Magazine Posts

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

This pretty starfield spans about three full moons (1.5 degrees) across the heroic northern constellation of Perseus. It holds the famous pair of open star clusters, h and Chi Persei. Also cataloged as NGC 869 (top) and NGC 884, both clusters are about 7,000 light-years away and contain stars much younger and hotter than the Sun. Separated by only a few hundred light-years, the clusters are both 13 million years young based on the ages of their individual stars, evidence that they were likely a product of the same star-forming region. Always a rewarding sight in binoculars, the Double Cluster is even visible to the unaided eye from dark locations.

Photo by Mårten Frosth

Forward, ever forward,
where I often went,
looking, always looking,
to be pleasure bent.

Obscene inferences in
the verse above.
All I ever needed
was everlasting love.

We had all that
many a month and day,
until the music stopped
and we lost our way.

Be it bad luck,
or be it just chance,
I was never accepted,
when asking someone to dance.

I sprinted towards
the top of the hill.
If I didn't do it,
no one else will.

Waxing and waning,
poling a raft.
I'm asking a question,
Do you think I'm daft?

Sun falling slower,
than honey from a spoon.
Sunset can't arrive here,
any time real soon.

Where will life's path lead,
after you're gone?
Loneliness will be my companion.
I will move along.

The dreams we shared,
so long ago,
have disappeared from
our shattered world.

My memories, of our life,
now past, in sublime,
but now all the memories,
are simply mine.

Four score and eight years ago,
I was a writer of verse and
did portrait sketches, in pencil.
My writing is back unrehearsed.

At this moment, I am trying
to remember the joy
of sketching, when capturing
an image of a woman or child's face.

I expect it's too much
to do everything well.
At this moment, my life
is a living hell.

I need this skill if I am
to keep my sanity.
I hope it's not because
it's for my vanity.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

On July 4, an almost Full Moon rose in planet Earth's evening skies. Also known as a Buck Moon, the full lunar phase (full on July 3 at 11:39 UTC) was near perigee, the closest point in the Moon's almost monthly orbit around planet Earth. That qualified this July's Full Moon as a supermoon, the first of four supermoons in 2023. Seen from Cocoa Beach along Florida's Space Coast on July 4, any big, bright, beautiful Full Moon would still have to compete for attention though. July's super-moonrise was captured here against a super-colorful fireworks display.

Photo by Michael Seeley

"AI (artificial intelligence) technology is constantly advancing and can sometimes be seen as an existential threat. However, the real risk posed by AI is not the popular dystopian fear of robots taking over, but rather the implications of human-created algorithms that are designed to make decisions automatically. These algorithms can contain biases and lead to unfair decisions, as well as cause unintended outcomes, such as job losses or the spread of false information....,". More at The Conversation ➜

Egg salad sandwiches are a classic dish that is easy to make. To make your own, you will need hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, celery, and salt and pepper. There are also other ingredients for add-in ideas you may consider.  Enjoy your egg salad sandwich on your favorite sandwich bread and top it with lettuce and tomato if desired. More at Simply Recipes ➜