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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Could Queen Calafia's mythical island exist in space? Perhaps not, but by chance the outline of this molecular space cloud echoes the outline of the state of California, USA. Our Sun has its home within the Milky Way's Orion Arm, only about 1,000 light-years from the California Nebula. Also known as NGC 1499, the classic emission nebula is around 100 light-years long. On the featured image, the most prominent glow of the California Nebula is the red light characteristic of hydrogen atoms recombining with long lost electrons, stripped away (ionized) by energetic starlight. The star most likely providing the energetic starlight that ionizes much of the nebular gas is the bright, hot, bluish Xi Persei just to the right of the nebula. A regular target for astrophotographers, the California Nebula can be spotted with a wide-field telescope under a dark sky toward the constellation of Perseus, not far from the Pleiades. Explore Your Universe: Random APOD Generator

Photo by Steven Powell

Setting of the Sun,
spills shadows to the ground.
A gentle breeze, moves leaves
without a sound.

In the distance, I hear
the sound of a Loon,
which I understand,
you will have company soon.

A Loon sounds
eerie at night,
as creatures are moving
and Bats take flight.

Well, well, well,
A surprise.
The breakfast, lunch, dinner club,
has been invaded by newcomers.

Ignoring the Inner Sanctum rules,
newcomers invaded the
self-appointed elite status of
sitting in the same chair,
at the same spot, meal after meal.
Supposedly a "by invitation only"
table. The table was also moved a
few feet in the dining room.

Red was the rose,
striking the ground.
Quiet the night,
no one around.

Flowers falling from stems,
to the dirt,
walk careful at night,
you might get hurt.

These words now written
in a careless style,
take time to sink in.
Give it a while.

Where do you go,
after your heart has broken?
Drink for a while,
for he has spoken.

What life is this,
when you don't receive,
the best moments of love,
so important to we.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Are squares A and B the same color? They are! To verify this, either run your cursor over the image or click here to see them connected. The featured illusion, an example of the same color illusion, illustrates that purely human perceptions in science may be ambiguous or inaccurate, even such a seemingly direct perception as relative color. Similar illusions exist on the sky, such as the size of the Moon near the horizon, or the apparent shapes of astronomical objects. The advent of automated, reproducible measuring devices such as CCDs have made science in general and astronomy in particular less prone to, but not free of, human-biased illusions. APOD Year in Review (2023): RJN's Night Sky Network Lecture

Ray Kroc  (1902 -1984), spent most of the first decades of his professional career selling paper cups and milkshake machines. In that process he came across a popular California hamburger restaurant owned by Dick and Mac McDonald, Curious as to why a small restaurant needed 40 Milkshake machines, he looked into it and was impressed by his process, simplicity and cleanliness. He went into business with the brothers and launched the McDonald's franchise in 1955. He went on to purchase the company in 1961 and to transform McDonald's into the world’s largest restaurant franchise. By the time of his death in 1984, the chain had 7,500 outlets across the world with gross sales of $8 billion.

A soft shoe shuffle,
off to Buffalo,
when fate interferes,
there is no place to go.

Lost my Soul,
a long time ago,
looking for excitement
in a dog and pony show.

Forgone the shadows,
upon your feet.
When meeting a stranger,
be sure you greet.