Contributor Posts

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Fading as it races across planet Earth's northern skies comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) shares this telescopic frame with comet C/2022 U2 (ATLAS). Captured on the night of February 6 from a garden observatory in Germany's Bavarian Forest, the starry field of view toward the constellation Auriga spans about 2.5 degrees. Discovered by sky survey projects in 2022 (the Zwicky Transient Facility and the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) these long-period comets are outbound, reaching perihelion just last month. The much fainter comet ATLAS made its closest approach to our fair planet on January 29 at a distance of about 4.6 light-minutes, compared to a mere 2.4 light-minutes for comet ZTF on February 2. This comet ATLAS lacks the well-developed tails of the formerly naked-eye comet ZTF. But both comets sport greenish tinted comas, emission from diatomic carbon molecules fluorescing in sunlight. Continuing its dash across planet Earth's sky, the good-binocular comet ZTF will appear close to bright planet Mars tonight.

Photo by Stefan Bemmerl

Remembering when,
life was young
and now is old.
The story of life,
can now be told.

I see you,
my interest
is piqued
at best.

Not looking
for romance.
Just a chance
to converse.

I seldom
talk with
an adult,
except on
occasion,
with our
children,
or close friend.

Why do
I care?
Probably my
emotional needs,
blowing hot and cold.

Reactionary
at best,
certainly
not planned.

Missing you, as what I see,
You are still waiting here.
It makes me love you more,
for you still call me dear.

An island wedged
among the streams
of rushing water,
sounds of my dream.

How many balls can I juggle?
Bats in the belfry.
Two cards short of a full deck.
A few bricks short of a full load.

Life was good,
life was fine,
then the crap
hit the fan.

How far do I go
avoiding time with
my wife when she
says she wants to
be with me?

Am I destroying her
confidence, mental
condition or not.
What a thought to
wrestle with.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Vivid and lustrous, wafting iridescent waves of color wash across this skyscape from Kilpisjärvi, Finland. Known as nacreous clouds or mother-of-pearl clouds, they are rare. But their unforgettable appearance was captured looking south at 69 degrees north latitude at sunset on January 24. A type of polar stratospheric cloud, they form when unusually cold temperatures in the usually cloudless lower stratosphere form ice crystals. Still sunlit at altitudes of around 15 to 25 kilometers, the clouds can diffract sunlight even after sunset and just before the dawn.

Photo by Dennis Lehtonen

Today seems to be one of sadness.
The thought of losing someone,
close, after all these years,
is very painful, today.
Most days, I deal with this
by avoiding it.
Pre-occupy my thoughts with
other activities, which recquire
concentration.
It is Tax time.

A careless use
of a spoken word,
makes little sense,
when it is absurd.

Hurtful words, are heard,
more often they're inane.
My question seems to be.
Am I becoming insane?

Words once held,
with pride and joy,
were used too often,
starting to annoy.

Words begin to spin and twirl,
upside down, inside out.
Words are different,
whispers become a shout.

Blue is grey, red is too,
rainbow color, a hue,
aren't as colorful,
for all to view.

Shaky,
these words, mine,
involuntary shaking,
not an MS sign.

Thank God for that,
don't wish to burden, She,
with more worry,
which she has for me.

Many of the patients left in the lurch have life-threatening digestive disorders that render them unable to eat or drink. They depend on parenteral nutrition, or PN — in which amino acids, sugars, fats, vitamins, and electrolytes are pumped, in most cases, through a specialized catheter directly into a large vein near the heart..... Read full article at KHN