She's rising as I write. I may crash early though, since I am hoping to see the much more exciting and imminent nova (explosion) of a star in the constellation Corona Borealis. T CrB is overhead after 1 am and due to go off any day now. It does this about every 80 years. It’s 3000 light years away, but it still might be a good show for a few nights. I am definitely messing with my circadian rhythm, getting up at 1am every night! 😵💫
Very much appreciate your AI art rant. I’m especially repulsed by the Studio Ghibli app being peddled on Facebook. I usually post in the comments “🚨Rip Off Alert! Do not buy this app!!” .. but most folks are probably sucked in to see how adorable their mugs or family photos will be for $9.99 –insidiously crafted by criminal software gangsters overseas. 😤
About the Wolf-Rayet star photo. I built the previous generation camera optics for Keck and Palomar in the late 1990’s, and the concentric pattern of the stars’ perturbed gaseous “shells” or rings is real. Amazing resolution from the JWST! However, the radial “spikes” are an artifact of the optics system with 3 struts supporting the secondary mirror, producing “6 diffraction spikes”. They are not real, and over multiple exposures the pattern can rotate a bit or “clock” as we say in astronomy. This can look like changes in the star system, but I assure you that is a misinterpretation of the data by the lovely YouTuber astronomy buff. If you watch the movie closely the gas rings are not moving.
The only recorded true “motion” of a star system was recently reported by astronomers at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. Here’s the clip (12 year time lapse!) of 4 Planets Orbiting HR 8799.
Well, I hope you can find your new abode/sanctuary soon. You are so talented, organized and productive. I for one wish to see you out of the “road trip” mode and settled down. Gosh, we all sure need that humble stability in this crumbling world…
Hey Steph - another great essay. I enjoyed your "rant" and always learn new things from you. It feels like we're all on a roller coaster-thinking of our human experience from the perspective of outer space makes it all seem less significant, somehow. Like maybe we have no real control over anything at all, so we could actually just chill out, and quit worrying so much.
Always enjoy your creative essays—sharing observations, thoughts & memories! Enjoyed Nick Drake’s Pink Moon, too! Never heard of him.
Thanks for introducing me to Nick Drake, Steph!
I like the sound of this guy...Will give him a good listen!
XXX
Happy Pink Full Moon Steph! 🌖
She's rising as I write. I may crash early though, since I am hoping to see the much more exciting and imminent nova (explosion) of a star in the constellation Corona Borealis. T CrB is overhead after 1 am and due to go off any day now. It does this about every 80 years. It’s 3000 light years away, but it still might be a good show for a few nights. I am definitely messing with my circadian rhythm, getting up at 1am every night! 😵💫
Very much appreciate your AI art rant. I’m especially repulsed by the Studio Ghibli app being peddled on Facebook. I usually post in the comments “🚨Rip Off Alert! Do not buy this app!!” .. but most folks are probably sucked in to see how adorable their mugs or family photos will be for $9.99 –insidiously crafted by criminal software gangsters overseas. 😤
About the Wolf-Rayet star photo. I built the previous generation camera optics for Keck and Palomar in the late 1990’s, and the concentric pattern of the stars’ perturbed gaseous “shells” or rings is real. Amazing resolution from the JWST! However, the radial “spikes” are an artifact of the optics system with 3 struts supporting the secondary mirror, producing “6 diffraction spikes”. They are not real, and over multiple exposures the pattern can rotate a bit or “clock” as we say in astronomy. This can look like changes in the star system, but I assure you that is a misinterpretation of the data by the lovely YouTuber astronomy buff. If you watch the movie closely the gas rings are not moving.
The only recorded true “motion” of a star system was recently reported by astronomers at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. Here’s the clip (12 year time lapse!) of 4 Planets Orbiting HR 8799.
https://youtube.com/shorts/x9EG3gbQ5P0?si=2NXssxiFQJp0Xfqx
Well, I hope you can find your new abode/sanctuary soon. You are so talented, organized and productive. I for one wish to see you out of the “road trip” mode and settled down. Gosh, we all sure need that humble stability in this crumbling world…
Take care,
Gérard 🌠
Hey Steph - another great essay. I enjoyed your "rant" and always learn new things from you. It feels like we're all on a roller coaster-thinking of our human experience from the perspective of outer space makes it all seem less significant, somehow. Like maybe we have no real control over anything at all, so we could actually just chill out, and quit worrying so much.