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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Only in the fleeting darkness of a total solar eclipse is the light of the solar corona easily visible. Normally overwhelmed by the bright solar disk, the expansive corona, the sun's outer atmosphere, is an alluring sight. But the subtle details and extreme ranges in the corona's brightness, although discernible to the eye, are notoriously difficult to photograph. Pictured here, however, using multiple images and digital processing, is a detailed image of the Sun's corona taken during the April 20, 2023 total solar eclipse from Exmouth, Australia. Clearly visible are intricate layers and glowing caustics of an ever changing mixture of hot gas and magnetic fields. Bright looping prominences appear pink just around the Sun's limb. A similar solar corona might be visible through clear skies in a narrow swath across the North America during the total solar eclipse that occurs just six days from today NASA Coverage: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8

Photo by Phil Hart

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

What's happening to the big black hole in the center of our galaxy? It is sucking in matter from a swirling disk -- a disk that is magnetized, it has now been confirmed. Specifically, the black hole's accretion disk has recently been seen to emit polarized light, radiation frequently associated with a magnetized source. Pictured here is a close-up of Sgr A*, our Galaxy's central black hole, taken by radio telescopes around the world participating in the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration. Superposed are illustrative curved lines indicating polarized light likely emitted from swirling magnetized gas that will soon fall into the 4+ million mass central black hole. The central part of this image is likely dark because little light-emitting gas is visible between us and the dark event horizon of the black hole. Continued EHT monitoring of this and M87's central black hole may yield new clues about the gravity of black holes and how infalling matter creates disks and jets. NASA Predicts: Moon to Get in Way of Sun

Her skin was pale,
you could call it fair,
with eyes of brown,
the girl with Ebony hair.

Her voice did sparkle,
a nice trait, but rare,
as a quintessential soul,
the girl with Ebony hair.

I met her a while ago,
not remembering where,
but I fell in love with,
the girl with Ebony hair.

So many years, past,
a life we did share,
now she is gone,
the girl with the Ebony hair.

How much I miss her,
I'm willing to share,
forever the memories of
the girl with the Ebony hair.

Why am I sad?
I sit here, I do,
Where have you gone?
What did I do?

I feel like,
I'm in a trance.
My body wants you,
I want to dance.

Dance with you, slowly,
the old style dance,
and keep you close,
as I'll have a chance,

to love you tomorrow,
and the following day,
for I won't let you go,
I need you to stay.

Love me today.
Love me tomorrow.
Love through good times,
Love me when in sorrow.

Slanting, driving, Summer rain
How you wash my heart of pain!
How you make me think of trees,
Ships and gulls and flashing seas!
In your furious, tearing wind,
Swells a chant that heals my mind;
And your passion high and proud,
Makes me shout and laugh aloud!

Autumn rains that start at dawn,
“Dropping veils of thinnest lawn,”
Soaking sod between dank grasses,
Sweeping golden leaves in masses,—
Blotting, blurring out the Past,
In a dream you hold me fast;
Calling, coaxing to forget
Things that are, for things not yet.

Winter tempest, winter rain,
Hurtling down with might and main,
You but make me hug my hearth,
Laughing, sheltered from your wrath.
Now I woo my dancing fire,
Piling, piling drift-wood higher.
Books and friends and pictures old,
Hearten while you pound and scold!

Pattering, wistful showers of Spring
Set me to remembering
Far-off times and lovers too,
Gentle joys and heart-break rue,—
Memories I’d as lief forget,
Were not oblivion sadder yet.
Ah! you twist my mind with pain,
Wistful, whispering April rain!

Summer, Autumn, Winter rain,
How you ease my heart of pain!
Whispering, wistful showers of Spring,
How I love the hurt you bring!

This poem from Jessie Redmon Fauset is in the public domain.

Jessie Redmon Fauset (1882 – 1961) was a poet, essayist, novelist, educator and editor from the Harlem Renaissance. Her literary work helped sculpt African-American literature in the 1920s as she focused on portraying a true image of African-American life and history. She wrote several novels, including There Is Confusion (1924) and Plum Bun (1928). Fauset also served as the editor of The Crisis from 1919–26.... Wikipedia

From a time when I wrote, as if I was a Poet.

A tale of discovery

The heart is a
remarkable thing,
for during our life's
journey, it will bring.

How many times,
can a heart break,
while still repairing itself,
what an effort it will take.

Yet here we are,
on this barren ground,
looking for love,
wherever it may be found.