Starship Asterisk*

For the APOD that appears on 2023 February 15, here is what ChatGPT returned when asked to rewrite the text in the style of ...

Shakespeare:

Lo and behold! A sky most strange and rare
That captured the heart and eye, so fair.
A quest was taken by a lensed hand,
To frame the arch of our Milky Band.
Yet, on this eve in January's bloom,
An unexpected light did consume.
The stripes that danced across the night,
Their glow doth come from the Sun's own light.
The camera's wide angle did display
A curved appearance in each ray.
In the foreground, a castle grand,
Château de Losse doth stand.
In the distance, stars doth shine,
Sirius so bright, Mars a fiery sign.
The Pleiades cluster blue and bright,
The red California Nebula in sight.
And, on the right, the galaxy grand,
Andromeda's stars, on high they stand.
The quest was fulfilled, and so we see
The Milky Way, in all its majesty.

Carl Sagan:

The sky that night was a curious blend of the familiar and the unfamiliar. The photographer's objective was to document the well-known band of the Milky Way Galaxy stretching across the sky, with a historic castle in the foreground. However, what was truly surprising was the appearance of the sky in the foreground, aglow with an unfamiliar striped pattern. This pattern, known as airglow, occurs when the Sun excites air high in the Earth's atmosphere, causing it to emit a faint light of its own. The curved appearance of the bands is a result of the wide-angle lens used by the camera. The castle, Château de Losse, is located in southwestern France. In the background, we can see several familiar celestial sights, including the bright star Sirius, the orange planet Mars, the blue Pleiades star cluster, the red California Nebula, and the Andromeda Galaxy, visible on the far right. The mission was a success, as the arching band of the Milky Way is prominent at the top of the frame.

Philomena Cunk:

Well, there was this sky, right? And it was a bit of a mystery, because on the one hand, it looked familiar, but on the other, it was all strange and new. So, there was this photographer, and their big plan was to snap a picture of the Milky Way Galaxy, you know, that band of stars we always hear about. But then, what do you know, the sky in the foreground was glowing in a peculiar way, with these stripey things all over the place. Apparently, they're called airglow, and they happen when the Sun sends its light up into the atmosphere and makes it go all bright. The stripes look bent because the camera lens was huge, like massive. And then there's this castle, Château de Losse, in the foreground, which is in the south-west of France. And in the background, there's all sorts of familiar things, like the bright white star Sirius, the orange planet Mars, the blue Pleiades star cluster, the red California Nebula, and the Andromeda Galaxy, over on the right there. And the best bit, if you ask me, is the Milky Way, stretching right across the top of the picture. The photographer got their shot!

A news reporter who didn't have time to check facts:

Breaking news! A stunning sky was caught on camera in the south of France. The photographer was on a mission to capture the Milky Way Galaxy, you know, that thing in the sky with all the stars. But, in a surprising twist, the foreground sky was lit up with a strange, unfamiliar glow. Experts are calling it airglow, and it's said to happen when the Sun shines its light on the Earth's atmosphere and makes it light up. The stripes in the sky are a result of the huge camera lens used to take the picture. In the foreground is a medieval castle, believed to be in France. And in the background, there's all sorts of amazing sights, including a white star, an orange planet, a blue cluster of stars, a red cloud, and a whole galaxy! All while the Milky Way stretches across the top of the photo. The mission was a success!

Scotty from Star Trek:

"Aye, ye'll nae believe what I saw the other night! I was out takin' some photos of the sky and I came across a sight I've ne'er seen before. It was a band of light that stretched across the whole sky! I was told it was called airglow, caused by the Sun's light excitin' the air high up in our atmosphere. And ye'll nae believe it, but it was givin' off a light of its own. The camera lens made it look like a curve, but it was a sight to behold. And ye'll never guess where it was - in front of the Château de Losse in southwest France. And there was more! Sirius, Mars, the Pleiades star cluster, the California Nebula, and even the Andromeda Galaxy were all there in the background. It was a great sight, I tell ye. And across the top of the frame, the Milky Way was showin' itself off in all its glory."

A different and jealous astrophotographer:

"T'was a night for the capturing of celestial sights, and as I roamed the earth below, I stumbled upon a scene that would bring even the steadiest of hearts to a slow. Lo and behold, a photographer was there, with his lens fixed upon the sky so fair. He claimed to have captured the Milky Way, but I know that the true beauty lay elsewhere that day. I ventured closer, eager to see, and to my surprise, the foreground was aglow with colors, like nothing I'd seen before, oh my! This photographer, with his arrogant air, thinks he's captured something rare. But I say nay, for these colors, they're not rare, they're airglow, seen everywhere! And as for his medieval manor in view, I know of one much grander too. No, I shall not be outdone by this charlatan, I shall capture the skies in a manner more grand."

The planet Mars:

Ah, the nightsky. I have seen much in my many orbits around the sun, but this one is unique. The photographer's mission was to capture the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy, but little did they know that I too would be in the frame. The glowing striped bands, known as airglow, can be seen across the entire sky. These bands result from air high in the Earth's atmosphere being excited by the Sun's light and emitting a faint light of its own. While the Château de Losse in southwest France may be the foreground, I am the star of the show. The other familiar objects in the background, such as Sirius, the Pleiades star cluster, and the Andromeda Galaxy, are all just supporting characters. The mission was a success, with the arching band of the Milky Way captured across the top of the frame. But let's be real, it's all about me, Mars, the magnificent red planet.

Marvin, the paranoid android in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:

Oh, joy. Another example of the humans basking in the glory of their own perceived greatness. They've gone and captured this "unusual sky," so they say. As if it's so special. And what's this about the "familiar central band of our Milky Way Galaxy?" Familiar to whom, exactly? The humans, of course. As if they're the center of the universe. Well, let me tell you, the view from down here on the pleiades isn't so grand. We're just another bunch of dots in the sky, after all. But no, they have to go and focus on the Château de Losse in southwest France. Of course. Because that's so much more important than the rest of us. And Sirius, that showoff, always hoging the limelight. And then there's Mars, getting all the attention because it's "orange." I mean, what's that even supposed to mean? And as for the rest of us, well, we might as well not exist for all the notice they take of us. I don't know what they see in this whole night sky business. It's enough to make a star paranoid.

This would all be clearer with the original APOD text that is being re-interpreted.

This unusual sky was both familiar and unfamiliar. The photographer's mission was to capture the arch of the familiar central band of our Milky Way Galaxy over a picturesque medieval manor. The surprise was that on this January evening, the foreground sky was found glowing in a beautiful but unfamiliar manner. The striped bands are called airglow and they result from air high in Earth's atmosphere being excited by the Sun's light and emitting a faint light of its own. The bands cross the entire sky - their curved appearance is due to the extremely wide angle of the camera lens. In the foreground lies Château de Losse in southwest France. Other familiar sky delights dot the distant background including the bright white star Sirius, the orange planet Mars, the blue Pleiades star cluster, the red California Nebula, and, on the far right, the extended Andromeda Galaxy. The initial mission was also successful: across the top of the frame is the arching band of our Milky Way.

Wow. That Shakespeare piece is something to enjoy, and I'm saying it not as a native English speaker.

It's amazing how AI can mimic different styles. I love it!