what Justin said, though, I do prefer the first. But that's why the pickle jar is such a great idea :-)

I think you should have stayed with your gut and left the original. You said it yourself, that you didn't want to put it up until you were happy with it. Why then, after such deliberation, did you change it? Just curious.



As far as my opinion, I much prefer the first version. Though the clouds may be wispy, which for some reason or another several here don't like, I think they look much more lifelike than the "softer" ones in the afternoon update.



Regardless, great work. I like seeing things, you in works such as this, that are beyond conventional reason. Just because you can't get such a view here on Earth, doesn't mean it couldn't happen elsewhere.

I like the first one better. I downloaded both

I love it ;) Now one or two crazy abstracts with cool colors and shapes please ;)

Certainly one of the most unique pieces you have done. Love me some planetscapes.

This is absolutely gorgeous! This is true talent indeed. Love it.



Pandora :) xx

Your afternoon update is even better. Thank you.

I think that I like the orange on the platform better than the blue, but I am partial to the color orange. I think that it goes better with the sky though.

This is one of your more amazing renderings.

I, like most, was dying to see the next picture. I must say this will be adoring my tri-monitor system at work very soon. Great Job Ryan!!!

well worth the wait, good job ryan

Probably one of my new fav's this is wonderful, where is the multi-monitor :)

This baby pushes all my buttons. Well, almost all. Great work!

Another all-time favorite! It was really worth to wait that long.

maybe it's the lighting on the pier thing that makes it look off. Other than that it's pretty awesome.

Really like this one, you captured the clear night sky perfectly and I feel the details of the bottom half don't distract from the scene.

I will say that I do like it. It's really nice, though its not my cup of tea.



One thing I noticed, and I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but the moon thats partially lit at the top of the image seems to be out of proportion. It seems like its more of an oval than a circle and it seems out of place when the half planeyscape on the right side seems to be a correct circle.



The bottom, like other have mentioned, sort of seems out of place, but to each their own.

I wish that were a photo of me. There's a sense of peace mixed with wonder and excitement.

Hmmmm, I don't think they're all that bad.



I very much like the ones around the bottom and right side; they remind me of clouds I see all the time.



And while the clouds in the middle around whatever's brewing may look strange, the planet in the upper left and the lower right combined with the figure and calm water defy the physics we know so who's to say what can and can't happen on this strange world?



I think it's pretty cool. Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving weekend!

Thanks, another great work of art. Straight onto my monitors, now we are just waiting for the multi monitors.....

Awesome work. It looks great. There is a lot going on in this scene. My first thought when I saw the "anomoly" was of the movie Independance Day.



I like how you've combined surface, atmosphere and space in a single image. It makes me appreciate the drastic difference between the three.

This is probably something you can't control but the apparent density of the clouds may be due to the simulation of light scattering in the volume. Simple cloud renderings I've done in the past often look too dark if all you do is simple forward scattering. If you do more computationally intensive multiple scattering methods the silver lining of the clouds tends to be less severe. Not sure if you have control over this at all...



Awesome rendering by the way.

I think that this all looks great except for the planet in the bottom right. Like someone else said, I think that it doesn't fit very well. Aside from that, the rest is great. Good work and Happy Thanksgiving.

I love the wallpaper as a whole. Can't wait to see the dual and tri screen renderings.

Amazing, as always. The sky, clouds, planet, water are AWESOME.



Only thing: I find that thingy at the bottom of the picture doesn't fit in to the whole scene. It's great on its own, but it feels like it was implanted from a different, sci-fi sort of picture. I'm not sure if it's the colour or design or something.



But fantastic. 10/10, just breathtaking as always!!!

it is not realistic. It's like a mix of two beautiful pictures.



It doesn't have to be realistic - of course - but I can't help comparing it with realism anyway.



I'm not sure if I really like it or not. Still, it IS strikingly beautiful.

Overall I love it, I think the only thing I would change is the brightness...just on the bright spot in the middle. I like darker wallpapers personally...they stress my eyes less. Great job on the clouds!!

I really do like it, I love your work and especially the planetscapes!

I would love to see this rendered without the clouds/haze so the darkness of space becomes more apparent. Perhaps the overall brightness could be dimmed a bit since it appears to be daylight on the astronomer's planet. The small moon is a bit on the oval side and the texture on the platform makes it appear grainy. With a few more tweaks I think you'll have another perfect work of art!

This is a sweet piece. I love the mix of planetscape and night scenery. It looks like this planet is a neighbor of Agni!



My only constructive criticism is the clouds look a little odd, a little too wispy. But, since it's on a different planet, there could definitely be a reason for that.



Great addition, Ryan! It's worth the wait. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

What can I say - it's gorgeous. Very powerful image - I love it!

The idea of this Design is very nice, but that's where it ends.



I was very excited when it started to download as the top half is quite beautiful!. but then the design starts to loose me half way down, The Clouds for a start feels very artificial. The peer with the thing at the end is very much in the way and subtracts from this design. The Planets and anomaly is beautiful... but the anomaly makes me think of the Cosmos Design you did earlier this year, and is far too similar in that regard. The Color is overall too bright, deeper colours would have been much nicer!. The Fog on the Horizon also don't look right.



I don't mean to run your work down Ryan, but this needs some more tweaking!.



6/10

The light spot in combination with the pink and blue clouds in the middle remembers me of a spiral galaxy... Great work. It was worth waiting.

That is wicked awesome!



Now awaiting the lengthy render time for the triple screen version; and crossing my fingers that we don't get too much of a "barrel" effect of a virtual camera lens.

lucky astronomer.

Well worth the wait, great work as always....

My first reaction when I saw this was complete and total amazement! That picture is awesome! Keep up the great work!



Greg in KC

I love the pink and blue in the sky. Beautiful scene. This one gets 2 thumbs up.