Starship Asterisk*

Ann, this is the APOD for the picture you posted . .
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080327.html

Photo credit: Don Goldman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iiAX6xBWxo Thought provoking words from biddie67 . . and whether for those reasons, or for reasons of resource depletion or climate change, hopefully those issues could be resolved long before it became a reality for future generations; that said, I would be concerne...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsM5LMDSCEg With that strange equatorial ridge, Iapetus looks like a giant walnut dusted with icing sugar! The similar outlines of the large impact craters, one superimposed over the other, makes it look like something double-stamped onto the surface. I wonder if the ...

Alex Cherney does it again! Another beautifully envisioned picture, superbly executed. I find this image reminiscent of Roger Dean's iconic album artwork from the 70s (particularly "Fragile") Earth-bound astrophotography like this is quite inspirational, it makes me want to try it for myse...

I love the atmosphere of this photograph . . it is such an evocative view, made extra-special by the meteor.

And the link that Joe provided (above) to the photographer's website reveals more beautifully composed pictures.

Wishing a very Happy 70th Birthday to Professor Stephen Hawking, January 8th, 2012

http://www.channel4.com/news/stephen-ha ... h-birthday

. . . 'nuff said !

Thanks for the explanation and trying to find out for me Ann, it's much appreciated. I have also been doing a little digging around online and have found a useful tool on the JPL website that simulates the positions and phases of any object in the solar system for any specified date. It would seem t...

the kittens.jpg Four of ours all came as a 'job-lot', together, a litter from a friends farm too. We were originally only going to have two, but when it came down to choosing, we didn't have the heart to split them up! This picture was taken about 7 years ago, when they were about three months old....

I have just been enjoying the most wonderful clear sky views of Venus, Jupiter and the Moon as twilight fell this evening. Normally I would just use a pair of 10x50 binoculars, but I decided to try looking at them through a bird/nature spotting scope I have. It has a 80mm objective lens and zooms be...

Wow!, it had actually slipped my mind that I'd posted that video . . but thanks for saying so Ann, you're welcome!

Beyond those are such fun cat and dog emoticons . . I didn't even know they were available, , thanks!

Aw!, I really like Sassy and she looks very chic in her red scarf; this year's colour, red is the new black!
I have 2 dogs and 7 cats, I'm a cat person and a dog person! . . it makes for an interesting household

Ann, that's very interesting. Your comments raise a further thought making me wonder then, how old is the universe? By that, I do not mean what is it's age, but how far along is it in it's lifespan? Is it currently a baby, a toddler, a child, a teenager, a young adult, thirty-something, middle-aged,...

I also saw the gibbous Moon with Jupiter in close conjunction last night. And those are great pictures above too, well captured!

Clicking on the link for the uncompressed version of this image, it really is an awe-rora!

Seriously cool

I remember seeing Hale-Bopp back around '97. Over a good number of weeks it provided the best view of a comet I had ever seen. This one looks even more spectacular, I wish it was visible to us in the Northern Hemisphere

Don't let them lull you into a false sense of security . . .

Beyond wrote:the worst they could do is melt all over your feet

. . . that's what they want you to think . . the icemen cometh!

This is only the first wave!

It is, indeed, a beautiful picture! So calm and tranquil, from the conjunction in the infinite blue, to the gently lapping water under a glowing red-amber sky; simply breathtaking. I can almost hear the faint clinking of a lanyard against the mast . . .

Geesh!, how stunning is Saturn! . . reminds me of that line from Fly Me To The Moon, "let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars" . . and now Saturn too, thanks APOD!!

Oh my!, Ann, as the tap-dancing 'new kid on the block' I am just blown away by your message, thank you so much! . . . and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and everyone else the very best for the festive season.

Yay! ♫♪♫ here comes the sun, dee-de-doo-dah! ♪♪♫ here comes the sun, and I say it's alright! ♪♫♪♪♫ Hmm, of course I'm imagining this, but the sun definitely feels warmer today . . and it looks a smidgen higher in the sky too :D I'm doubtful those concrete pipes will last as long out there in the Uta...

orion the hunter 400x530 starstruck.jpg I saw Orion hanging over houses decorated for various holidays I had the pleasure of a similar view myself and had just taken this picture from outside my own house a couple of evenings before: The Hunter emerging from the cover of clouds to the east, on his ...

Well, after searching the sky at dusk in vain for what seems like weeks and weeks now, I have at last had the most rewarding view of Venus this Sunday evening, as the last light drained from the sky, very low against the hills, in the south-west. So bright! So clear! Out there, twinkling away beauti...

Out exercising the dogs for three quarters of an hour or so this evening, giving myself a crick in the neck and not really looking properly where I was going, as I admired the Geminid light show up above. Never seen so many meteors over a thirty minute period, they were coming relatively thick and f...

er . . . is this the right room for an argument?