The sunsets this Fall have been incredible.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

The history of the Moon is partly written in its craters. Pictured here is a lunar panorama taken from Earth featuring the large craters Langrenus, toward the left, and Petavius, toward the right. The craters formed in separate impacts. Langrenus spans about 130 km, has a terraced rim, and sports a central peak rising about 3 km. Petavius is slightly larger with a 180 km diameter and has a distinctive fracture that runs out from its center. Although it is known that Petravius crater is about 3.9 billion years old, the origin of its large fracture is unknown. The craters are best visible a few days after a new Moon, when shadows most greatly accentuate vertical walls and hills. The featured image is a composite of the best of thousands of high-resolution, infrared, video images taken through a small telescope. Although mountains on Earth will likely erode into soil over a billion years, lunar craters Langrenus and Petavius will likely survive many billions more years, possibly until the Sun expands and engulfs both the Earth and Moon. Watch: the November 11 Transit of Mercury from Earth or from Space.

Photo by Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau

I have the bedroom window open
and the wind moves the slats.
Awakening, I forget where I am;
still in our bed, toasty warm.
I hear the splatter of new rain,
tap dancing on the roof
as clouds loose their torrent
on the thirsty earth.

Joined together or be apart?
A good question for the heart.
Do we stand alone or with another?
Time will tell, Sisters and Brothers.
Off we go into a life of pain.
Away from love's sad refrain.
I care not about the fate of me,
Just leave me now. Let me be.

The fallen leaves
are so very dry,
I use a vacuum
or I do try
to suck the leaves
up from the grass
but the wind blows
and leaves do fall
as I pass,
from limbs above
adding to my amass.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Tomorrow -- Monday -- Mercury will cross the face of the Sun, as seen from Earth. Called a transit, the last time this happened was in 2016. Because the plane of Mercury's orbit is not exactly coincident with the plane of Earth's orbit, Mercury usually appears to pass over or under the Sun. The featured time-lapse sequence, superimposed on a single frame, was taken from a balcony in Belgium shows the entire transit of 2003 May 7. That solar crossing lasted over five hours, so that the above 23 images were taken roughly 15 minutes apart. The north pole of the Sun, the Earth's orbit, and Mercury's orbit, although all different, all occur in directions slightly above the left of the image. Near the center and on the far right, sunspots are visible. After Monday, the next transit of Mercury will occur in 2032. Watch: the November 11 Transit of Mercury from Earth or from Space.

Photo by Dominique Dierick

The burning bush of light and flame
Creates a need for me to explain.
It's not the fear from the bush ablaze,
But the lack of love, that does amaze.
Why all the hate in this World today,
When those that hate should go away.
Away from those different than thee
Letting the love of others be..

A new adventure, every day.
It's now time to put away
the clothes of this Summer past.
Bring out the Winter warmth
of turtleneck sweaters and of course
the heavy coats with scarves and mittens.
Rain boots and socks of wool
to keep your feet so very warm.
Let's not forget a nice warm hat
to keep the cold from ears and head.
Stay warm as Winter's near.

#camano #whidbey #saratogapass

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

On May 25, 1961 U.S. president John Kennedy announced the goal of landing astronauts on the Moon by the end of the decade. By November 9, 1967 this Saturn V rocket was ready for launch and the first full test of its capabilities on the Apollo 4 mission. Its development directed by rocket pioneer Wernher Von Braun, the three stage Saturn V stood over 36 stories tall. It had a cluster of five first stage engines fueled by liquid oxygen and kerosene which together were capable of producing 7.9 million pounds of thrust. Giant Saturn V rockets ultimately hurled nine Apollo missions to the Moon and back again with six landing on the lunar surface. The first landing mission, Apollo 11, achieved Kennedy's goal on July 20, 1969. Watch: the November 11 Transit of Mercury from Earth or from Space.