Contributor Posts

The shadows grow long,
as daylight disappears,
for the days are shorter
this time of the year.
The Sun sets with a whimper,
on this clearest night
as darkness falls
and the cold takes its bite.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

What happening above that volcano? Something very unusual -- a volcanic light pillar. More typically, light pillars are caused by sunlight and so appear as a bright column that extends upward above a rising or setting Sun. Alternatively, other light pillars -- some quite colorful -- have been recorded above street and house lights. This light pillar, though, was illuminated by the red light emitted by the glowing magma of an erupting volcano. The volcano is Italy's Mount Etna, and the featured image was captured with a single shot a few hours after sunset in mid-June. Freezing temperatures above the volcano's ash cloud created ice-crystals either in cirrus clouds high above the volcano -- or in condensed water vapor expelled by Mount Etna. These ice crystals -- mostly flat toward the ground but fluttering -- then reflected away light from the volcano's caldera. Explore Your Universe: Random APOD Generator

Photo by Giancarlo Tinè

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

What is that light in the sky? Perhaps one of humanity's more common questions, an answer may result from a few quick observations. For example -- is it moving or blinking? If so, and if you live near a city, the answer is typically an airplane, since planes are so numerous and so few stars and satellites are bright enough to be seen over the din of artificial city lights. If not, and if you live far from a city, that bright light is likely a planet such as Venus or Mars -- the former of which is constrained to appear near the horizon just before dawn or after dusk. Sometimes the low apparent motion of a distant airplane near the horizon makes it hard to tell from a bright planet, but even this can usually be discerned by the plane's motion over a few minutes. Still unsure? The featured chart gives a sometimes-humorous but mostly-accurate assessment. Dedicated sky enthusiasts will likely note -- and are encouraged to provide -- polite corrections. Chart translations: Spanish, Italian, Polish, Kannada, Latvian, Norwegian, and Turkish

Photo by The League of Lost Causes

Photo shared by Heather Cox Richardson from Letters from an American

Will you stand by my side,
for this long, lifetime ride,
as we go down the path,
taking stride after stride?

We're in a cabin,
deep in the woods.
The fire is dying,
some embers are bright,
perhaps they will last
through the chilly night.
I hear an Owl hoot,
from someplace nearby.
The sound it makes
is more like a cry.
more night sounds,
the creak of new wood,
as the cold and heat
shrinks it, as it should.
There is a new sound
of silence, you can hear,
others now breathing.
I catch my self,
as I have a big yawn.
Back to sleep now,
it's close to the Dawn.

I have lost track of the hours,
on my trek to the Sun
and will continue my journey,
alone; not together, just one.

Be still my heart,
the old man cried.
Bring forth the memories
I thought were gone.
Re-kindle this life,
with the dreams last.
Show the way. Escape the night,
past all the moon light rays.
Being all there is
the end of all days.

I wish that my mind
was like a gold laden mine
and I could be transported,
back in to the time,
where many old friends,
were still here to see
and exchange our greetings,
from here to all of thee.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Returning along its 6.4 year orbit, periodic comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P) is caught in this telescopic frame from November 7. Sweeping past background stars in the constellation Gemini the comet's dusty tail stretches toward the upper right to Upsilon Geminorum. Also known as Pollux, Beta Geminorum, Gemini's brightest star, shines just off the upper left edge of the field-of-view. Churyumov-Gerasimenko reached its 2021 perihelion or closest approach to the Sun on November 2. At perigee, its closest approach to planet Earth on November 12, this comet was about 0.42 astronomical units away, though it remains too faint to be seen by eye alone. The well-studied comet was explored by robots from planet Earth during its last trip through the inner solar system. It's now famous as the final resting place for the historic Rosetta spacecraft and Philae lander.

Photo by CARA Project

Write of the words
which come to light,
during morning hours
or when late at night.

Words all jumbled
within my aged head,
which want to escape
and be written or said.

Words like, "I love you"
said in many ways,
to carry us through
our vanishing days.

Tell the people
you love them, you'll see,
this love for others
is a renewable commodity.

There are song lyrics,
real or pretend,
"Oh Lord please,
send me a Mercedes Benz."
I'm certain God doesn't
work in this way
but I'll still try, my Lord,
please won't you send me,
a new Bronco, from Ford?