#extremely large telescope

[ton-618-ton-618]

2024 April 15

A picture of the unusual galaxy M82 is on the left, while the center is expanding and shown in a JWST image on the right. Many red-glowing filaments eminate out from the plane of the spiral galaxy.

Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

The Cigar Galaxy from Hubble and Webb

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Alberto Bolatto (UMD)

Explanation: Something strange happened to this galaxy, but what? Known as the Cigar Galaxy and cataloged as M82, red glowing gas and dust are being cast out from the center. Although this starburst galaxy was surely stirred up by a recent pass near its neighbor, large spiral galaxy M81, this doesn't fully explain the source of the red-glowing outwardly expanding gas and dust. Evidence indicates that this material is being driven out by the combined emerging particle winds of many stars, together creating a galactic superwind. In the featured images, a Hubble Space Telescope image in visible light is shown on the left, while a James Webb Space Telescope image of the central region in infrared light is shown on the right. Detailed inspection of the new Webb image shows, unexpectedly, that this red-glowing dust is associated with hot plasma. Research into the nature of this strange nearby galaxy will surely continue.

[tatmanblue]

Road to the ELT by European Southern Observatory Via Flickr: Today’s Picture of the Week captures the expansive hilltop of Cerro Armazones in Chile, the home of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). The Martian-esque ground may look flat from up here, but the peak is more than 3000 metres above sea level. Ground-based telescopes work best when the atmosphere between them and the Universe is kept to a minimum, making the ELT’s mountaintop perch perfect for observations. Much like the physical road up the mountain, the metaphorical road to the ELT has been equally long. Indeed, the first detailed studies for the project were given the go-ahead on this day exactly 17 years ago. This study kicked off the design process, although it wasn’t for another four years that Cerro Armazones was selected as the future home for the giant telescope. Many milestones have been surpassed since 11 December 2006, and of course, the design has changed somewhat since the original concept. Most recently, the project passed the 50% completion point, and the telescope is now expected to begin operation later this decade. Today, we’re nearing the summit of this mountain of a project. Credit: ESO/G. Vecchia

[spaceflight-insider]

Scientist anticipates finding life beyond our solar system in 25 years

An artist’s rendering of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is currently under construction at Cerro Armazones in Chile’s Atacama Desert. It has an instrument that could help find life beyond our solar system. Credit: ESO Several missions that could detect life beyond our solar system are currently in development, Swiss astrophysicist Sasha Quanz said at the recent opening of ETH Zurich‘s Centre…

[honeydewhale]

Pulling out hair in astronomy

[beetrootsoupdragon]

Fun fact the moon has a bunch of areas called seas on them (they are not actual seas, but old people didnt know that.)

But basically, most of them are named after either features of the sea (like the sea of storms, the sea of cold and the sea of islands) or states of mind (like the sea of tranquility or the sea of serenity.)

In 1959, the Soviet union found another sea, and wanted to name it the sea of Moscow. The only reason this name was accepted by the International Astronomical Union is because apparently Moscow is a state of mind.

[josevte72]

Detectado el destello efímero de ondas de radio cósmicas más lejano y enérgico hasta ahora

Conocida como ‘ráfaga de radio rápida’ (FRB), esta explosión cósmica fugaz fue detectada por el radiotelescopio ASKAP en Australia y confirmada por el potente Very Large Telescope (VLT) del Observatorio Europeo Austral (ESO). Pero, ¿qué hace que este FRB sea tan especial? Se origina en una galaxia tan distante que su luz tardó ¡ocho mil millones de años en llegar hasta nosotros! Denominada FRB…

[nasa]

A simulated image of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s future observations toward the center of our galaxy, spanning less than 1 percent of the total area of Roman’s Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey. The simulated stars were drawn from the Besançon Galactic Model.

Exploring the Changing Universe with the Roman Space Telescope

The view from your backyard might paint the universe as an unchanging realm, where only twinkling stars and nearby objects, like satellites and meteors, stray from the apparent constancy. But stargazing through NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will offer a front row seat to a dazzling display of cosmic fireworks sparkling across the sky.

Roman will view extremely faint infrared light, which has longer wavelengths than our eyes can see. Two of the mission’s core observing programs will monitor specific patches of the sky. Stitching the results together like stop-motion animation will create movies that reveal changing objects and fleeting events that would otherwise be hidden from our view.

Watch this video to learn about time-domain astronomy and how time will be a key element in NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s galactic bulge survey. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

This type of science, called time-domain astronomy, is difficult for telescopes that have smaller views of space. Roman’s large field of view will help us see huge swaths of the universe. Instead of always looking at specific things and events astronomers have already identified, Roman will be able to repeatedly observe large areas of the sky to catch phenomena scientists can't predict. Then astronomers can find things no one knew were there!

One of Roman’s main surveys, the Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey, will monitor hundreds of millions of stars toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers will see many of the stars appear to flash or flicker over time.

This animation illustrates the concept of gravitational microlensing. When one star in the sky appears to pass nearly in front of another, the light rays of the background source star are bent due to the warped space-time around the foreground star. The closer star is then a virtual magnifying glass, amplifying the brightness of the background source star, so we refer to the foreground star as the lens star. If the lens star harbors a planetary system, then those planets can also act as lenses, each one producing a short change in the brightness of the source. Thus, we discover the presence of each exoplanet, and measure its mass and how far it is from its star. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab 

That can happen when something like a star or planet moves in front of a background star from our point of view. Because anything with mass warps the fabric of space-time, light from the distant star bends around the nearer object as it passes by. That makes the nearer object act as a natural magnifying glass, creating a temporary spike in the brightness of the background star’s light. That signal lets astronomers know there’s an intervening object, even if they can’t see it directly.

This artist’s concept shows the region of the Milky Way NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey will cover – relatively uncharted territory when it comes to planet-finding. That’s important because the way planets form and evolve may be different depending on where in the galaxy they’re located. Our solar system is situated near the outskirts of the Milky Way, about halfway out on one of the galaxy’s spiral arms. A recent Kepler Space Telescope study showed that stars on the fringes of the Milky Way possess fewer of the most common planet types that have been detected so far. Roman will search in the opposite direction, toward the center of the galaxy, and could find differences in that galactic neighborhood, too.

Using this method, called microlensing, Roman will likely set a new record for the farthest-known exoplanet. That would offer a glimpse of a different galactic neighborhood that could be home to worlds quite unlike the more than 5,500 that are currently known. Roman’s microlensing observations will also find starless planets, black holes, neutron stars, and more!

This animation shows a planet crossing in front of, or transiting, its host star and the corresponding light curve astronomers would see. Using this technique, scientists anticipate NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope could find 100,000 new worlds. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Chris Smith (USRA/GESTAR)

Stars Roman sees may also appear to flicker when a planet crosses in front of, or transits, its host star as it orbits. Roman could find 100,000 planets this way! Small icy objects that haunt the outskirts of our own solar system, known as Kuiper belt objects, may occasionally pass in front of faraway stars Roman sees, too. Astronomers will be able to see how much water the Kuiper belt objects have because the ice absorbs specific wavelengths of infrared light, providing a “fingerprint” of its presence. This will give us a window into our solar system’s early days.

This animation visualizes a type Ia supernova.

Roman’s High Latitude Time-Domain Survey will look beyond our galaxy to hunt for type Ia supernovas. These exploding stars originate from some binary star systems that contain at least one white dwarf – the small, hot core remnant of a Sun-like star. In some cases, the dwarf may siphon material from its companion. This triggers a runaway reaction that ultimately detonates the thief once it reaches a specific point where it has gained so much mass that it becomes unstable.

NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will see thousands of exploding stars called supernovae across vast stretches of time and space. Using these observations, astronomers aim to shine a light on several cosmic mysteries, providing a window onto the universe’s distant past. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Since these rare explosions each peak at a similar, known intrinsic brightness, astronomers can use them to determine how far away they are by simply measuring how bright they appear. Astronomers will use Roman to study the light of these supernovas to find out how quickly they appear to be moving away from us.

By comparing how fast they’re receding at different distances, scientists can trace cosmic expansion over time. This will help us understand whether and how dark energy – the unexplained pressure thought to speed up the universe’s expansion – has changed throughout the history of the universe.

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will survey the same areas of the sky every few days. Researchers will mine this data to identify kilonovas – explosions that happen when two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole collide and merge. When these collisions happen, a fraction of the resulting debris is ejected as jets, which move near the speed of light. The remaining debris produces hot, glowing, neutron-rich clouds that forge heavy elements, like gold and platinum. Roman’s extensive data will help astronomers better identify how often these events occur, how much energy they give off, and how near or far they are.

And since this survey will repeatedly observe the same large vista of space, scientists will also see sporadic events like neutron stars colliding and stars being swept into black holes. Roman could even find new types of objects and events that astronomers have never seen before!

Learn more about the exciting science Roman will investigate on X and Facebook.

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[wonders-of-the-cosmos]

Mu Cephei is a very large star. An M-class supergiant some 1500 times the size of the Sun, it is one of the largest stars visible to the unaided eye, and even one of the largest in the entire Galaxy. If it replaced the Sun in our fair Solar System, Mu Cephei would easily engulf Mars and Jupiter. Historically known as Herschel's Garnet Star, Mu Cephei is extremely red. Approximately 2800 light-years distant, the supergiant is seen near the edge of reddish emission nebula IC 1396 toward the royal northern constellation Cepheus in this telescopic view.

Image Credit: David Cruz

[just--space]

The Lively Center of the Lagoon Nebula : The center of the Lagoon Nebula is a whirlwind of spectacular star formation. Visible near the image center, at least two long funnel-shaped clouds, each roughly half a light-year long, have been formed by extreme stellar winds and intense energetic starlight. A tremendously bright nearby star, Herschel 36, lights the area. Vast walls of dust hide and redden other hot young stars. As energy from these stars pours into the cool dust and gas, large temperature differences in adjoining regions can be created generating shearing winds which may cause the funnels. This picture, spanning about 10 light years, combines images taken in six colors by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. The Lagoon Nebula, also known as M8, lies about 5000 light years distant toward the constellation of the Archer (Sagittarius). via NASA

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Young Earth-like planet with lava oceans spotted near the Big Dipper

Astronomers have discovered an extreme Earth-like planet that likely hosts lava oceans as it roasts next to its sun-like star near the Big Dipper constellation. 

It is the nearest, young Earth-sized planet ever discovered and – although life could not survive on its superheated surface – the young planet could teach us about the evolution of planets similar to our own.

Ben Capistrant, a doctoral student in astronomy at the University of Florida, was part of the team that discovered the hot Earth and co-first author of the paper along with colleagues from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

The lava planet whips around its young star every four days. In contrast, our solar system’s closest planet, Mercury, takes a leisurely 88 days to orbit the sun.

“So it’s really moving around there. At that distance we expect it to be tidally locked, like how the moon is locked to us with one side always facing the Earth. That means the heating is uneven, and we estimated that the daytime temperature is consistent with molten rock,” making it a “lava Earth,” Capistrant said. 

The Earth-like planet was discovered in data from the Gaia and TESS telescopes, which look for changes in starlight as planets move in front of stars. The planet’s host star is fairly close, just 71 light-years away. The star’s proximity and relative brightness allowed astronomers to detect the subtle signal of the closely orbiting Earth-like planet. 

At just about 500 million years old, the lava Earth is young by planetary standards. That youth will allow Capistrant and the team to study the planet for signs of atmospheric loss. How planets lose their initial atmospheres is little understood and has implications for the habitability of Earth-sized planets. 

“We haven’t seen this process occur, and there isn’t a large sample of young rocky planets like these,” Capistraint said. “We don’t even know if these small planets have atmospheres.”

The Earth-like planet is the third discovered in the system. Two miniature Neptunes also orbit the star.

TOP IMAGE....The relative sizes of the three known planets in the HD 63433 system, with the young Earth-like planet with a lava surface closest to the star. The other two planets are mini-Neptunes. Credit Ben Capistrant

CENTRE IMAGE....A comparison of the orbits of the HD 63433 planetary system compared to our own solar system.  Credit Ben Capistrant

LOWER IMAGE....An artist's rendering of Kepler-10 b, which, like newly discoered exoplanet HD 63433 d is a small, rocky planet in a tight orbit of its star.  Credit NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle

[ton-618-ton-618]

2024 April 18

See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download

the highest resolution version available.

Facing NGC 1232

Image Credit & Copyright: Neil Corke

Explanation: From our vantage point in the Milky Way Galaxy, we see NGC 1232 face-on. Nearly 200,000 light-years across, the big, beautiful spiral galaxy is located some 47 million light-years away in the flowing southern constellation of Eridanus. This sharp, multi-color, telescopic image of NGC 1232 includes remarkable details of the distant island universe. From the core outward, the galaxy's colors change from the yellowish light of old stars in the center to young blue star clusters and reddish star forming regions along the grand, sweeping spiral arms. NGC 1232's apparent, small, barred-spiral companion galaxy is cataloged as NGC 1232A. Distance estimates place it much farther though, around 300 million light-years away, and unlikely to be interacting with NGC 1232. Of course, the prominent bright star with the spiky appearance is much closer than NGC 1232 and lies well within our own Milky Way.

[apod]

2024 May 4

3 ATs Image Credit & Copyright: Yuri Beletsky (Carnegie Las Campanas Observatory, TWAN)

Explanation: Despite their resemblance to R2D2, these three are not the droids you're looking for. Instead, the enclosures house 1.8 meter Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs) at Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert region of Chile. The ATs are designed to be used for interferometry, a technique for achieving extremely high resolution observations, in concert with the observatory's 8 meter Very Large Telescope units. A total of four ATs are operational, each fitted with a transporter that moves the telescope along a track allowing different arrays with the large unit telescopes. To work as an interferometer, the light from each telescope is brought to a common focal point by a system of mirrors in underground tunnels. Above these three ATs, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are the far, far away satellite galaxies of our own Milky Way. In the clear and otherwise dark southern skies, planet Earth's greenish atmospheric airglow stretches faintly along the horizon.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240504.html

[ur-dad-satan]

Starry night (BelphiexF!MC she/they)

4.5k words, 18+, MDNI, enjoy <3

Includes: kissing, oral (both giving and receiving), F! orgasm (squirt), riding, pegging, male anal sex, nicknames, probably more, idk

MC had just finished working out with Beel and went to talk to Belphie as she had a question for him. But… she couldn’t find him anywhere. The human wandered around the House of Lamentation through all the common rooms, the kitchen, the music room, even the bedrooms, but he was nowhere to be found. As a last ditch effort, they made their way to the attic where they finally found him. The usually tired demon was looking through a telescope at the starry Devildom sky. After talking for a bit, they ended up hanging for hours looking at the stars; Beel even came to hang out for a bit and brought snacks, only leaving once he ate them all. Both MC and Belphie ended up falling asleep together, and that day, something changed in MC’s heart. That day spawned intense feelings that they didn’t want to tell Belphegor about just yet.

*.*.*.*.*.

MC looked at the date and suddenly realized that Beel and Belphie’s birthday was coming up and decided they wanted to do something special for them that they’ve never done before. After much convincing, begging, and promises, MC finally got the “okay” from Lord Diavolo and Lucifer to take the twins to the human world for a long weekend celebration. She was so excited, she ran to the two and told them immediately which they were extremely excited about. The Friday before their birthday came before any of them knew it, and that morning the three of them made their way to the Demon Lord’s castle to be teleported to the human world. Once they were there, MC checked them into a fancy hotel and they hung out in the room for a while. For that afternoon, MC planned a buffet tour for Beel that would last a few hours while she and Belphie would have their time together that day. 

“Be sure to dress nice, Belphie.” MC reminded as they got ready for their activity. 

“What, are my lowly demon clothes too bland for your fancy human activities?” Belphie joked. MC rolled their eyes and let out a small laugh. 

“Of course they are.” MC replied sarcastically and kissed the indigo-haired demon's forehead. He scrunched his nose playfully and laughed a bit as MC walked away to finish getting ready. 

Thirty minutes later, the two walked into a large dome shaped building. They went to the large main area and sat in some rather comfortable chairs around the large circular contraption in the center of the room. MC and Belphie talked, with him questioning them until the lights went out. A voice came on over the speakers and a screen Belphie didn't know was on the ceiling lit up with bright pictures and recordings of stars. The young demon was in awe at how beautiful the ceiling suddenly was; the comfy chair and the darkness of the room was no match for his love of astronomy. 

“MC, are these human world stars?” He asked in awe. A giant grin slipping onto his face comfortably. MC nodded and took the time to explain the missing context of common human world knowledge that he didn't know so he could thoroughly enjoy the show. Brightly colored planets, bright stars, and muted yet bright galaxies flooded the giant screen all around them and lit up his wonder filled face. Afterward, they walked around the science center hand in hand taking in all the different space themed attractions and even stopping by the gift shop to get him a little something to remember the human world constellations. 

Once the two got back to the hotel, they realized that Beel had another two hours on his tour, so they had two more hours to hang out together. They decided to cuddle up together and watch MC's favorite horror movie: Silent Hill. The two watched the movie for a while until MC looked up from her side where the demon lay with his head on her side. His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist and a small contented smile danced wistfully across his lips. MC thought he looked absolutely adorable and leaned down to kiss his cheek as a small sign of affection. Belphie on the other hand looked up to ask them a question at the same time. Their lips barely met before MC pulled back; surprise spread across their face while a smirk painted Belphie’s.

“Tsk tsk. MC, if you’re going to kiss me, then do it right.” He playfully taunted. MC shrugged and without a moment’s hesitation, they pulled him up a bit and connected their lips. The kiss was short, sweet, and innocent but left Belphie’s cheeks with a slight tint of pink. He looked away for a moment before regaining his sweet yet suggestive tone.”Is that all you’ve got?” He asked teasingly.

“If you want me to kiss you, you can just ask, Belphie.” MC grinned at him and gently held his chin to ensure he kept looking at them. His cheeks tinted a bit more but was still almost unnoticeable and he squirmed a bit, readjusting himself to sit up completely.

“Sounds like you just want me to kiss you.” Belphie sassed, but leaned in to kiss the human anyway. It was intended to be another short, innocent kiss, but his hand found its way to their cheek and he deepened it. Though it was still relatively short, it started to heat up just a bit. When Belphie pulled away, he glanced down at himself briefly then looked back up to MC with a goofy smile.

“What?” They asked, holding back a laugh.

“Look what you’ve done to me, MC. This is your fault.” He said partially jokingly and gestured to the slight tint in his pants. MC let out their laugh and looked Belphie in the eye. There was just something about him in that moment that MC just had to have.

“And what do you want me to do about it, honey?” MC asked getting close once more. She smirked and a glint of mischief in both of their eyes. 

“I mean… you could definitely help me out.” He said in a low tone. At this point, the movie had been forgotten and any hint of tiredness that may have been present in Belphie was no more. 

“Hmm, you’re lucky you’re so cute.” MC joked and leaned in to kiss him once more. Unlike the previous ones, this kiss was intentionally spicy. Belphie smirked into it and started to feel MC up. His pretty hands ran all over MC’s thighs, then back, and ended up cupping their face. MC didn’t know what came over them but they pulled Belphie into their lap like he weighed nothing and held him by his hips; he didn’t seem to mind. MC began palming Belphie’s growing bulge over his pants making his breath hitch against their lips. He grinded into their hand and let out a small moan. MC loved the sound and started to kiss Belphie’s neck to hear him more. The new sensation made the demon’s breath become heavier and his hips grinded down against MC’s hand almost reflexively. 

“Shit. Please-” Belphie tried to speak but his breath caught as MC lightly bit his neck. It was like his mind completely went blank and his head drifted to one side to give MC better access. 

“Please what?” MC asked between wet kisses to his neck. “Should I give you hickeys?” They asked again. Belphie’s ability to form words seemed to disappear as he nodded his head and pressed his body against theirs. They took their time to kiss and suck dark red marks all over his neck and upper chest for a bit. MC rocked forward and stood up with Belphie still in their arms and turned to help him lay on his back. They pulled away and helped him remove his pants, then they removed their shirt. The human gently pushed his legs apart, and propped themself up on their elbows and smirked up at the ombre-haired demon.

“MC, stop teasing me. You’re supposed to be helping me out.” Belphie complained and looked at the gorgeous human so close to his groin. MC hummed in acknowledgement and started marking up Belphie’s thighs as well. The slight sting of their teeth being sharper than he anticipated only made him harder and the whole teasing thing more torturous. Their movements were so sensual and gentle yet certain and precise that butterflies fluttered violently in his stomach as they got closer to his dick. She kissed him over his boxers and even through the thin fabric, Belphie felt every tiny movement and his breath caught once more. MC’s hands found their way under his boxers and onto his hard cock; his breath shuddered and his hips unintentionally bucked into MC’s hand. She smiled and moved his underwear to the side and let a bit of saliva roll off of her tongue onto the head before taking it in her mouth.

“Ah, fu-” His own breathless moan caught in his throat. MC bobbed up and down, taking more of him each time while watching the way his face reacted. Belphie also watched MC’s movements with intense focus but found them looking a little too overwhelming. He let his head fall back onto the bed to hide the blush that now burned his cheeks. It didn't take long, all MC did was take his entire hard cock down her throat to make him cum down it. His hips jerked and hit her uvula making her gag but she still swallowed every last drop. His desperate and shuttering moans were like music to MC’s ears and it just made her more wet than she already was. Despite his orgasm, neither of them were anywhere near done. The human pulled off his dick with a ‘pop' and grinned. 

“My turn.” They said before climbing up the plush hotel bed and kissing Belphie who had almost finished catching his breath. MC removed their bottoms and sat beside Belphie before helping him out of his shirt. His cheeks were slightly flushed, but fuck if he didn't look good in that after orgasm glow. 

“I think you made me see stars, MC.” Belphie joked. MC chuckled and kissed his lips once more, then straddled his chest. He knew exactly what she wanted. 

“Well you're about to see more, baby.” MC joked and let themself be pulled to Belphie’s mouth. The demon quickly went to work; his tongue moving around skillfully and his lips caressing and sucking in all of the right places. MC threw a hand over their mouth to muffle their moans as Belphie’s tongue worked MC’s most sensitive bits and his teeth gently grazed their clit. They grinded into the demon’s mouth and their eyes started to roll back in pleasure. Belphie dug his fingers into MC’s hips when she accidentally squeezed his head a little too hard. Belphie’s hot, shuddered breath and light moans filled MC’s ears and they were utterly intoxicated by the feeling coursing through their body. It was so much, she yelled out when she came; hot squirt cascaded over Belphie’s mouth. MC’s legs trembled as their body trembled with pleasure and their moans slipped out of their slack jawed mouth. 

“G-GOD fucking-!” They yelled into their hand riding out their orgasm on Belphie’s tongue. When they caught their breath, they fell to the side onto the bed next to the demon and touched his face gently. “Such a fucking good boy.” MC said before kissing him again.

“Let me fuck you?” Belphie asked against their lips. MC nodded still in the kiss and let Belphie take control. He got on top of MC, grinding his clothed dick against MC’s wet pussy. Before things could get too far, MC cast a spell to make the room completely soundproof. Now the two could be as loud as they wanted. He lifted his hips and took his underwear off, pumping his hard cock and readjusted MC so that they were slightly on their side. They took off their bra to get more comfortable, and he lifted one of their legs to use as a grip. He lined himself up with their tight entrance before pushing into them slowly. They both moaned in ecstasy as his big cock filled their gummy walls. The feeling was so good, MC’s first few moans were more like desperate gasps. 

While he fucked them, Belphie kissed all over MC’s legs, leaving marks to turn into bruises in his wake. He squeezed and kneaded MC’s hips, then breasts, sensually thrusting into their wet hot cunt. The two moaned in unison, a sweet symphony; music to their ears. Belphie’s hips found a pleasant rhythm going in and out, deeper with each thrust, but not too fast as he wanted to savor this moment. No sweet dream or long nap could ever be anywhere near as good as MC felt on his dick in that moment.

“You’re so fucking wet for me, my darling constellation.” Belphie praised. MC moaned in response and put one of his hands on their tits. He squeezed and kneaded the soft fat making them moan and one of their own hands made its way down to play with their clit. Belphie readjusted and got closer so he could go as deep as MC would take him and sped up just a little bit. MC’s moans became fervent and desperate. They were so close to cuming it was driving them mad.

“D-don’t stop, Belphie. I’mmm so close!” MC pleaded. Belphie wasn’t done with the human just yet, so he thrusted into them once, twice, a third time, then pulled out completely. MC’s face almost immediately fell into one of disappointment. “What the fuck?” MC asked, between quick, shallow breaths.

“If you want to cum again, you’re going to have to work for it, beautiful.” Belphie said and helped them sit up. MC rolled her eyes but let a light smirk overtake her face. 

“Oh demon boy, you have no clue what I’m going to do to you as revenge. I ought to edge you till you beg.” She playfully threatened. And waited for Belphie to tell them what to do to earn their orgasm. 

“I’ll believe it when I see it. Ride me.” He said rather nonchalantly as he sat on one of the edges of the bed. MC let out a dry laugh before straddling his lap and running her hands through his soft indigo and white hair. Their lips connected and MC licked at his plump wet lips to gain access to his mouth to which he bit their lip in retaliation, but allowed it. The human took in the demon’s taste, moaning all the while. They hadn’t put his dick back in yet, so they grinded down making both of them moan into the deepening kiss. The grinding did nothing to get either of them closer to orgasm, so MC finally reached between them and put the hard cock in her wet twat once more.

“Fuck, you fill me up so good, Starlight.” MC moaned and leaned forward to hide the way her eyes rolled back in pure, hot, bliss. After a moment, they started to bounce and grind; their nails scratched and dug into his upper back and shoulders making the demon hiss in pleasure. 

Belphie moved his hands to MC’s hips to guide them into a steady rhythm but MC just wanted- no, needed to cum. They rode him like their life depended on it; up and down, up and down, grinding, moaning, so fucking close. Their breath hitched in their throat, stuck behind an invisible barrier, only releasing when Belphie gently bit them at the base of their neck along with another orgasm. Hot squirt went all over the edge of the bed, the floor, Belphie’s lap, and down MC’s trembling legs. A desperate cry of ecstasy, so loud it would be embarrassing had they not soundproofed the room earlier. Every erratic jerk and twitch from MC’s hips and pussy made the demon's cock throb. An incoherent thread of slurred swears leaked from their breathless lips as they recovered, slowly grinding on Belphie to keep the friction. 

“You came so much, MC. I didn’t think I was that good.” Belphie joked before reaching down and playing with their clit ever so slightly making them jump. 

“W-what do you mean, you? I d-did all the work.” MC sassed, getting their breath back. MC kissed him again and felt his cock throb inside of them. They got off of him, only wobbling a bit, and began to cast a summoning spell.

“What are you doing?” Belphie asked before a bright pink strap on appeared in one hand, and a tube of lube appeared in the other. They let a mischievous grin overtake their face and gestured the sex toy toward Belphie. 

“I told you I would get my revenge, didn’t I?” They asked rhetorically and started to put the device on. The demon merely hummed in acknowledgement before speaking again. 

“I guess I deserve this, don’t I?” He said, fully embracing his ”punishment”. No matter what, MC was a person of their word; even if Belphie wasn’t into this, they would have gotten their revenge another way. MC got close and kissed him once again. They just couldn’t get enough of his sweet taste. They softly moaned into the kiss before speaking against his lips in a low tone.

“Yes, you do. Now be a good boy and stand up for me.” MC commanded, to which he listened. The demon man stood up, almost towering over MC as his hands rested on either side of their waist. “Turn around. I want you face down, ass up.” MC joked. Belphie’s eye roll contradicted the goofy, fond grin spread across his slightly flushed face. He turned to face the bed and leaned down without so much as a sound of protest while MC helped maneuver him to their liking. Once his legs were spread and his ass was in the air, MC ran their hands down Belphie’s back. Their fingers gently grazed across his soft skin leaving goosebumps in their wake. The human popped open the tube of clear gel and squirted some onto their fingers. They rubbed the strap on then a bit on Belphie’s asshole making him let out a small gasp.

“That’s cold.” He said looking back at MC. They squeezed his thigh softly before apologizing.

“Sorry, Sunshine. Do you want me to prep you?” MC asked with a small but genuine smile. Taking a moment to think, Belphie shook his head.

“Nah, I can take it. It won’t hurt me.” He said resting his head on the palm of one of his hands and looked over his shoulder at MC. She lined the toy up with his entrance, barely pressing against it.

“So brave. So good for me.” MC complemented before slowly pushing into him. Belphie’s pretty moans loudly leaked from his lips and his knees pressed into the side of the mattress. His eyes closed and he instinctively gripped the sheets under him. MC gripped his slutty slutty waist to be able to pull him close at a moments notice before pulling out to the tip before pushing back in slowly. They took their time so the demon could get adjusted to the toy before MC could really have fun. They thrusted into him again and again, slowly, giving soft touches of affection and drinking in his moans. 

“You can speed up a bit, you know?” Belphie said, his voice slightly horace and his cheeks and ears tinted a rose red as he breathed heavily in pleasure. MC gripped his waist harder and spoke in a low yet commanding voice.

“I believe the word you’re looking for is ‘faster’ or maybe even ‘harder’”. MC teased and slowed their rhythm making him huff in frustration.

“Yeah, that.” Though MC couldn’t see his face, they knew he rolled his eyes. That’s not how this game is played. MC let a smirk speak across their face and they pulled out to the tip of the toy then slammed back into him. He let out a loud yell-like moan and white knuckle gripped the sheets under him.

“Incorrect. Use your words, my darling Starlight.” They said and slowly pulled out of him completely then leaned down to kiss the back of his neck and tangle their fingers in his hair near the nape of his neck. 

“Come on, MC.” He whined. “You know what I meant.” His voice was shaky from MC’s kisses and knowing that MC was going to pull his hair at any moment. He didn’t mind MC being rough with him.

“No, Belphegor. I know what I heard. If you want me to do something, you need to use your words and ask.” She spoke again and made a mark on the back of his neck, gently pulling his hair as she did.

“F-fuck. Please fuck me, MC. S-stop teasing me.” He gasped and moaned out. MC hummed in contentment and kissed their way down the demon’s back making him arch his back with each one. They stood back up and squirted a bit more lube on the toy and pushed the device back past his entrance.

“That’s a good boy.” MC complemented as they started to slowly fuck him once more to Belphie’s dismay. Rather than asking MC to speed up as he was instructed, he decided to try fucking himself with MC instead. He pushed back to put their bodies closer together, over and over again, fucking himself until he was a moaning mess. His legs began to gently shake as he neared his orgasm but MC had one more thing they wanted to do. 

“You really don't know the meaning of a punishment, do you?” They asked rhetorically and slammed into him once, making him yell in pleasure then pulled out of him completely. “Get up. You're going to play this game my way or not at all, okay?” They asked in a sweet voice and punctuated each sentence with a kiss to his neck or back. 

“Fine.” He said breathlessly. He took a moment to regain use of his legs, but when he stood up MC slid under him. 

“What was it you said earlier? ‘Ride me?’” They teased and slid back a bit onto the bed so the indigo and white haired boy had space to climb up and straddle them. Once he was hovering over the human's lap, he closed the short distance between their lips. Their lips were tangled together as MC put the toy back into his asshole. 

“Fuuck MC, you're too good at this.” He complimented and began to rock back and forwards while his hand tried to make its way to his hard cock. He tried. MC grabbed his wrists and put them around her neck as a way to wordlessly tell him not to touch himself. That this is what he deserved for being mean earlier. And he wholeheartedly agreed. MC began to kiss him on his neck and around his collar bones to hear every little sound the demon made. MC’s hands gripped at his hips and squeezed his thighs while thrusting the toy into him nonstop. His moans and swears leaked out of his mouth like a song and MC loved every lyric. 

Eventually, MC ended up laying on their back with Belphie on top of them. His body weight rested half on MC and the other half on his bent knees on the bed. MC put their legs up on the bed to get a grip so they can deliver the final part of his punishment. With their hands on his hips, holding him in place, they began to slowly fuck him speeding up over a short amount of time. The faster MC fucked him, the more he moaned and swore. A slew of ‘fuck’s, ‘shit’s and more all cut off in various places were sprinkled among the moans running from Belphie’s mouth. MC sped up, aware that the more they fuck him, the more his hard cock rubs between their stomachs. 

“Sit up for a minute, Moonlight.” MC said and helped him sit up. “Give me the lube.” The demon did as he was told, if not a bit shaky before shakily speaking.

“Please, MC. I need to cum so bad.” He practically begged. MC squeezed his hip as reassurance as they opened the tube again and let a few drops fall on the man’s throbbing cock and their lower stomach. 

“Fuck my hand.” She said in a low commanding voice. Bephie nodded and MC loosely held Belphie’s dick in their hand. As he bounced on the strap on, he fucked MC’s hand. At this point, he was so overstimulated that he could barely moan anymore; his voice was hoarse and his breathing was erratic. His eyes rolled back a bit as he came closer and closer to his orgasm. His face was one of pure, raw, pleasure and he seemed so close to the edge. 

“I-I’m gonna f-fucking…” He trailed off.

“Cum for me, Belphie.” MC encouraged; almost in response, the demon boy shot his white hot load all over MC’s hand and both of their stomachs. His moans were loud and he shook the bed with how strong his orgasm was. As the intensity settled, he slowly lowered himself back down onto MC’s messy chest not caring about the cum getting all over them. 

MC let him lay there for a bit and gather himself, his face hiding in the crook of their neck, and peppering his head and neck with small innocent kisses. Eventually Belphie hummed in contentedness and wrapped his arms around the human’s neck; he too placed small innocent kisses on their shoulder. After both of them catching their breath and relaxing, just taking in each others’ warmth in silence, Belphie decided to ask a question.

“Hey, MC?” He said softly from his spot on top of them. He removed the toy from his ass and got comfortable once more.

“Yes, love?” 

“What was with all the nicknames?” He asked.

“Because… you’re like space to me. Beautiful, interesting, mysterious… Something about you makes me want to be near you all the time. It’s like… you’re Orion. Strong, brave, and so alluring.”

“Wow, you really know how to make me feel special. I love you, Venus.” He said in a voice so soft, MC had to make sure he wasn’t falling asleep.

“I love you too, my Darling Crescent moon.” MC kissed his forehead and wrapped their arms around his waist and sat up. She took the strap on off, and tossed it onto the bed beside them, before gently asking, “Are you sleepy?”

Belphie nodded his head and MC could tell that he was fading fast but they were still covered in cum. “Do you have enough energy to take a bath with me?” MC asked again. Once again, Belphie nodded and mumbled out a small ‘yeah’. MC kissed his forehead again, and gently let him relax on the bed so they could draw a bath then take a nap.

*.*.*.*.*.

Special shout out to @half-asleep-artist5701 @endeenderman @angelustful @hakirachan @fluffyspaceball @ezeanim @1-randomized and @legendary-sacrificer (IDK why I can't tag you I'm so sorry!!) for all your amazing nickname ideas!! You're all amazing and this one is for you!!

[antroposthuman]

Construction of the Observatory for the European Extremely Large Telescope in Atacama Desert, Chile.

Credits: https://www.eso.org/public/chile/images/potw2336a/

[quiltofstars]

The Phantom Galaxy, M74 // Rob Calfee

The Phantom Galaxy was discovered by Méchain in 1780 and communicated to Messier who listed the galaxy in his catalog. Its name likely comes from the difficulty of observing it. It's recommended to modern amateur astronomers to use "averted vision" or peripheral vision to see this galaxy through a telescope.

Méchain himself noted the difficulty: "This nebula doesn’t contain any stars; it is fairly large, very obscure, and extremely difficult to observe; one can recognize it with more certainty in fine, frosty conditions"