Dec 30
This is how I spent my winter vacation.
No, not literally on Tatooine, but watching the grand saga that surrounds that desolate place.
The vista in this view reminds me of the sands of Edwards Air Force Base, where the shuttle sometimes lands — a spot I hope to see in person one day.
In such empty spaces, it’s easy to think of big things.
Dec 30 Reblogged
APOD: Still Life with NGC 2170
Image Credit & Copyright: Adam Block, Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, U. Arizona
Explanation: In this beautiful celestial still life composed with a cosmic brush, dusty nebula NGC 2170 shines at the upper left. Reflecting the light of nearby hot stars, NGC 2170 is joined by other bluish reflection nebulae, a compact red emission region, and streamers of obscuring dust against a backdrop of stars. Like the common household items still life painters often choose for their subjects, the clouds of gas, dust, and hot stars pictured here are also commonly found in this setting - a massive, star-forming molecular cloud in the constellation Monoceros. The giant molecular cloud, Mon R2, is impressively close, estimated to be only 2,400 light-years or so away. At that distance, this canvas would be about 15 light-years across.
Dec 30 Reblogged
The Daily Show’s John Oliver Visits the Large Hadron Collider
And he found a high school science teacher who thinks that it will destroy the world! And CNN, Fox News and BBC put this guy on TV because they think that counts as “balanced journalism”!!
Dec 27 Reblogged
Dec 27 Reblogged
Mars Movie: I’m Dreaming of a Blue Sunset
This stunning video of a Martian sunset was captured by the Mars Rover Opportunity. Although most movies code the Martian color scheme as red, the sunset shines blue. Find out why.
Dec 26
It’s days like Christmas where I’m most grateful for the people in my life who guide and support me. The “behind the scenes” folks who literally are the wind beneath my wings.
Thanks for being here, the anonymous numerous. See y’all in 2011 :)
(Picture from NASA)
Dec 24
Hi, there. Been a while. I hope to come by more often.
I plan to spend more time contemplating the stars in the coming year.
No matter how things change around me, I know I can look at the sky and see something that remains (by the span of a human lifetime) relatively the same.
