Magazine Posts

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

That's no sunspot. It's the International Space Station (ISS) caught passing in front of the Sun. Sunspots, individually, have a dark central umbra, a lighter surrounding penumbra, and no Dragon capsules attached. By contrast, the ISS is a complex and multi-spired mechanism, one of the largest and most complicated spacecraft ever created by humanity. Also, sunspots circle the Sun, whereas the ISS orbits the Earth. Transiting the Sun is not very unusual for the ISS, which orbits the Earth about every 90 minutes, but getting one's location, timing and equipment just right for a great image is rare. The featured picture combined three images all taken from the same location and at nearly the same time. One image -- overexposed -- captured the faint prominences seen across the top of the Sun, a second image -- underexposed -- captured the complex texture of the Sun's chromosphere, while the third image -- the hardest to get -- captured the space station as it shot across the Sun in a fraction of a second. Close inspection of the space station's silhouette even reveals a docked Dragon Crew capsule.

Photo by Mehmet Ergün

The winds of time lost, have returned,
back again, without a word about spurned
questions raised, of where has time gone.
When reflected on your past, in song,
a collection of words, from long ago,
about the loss of love. I know
no matter the order, lost in time,
I'll think of you always; as mine.
Not a possession or something once owned
but a time when we were both alone.

There are no words
to charm and beguile,
these thoughts of mine
when seeing your smile.

I'm awake. It is 2:30 A. M.
All I hear in my head
is the words "The Candy Man Can."
Why in the World will I succumb
to this continuous musical sound
in my ears at the early time
when I remember it was a TV Ad
using the Music not the words,
and now, my mind is benign.
Do you suppose it is a sign?

Weep for me the Giant said.
Weep for me, though I'm not dead.
Weep for those, who's lives were lost.
Weep for those, not the cost
of moving quickly on lives which matter,
using many words; just idle chatter.
No thought to give for large or small,
treat them kindly; treat them all.

I awake with a start,
as there was a howl,
the bark of a dog,
the hoot of an Owl.
Why did I awake
at this time of the morn?
I do not know,
but I'm glad I did,
for a water pipe was leaking
and I heard the sound
of water running.
Check all the rooms,
until the last one,
where I found the floor wet.
I placed my hand where
the sound was heard
and my hand slipped
on the painted wall.
Went quickly to the
main shut off valve.
I removed the wall board
using a knife and small saw.
There it was. A small brad,
or nail to you, which had hit
the pipe many years ago
and had finally penetrated
to the point the water could
escape.
Love those Shop Vacuums
which suck up water.
Called a plumber the next
day and was back with a
hole to patch and repaint.
Oh the joy of being a
homeowner.

Go you down this life's path.
Do not incur the social wrath.
Seek out others, unlike you.
Gather together. It's what to do.
Be like the Phoenix, arise in the flame.
Complete the circle and do it again.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

After the most famous voyage of modern times, it was time to go home. After proving that humanity has the ability to go beyond the confines of planet Earth, the first humans to walk on another world -- Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin -- flew the ascent stage of their Lunar Module back to meet Michael Collins in the moon-orbiting Command and Service Module. Pictured here on 1969 July 21 and recently digitally restored, the ascending spaceship was captured by Collins making its approach, with the Moon below, and Earth far in the distance. The smooth, dark area on the lunar surface is Mare Smythii located just below the equator on the extreme eastern edge of the Moon's near side. It is said of this iconic image that every person but one was in front of the camera. - NASA Remembers Michael Collins -

There are reasons,
are there not,
for our behavior,
we have sought?
How we treat
Sisters and Brothers,
not how we
treat each other.
There's no love,
only the sorrow
when praying for
a new tomorrow.
Stand thee tall.
Do not borrow,
life is short
and will end
in the darkness
and the wind.

A thought will pop into my head,
It won't leave and will not shed.
The result becomes a slurry of words,
as I search, for the meaning of absurd.
Long will I write, as thoughts pour
through this head of mine, for
it won't be long, until I can
be shown the proverbial door.