Contributor Posts

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

What's that on either side of the Moon? Starships. Specifically, they are launch-and-return reusable rockets being developed by SpaceX to lift cargo and eventually humans from the Earth's surface into space. The two rockets pictured are SN9 (Serial Number 9) and SN10 which were captured near their Boca Chica, Texas launchpad last month posing below January's full Wolf Moon. The Starships house liquid-methane engines inside rugged stainless-steel shells. SN9 was test-launched earlier this month and did well with the exception of one internal rocket that failed to relight during powered descent. SN10 continues to undergo ground tests and may be test-launched later this month.

Photo by John Kraus

I will not write
because I cannot see,
the evil of men
and their hypocrisy.

A simple February muse,
is about the two's.
Who says they do?
Why, 2021, 21, 02.
Simple words, in kind
lost in my mind.

How do you write the words, as before,
when all of your words are no more?
Words which sprang to paper, easily
because, as if, they would never be,
an anti-thesis of a once, creative mind
which spills globules of words, most unkind.
I long now, for those days so galore,
which have become nothing and are no more.

An earlier time,
a slow dance,
is there time,
for another chance?
Isn't it sad,
an old romance,
never the same,
Cupids arrow perchance,
missed the target
and won't enhance,
the lost love;
an old romance,
just once more.
A last dance.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

In the heart of the Rosette Nebula lies a bright open cluster of stars that lights up the nebula. The stars of NGC 2244 formed from the surrounding gas only a few million years ago. The featured image taken in January using multiple exposures and very specific colors of Sulfur (shaded red), Hydrogen (green), and Oxygen (blue), captures the central region in tremendous detail. A hot wind of particles streams away from the cluster stars and contributes to an already complex menagerie of gas and dust filaments while slowly evacuating the cluster center. The Rosette Nebula's center measures about 50 light-years across, lies about 5,200 light-years away, and is visible with binoculars towards the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros).

Photo by Don Goldman

"Concerns voiced by experts late in 2020 about a “twindemic” seemed to have dissipated as seasonal influenza activity in the United States remains lower than usual. This time last year, close to 100 times as many flu cases had been identified from nearly the same"...Read more

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Slung beneath its rocket powered descent stage Perseverance hangs only a few meters above the martian surface, captured here moments before its February 18 touchdown on the Red Planet. The breath-taking view followed an intense seven minute trip from the top of the martian atmosphere. Part of a high resolution video, the picture was taken from the descent stage itself during the final skycrane landing maneuver. Three taut mechanical cables about 7 meters long are visible lowering Perseverance, along with an electrical umbilical connection feeding signals (like this image), to a computer on board the car-sized rover. Below Perseverance streamers of martian dust are kicked-up from the surface by the descent rocket engines. Immediately after touchdown, the cables were released allowing the descent stage to fly to a safe distance before exhausting its fuel as planned.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

After a 203 day interplanetary voyage, and seven minutes of terror, Perseverance has landed on Mars. Confirmation of the successful landing at Jezero crater was announced from mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California at 12:55 pm PST on February 18. The car-sized Mars rover's Front Left Hazard Avoidance Camera acquired this initial low resolution image shortly after touchdown on mission Sol 0. A protective cover is still on the camera, but the shadow of Perseverance, now the most ambitious rover sent to the Red Planet, is visible cast across the martian surface.

Puerto Rican Salmorejo  is a treat for anyone who loves crab! Traditionally an all-day family affair, buying lump crab meat means you can have this hearty stew and rice on the table in about a half an hour. Click the image below to read Marta Rivera's recipe at Simply Recipes

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Taken on February 6, this snowy mountain and skyscape was captured near Melchsee-Frutt, central Switzerland, planet Earth. The reddish daylight and blue tinted glow around the afternoon Sun are colors of the Martian sky, though. Of course both worlds have the same Sun. From Mars, the Sun looks only about half as bright and 2/3 the size compared to its appearance from Earth. Lofted from the surface of Mars, fine dust particles suspended in the thin Martian atmosphere are rich in the iron oxides that make the Red Planet red. They tend to absorb blue sunlight giving a red tinge to the Martian sky, while forward scattering still makes the light appear relatively bluish near the smaller, fainter Martian Sun. Normally Earth's denser atmosphere strongly scatters blue light, making the terrestrial sky blue. But on February 6 a huge cloud of dust blown across the Mediterranean from the Sahara desert reached the Swiss Alps, dimming the Sun and lending that Alpine afternoon the colors of the Martian sky. By the next day, only the snow was left covered with reddish dust. News from Mars: NASA Perseverance Coverage

Photo by Jens Bydal

The words, softly spoken
are so very intense.
I don't understand for
the words make no sense.
No sense to me now,
to explain why I write
for so many of my words
are sounding so trite.