Magazine Posts

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

What created the unusual halo around the Cat's Eye nebula? No one is sure. What is sure is that the Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) is one of the best known planetary nebulae on the sky. Although haunting symmetries are seen in the bright central region, this image was taken to feature its intricately structured outer halo, which spans over three light-years across. Planetary nebulae have long been appreciated as a final phase in the life of a Sun-like star. Only recently however, have some planetaries been found to have expansive halos, likely formed from material shrugged off during earlier puzzling episodes in the star's evolution. While the planetary nebula phase is thought to last for around 10,000 years, astronomers estimate the age of the outer filamentary portions of the Cat's Eye Nebula's halo to be 50,000 to 90,000 years.

Photo by Bray Falls

"While many American students and their parents worry that the next mass shooting could happen at their school, schools are also facing a number of other threats that do not involve guns. Many of these threats are related to the mental health of educators and students" .... Read more

What happened to love?
What happened to fame?
Why has our life,
gone incredibly lame?
If you know the answer,
please tell me now,
for all of my feelings
I will not disavow.

Come forth the morning.
Bring in a new dawn.
Let the Sunbeams,
create brightness and shadow,
while making us warm,
may a warm rain appear, as
the garden is thirsty.

I will write things
about words and how,
they will play against,
one and another.

Isn't it hard?
Isn't it just,
when you
find a new love,
it isn't enough.
Draw forth the comments,
tell us we're wrong,
you won't get well here,
for you don't belong.

There is no need
for you to sit there,
with your pompous attitude,
and when you don't care.

Give it a rest,
you said to me,
but I cannot do it,
so please let me be.

Let me enjoy life's joys
for if I don't, my mind
plays not with toys.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Why does Saturn appear so big? It doesn't -- what is pictured are foreground clouds on Earth crossing in front of the Moon. The Moon shows a slight crescent phase with most of its surface visible by reflected Earthlight known as ashen glow. The Sun directly illuminates the brightly lit lunar crescent from the bottom, which means that the Sun must be below the horizon and so the image was taken before sunrise. This double take-inducing picture was captured on 2019 December 24, two days before the Moon slid in front of the Sun to create a solar eclipse. In the foreground, lights from small Guatemalan towns are visible behind the huge volcano Pacaya. News: APOD Receives First Outreach Prize from the International Astronomical Union

Photo by Francisco Sojuel

Why?
If you are a just God,
why does this disease,
happen to good people?
Please tell me, so I
can understand, for
I do not, at the moment

The light,
the shadow,
meld into grey,
A colorful spot,
who's to say?

I love you, strange you are,
as we await the end of day.
I will always love you,
until I have gone away.

I do not like masks,
but I am aware,
they are a necessary,
part of today's life.
I do find the masks,
bring forth, a sensuality,
when you see the
eyes above the mask.
They are enticing.
Not many pleasures
in this life we know.

Camano Island, WA

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

It's stars versus dust in the Carina Nebula and the stars are winning. More precisely, the energetic light and winds from massive newly formed stars are evaporating and dispersing the dusty stellar nurseries in which they formed. Located in the Carina Nebula and known informally as Mystic Mountain, these pillar's appearance is dominated by the dark dust even though it is composed mostly of clear hydrogen gas. Dust pillars such as these are actually much thinner than air and only appear as mountains due to relatively small amounts of opaque interstellar dust. About 7,500 light-years distant, the featured image was taken with the Hubble Space Telescope and highlights an interior region of Carina which spans about three light years. Within a few million years, the stars will likely win out completely and the entire dust mountain will evaporate.