#messier 34

[quiltofstars]

The Spiral Cluster, M34 // Tryggve Dyrvik

[purinbunnii]

“Say It for the Camera”

The first time you met him, everyone called it a mistake.

You were 22. Fresh degree. Soft voice. Glitter lip gloss.

He was 34. Rich. Tall. A walking scandal in black slacks and dark sunglasses, his reputation heavier than his credit limit.

And yet—there you were, months later, straddling his lap in his Tokyo penthouse, blindfolded and gagging on his cock while the red light on his phone camera blinked slow and steady in the background.

“Yeah,” Satoru groaned from behind you, one hand tangled in your hair, the other gripping your hip like he owned the flesh. “That’s it, baby. Don’t play shy now—c’mon, show them what my little slut sounds like.”

Your cheeks burned. Not just from the sting of his palm after the last spank, but the sheer humiliation of knowing exactly how ruined you looked—on your knees, drool smeared down your chin, tits bouncing from the force of his thrusts. The blindfold only made it worse. Or better. You hadn’t decided.

He was so big—everything about him, too much. His cock, his mouth, his words. You felt like a doll in his hands. A toy he could bend, fill, ruin.

“You like it when I treat you like this, don’t you?” His voice dipped low behind you, breath warm by your ear. “My dirty little girl. College barely finished and already getting filmed with a plug in her ass and a cock down her throat.”

You whimpered, squeezing your thighs together as he pulled out with a wet pop, letting you gasp for air.

“You’re lucky I’m generous,” Satoru muttered, pushing you toward the full-length mirror nearby. “Get on your knees. I want you to see what I see.”

You crawled over obediently, blindfold slipping as you moved, revealing your own reflection — glassy-eyed, flushed, messy. You watched his taller form behind you, grinning like the devil as he reached for your favorite toy and spread your thighs wide.

“I want them to see how well you take both,” he said, lubing it up with lazy strokes. “Don’t worry. You’ll feel me in your guts either way.”

He didn’t lie.

When he finally bottomed out inside you, one hand gripping your throat from behind and the other pressing down on your belly, you could see the bulge from his cock in the mirror. Felt the toy stretch your ass while he fucked you deeper—harder.

“You’re crying already?” he mocked gently, kissing the side of your temple. “Pretty baby’s overwhelmed. That’s okay. You’re doing so well. Look how gorgeous you look taking it. All for me.”

Your eyes fluttered, tears streaking down your cheeks as you nodded, drunk on the way he kept you right at the edge.

“That’s my girl,” he murmured, thrusts getting messier, harsher. “Come on, I know you wanna come. You’ve been clenching around me since I started.”

But he didn’t let you. Not yet.

“You’ll come when I say. Not before. You want to be good for me, don’t you?”

You begged. Please. Just one. You were aching—mindless—pinned beneath his larger body while he used you like he’d paid for the night.

And finally—finally—he gave it to you.

One sharp thrust. Fingers on your clit. A slap to your ass that made you jolt.

“Now.”

You came like a scream. Legs shaking. Pussy soaked. Blurred vision and twitching thighs as he filled you up—warm, thick, claiming—with a low growl in your ear.

“Keep it in,” Satoru said after, catching your chin and tilting your face toward the mirror again. His voice was rough, spent. “Wanna see it drip later. You look better like this anyway.”

He hit stop on the recording, smug as ever. “Now, say it.”

You blinked at him, still dazed.

“Say you’re mine.”

You smiled, fucked-out and aching. “I’m yours.”

“And?”

“…Your little whore.”

“Good girl.”

Your body is jelly.

Limbs shaking, soaked thighs trembling as Satoru scoops you off the floor like you weigh nothing—one arm under your knees, the other around your back, still breathing heavy, cock twitching between your messy thighs.

He turns you toward the mirror again, kissing the side of your neck as you slump against his chest, limp and whimpering.

“You still with me, baby?” he asks softly, though his voice is wrecked. Ragged.

You nod, barely. “Mhm…”

“Good girl,” he murmurs, and the words sink into your skin like syrup.

Then—he spreads your legs.

“Watch, sweetheart.” His tone sharpens, takes on that gleaming edge again. “I want you to see what I see.”

His big hand slides behind your knees, hooking one leg over his forearm, the other clamped wide with his grip under your thigh. Your legs are open, dangling—helpless—as he stands behind you, holding you up like some obscene doll for his cock.

Your soaked pussy is right there, in the mirror. Puffy, slick, twitching.

“Fucking mess,” Satoru breathes, staring straight into your reflection with a crazed, hungry look. “Look at that. Look how wrecked you are, and I haven’t even put it back in yet.”

“Toru…” you whimper, wriggling slightly in his arms. “Need it—please…”

“Ohh, now she begs.” He grins like a devil. “You want it again, baby?”

You nod fast, desperate. “Want you inside—fuck, I wanna feel you—wanna see it.”

He groans like it physically hurts to hold back.

“Yeah? Wanna see me fuck it in deep, right in front of the mirror? Watch me fill this tight little hole like I own it?”

“Yes,” you sob.

And he gives it to you.

He lines himself up and drives in with one long, slow push—his thick cock spreading you open with a loud, wet schlck as your back arches and your mouth falls open.

“Oh my god—”

“There you go,” he pants, holding you up against his chest, thrusting deep and slow, his abs grinding against the back of your thighs. “Look at that tummy, baby. See that bulge? That’s me. That’s daddy splitting you open.”

Your eyes snap to the mirror.

The image is filthy.

Your smaller body, limp in his arms. Legs wide, his cock moving inside you, thick and relentless. The bump in your belly when he thrusts all the way in—pressing there with his hand to make you feel every inch.

“Can’t believe this tight little thing takes me so well,” he growls, voice shaking. “You’re just made for it, aren’t you? Born to be stuffed full. My perfect girl. Fuck, I love this pussy.”

You’re barely coherent now—drooling, moaning helplessly, your legs twitching every time he slams in deep enough to jolt your whole body.

“T-Toru—I’m gonna—please, I—”

His hand flies up and grabs your jaw, tilting your face toward the mirror again.

“Look. I want you to look me in the eye when I fuck this orgasm out of you. You come when I say, not a second before, you got that, baby?”

“Y-Yes—yes, daddy—”

“Fuck, that’s my girl.”

His pace turns brutal.

The slap of skin-on-skin, the obscene squelch of your cunt clenching around him, the broken sounds choking out of your throat as he fucks you upright—held open, made to watch every filthy second—

You lose it.

You scream—loud, raw, arching back as your orgasm tears through you, thighs shaking violently as your pussy clamps down hard, spasming around his cock.

“That’s it,” he growls, slamming in one last time. “Fucking take it—milk it—fuck, I’m gonna—”

And he does.

He spills inside you with a deep, snarling groan, cock throbbing as you both watch the mess bloom from your overstretched cunt in the mirror—dripping, sliding out, leaking down your thighs like cream.

You’re boneless in his arms.

He’s panting hard, sweat at his temples, eyes glazed and full of you.

Then he smirks.

The red recording light is still blinking.

“Smile for the camera, princess.”

[literaila]

can we get one of those scenarios where gojo does go to reader's dorm at 3am to go get sweets?

before you came to jujutsu high, you were a very patient person.

your temper was long, if anything. a stretchy sort of thing that was folded in the hands of people who didn’t deserve it.

it took a lot to get you worked up—some might even say that you were a people pleaser. if you had a certain… distaste for anyone or anything, well that was between you and your brain.

before you came to jujutsu high, that is.

because now it takes less than a knock on the door for your irritation to rise from your chest into your eyes. stress headaches have become a newfound acquaintance.

“what?” you hiss, opening your door to be met with—to no one’s surprise—a giddy grin and a sliver of eyes so bright it makes you want to puke.

so yeah. things have changed.

it wasn’t even one knock this time, though, but at least four different pounds, each one luring you even further into the cloud of homicidal thoughts.

at least no one will blame you in jail.

“is that how you answer your door?” satoru asks, leaning against the jam, so tall it hurts your soul.

“gojo,” you say, sweetening your rough, still-sleeping voice. “unless you’re here to tell me that someone’s dead, i’m going to break your nose.”

you didn’t used to be this violent, you swear. there’s just something about him—

satoru pinches your cheek fondly. “you’re such a joy to be around. even with your bed head.”

“did someone die?”

“yes,” satoru adjusts your shirt for you, kindness a silly thing he likes to wear occasionally. “my stomach. its rotting away.”

“good for you. goodnight.”

and you move to close the door, but satoru has always been faster than you. his foot is there, and you could break it, but you won’t.

god knows why.

“c’mon, sleeping beauty,” he whines, “i want bad ice cream.”

“then go get some.”

“i want company while i eat it.”

“don’t you have other friends or something? it’s..” you turn, blinking in the dark. “1:34 am.”

gojo grins. “snack time,” he says, simply.

you groan, missing when life was simple and no one talked to you unless you were making a mistake. “i’m tired. you woke me up, and i was having a good dream, too.”

“about me?”

“about something i don’t remember because,” you scowl at him, “you woke me up.”

“i didn’t want you to miss out.”

“if you keep smiling at me like that, i’ll—“

you stop, mostly because you don’t know what you’ll do.

“are you trying to sweet talk me? because it’s working.”

“no.”

gojo laughs. “get dressed. unless you want to wear your… care bear’s shirt.”

“go with geto,” you say, trying to shut the door again. it only succeeds in making satoru flinch just briefly.

which is enough to feed the vicious animal in your head.

“he’s just not as cute as you, though.”

you scoff. “stop trying to manipulate me.”

“but it always works so well.”

and is he wrong?

…no. but who can blame you for falling victim to his whims? satoru has spent his entire life being waited on, being given every little thing he could possibly want.

and he seems to want you.

it’s such a unique, bewildering feeling that you have to follow through. you can’t let something like affection go to waste.

the girl you were a year ago would scream for this very moment. she would be at satoru’s door, hugging his leg like a child.

(and if he’s a little bit… okay to look at. well. at least there’s one plus to this arrangement).

“i’ll even wait for you to get dressed,” satoru says like it’s a generous offer. “can’t you hear the ice cream calling?”

and then he leans in, eyes peering into yours over his ridiculous shades.

his hair is a bit messier than usual this late, his mouth a terrifying pink.

some small part of you wants to desperately to lean a little bit closer. to push this even further. so what if you need more convincing? so what if he owes you something?

so what if you can’t say no to him?

it has nothing to do with the itchy feeling in your chest, or the giddy fog in your brain.

(god, satoru makes you feel… something else. different than a human, but nothing more than a prize. he makes you feel like you are something other—like you’ve been the problem this entire time—but in a good way.

satoru sees you as something to behold.

you’re the god of this small thing.

and it’s wonderful. its infuriating and painful, and still you’d rather die than attempt to let it go.)

so what?

“fine,” you almost gasp. “but you’re buying.”

gojo clasps his hands together in satisfaction. “we’ll see,” he sings.

“ten minutes,” you tell him, trying to shut the door.

“five,” he whispers back, so sweetly.

and then satoru flashes his teeth at you, so different from anything else.

your responding nod is just unconscious at this point.

[formelydailynowweeklykillersans]

Day 34 (week three): Drowning in despair

A bit messier than usual, i’m testing a tablet at the moment, and the pen is hard to use

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

New SpaceTime out Monday

SpaceTime 20250414 Series 28 Episode 45

Why does the lunar have less water than the Earth facing side

Lunar rocks collected by China’s Chang'e-6 sample return mission suggest the Moon’s far side is far drier that its Earth facing side.

The asteroid targeting the Moon

Asteroid 2024 YF4 which came to fame after it was designated a possible Earth impactor now appears to be targeting the Moon.

How singing stars expose their galactic past

Astronomers studying the Messier 67 open star cluster have used stellar seismology to determine how stars in the cluster have evolved over cosmic time.

The Science Report

The diabetes drug linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's and dementia.

Questions over claims the extinct dire wolf has been resurrected.

How ancient famers brought fishing to the Pyrenean mountains

Skeptics guide to the flood of misinformation in Nutrition advice

SpaceTime covers the latest news in astronomy & space sciences.

The show is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through your favourite podcast download provider or from www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com

SpaceTime is also broadcast through the National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio and on both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

SpaceTime daily news blog: http://spacetimewithstuartgary.tumblr.com/

SpaceTime facebook: www.facebook.com/spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime Instagram @spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime twitter feed @stuartgary

SpaceTime YouTube: @SpaceTimewithStuartGary

SpaceTime -- A brief history

SpaceTime is Australia’s most popular and respected astronomy and space science news program – averaging over two million downloads every year. We’re also number five in the United States.  The show reports on the latest stories and discoveries making news in astronomy, space flight, and science.  SpaceTime features weekly interviews with leading Australian scientists about their research.  The show began life in 1995 as ‘StarStuff’ on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) NewsRadio network.  Award winning investigative reporter Stuart Gary created the program during more than fifteen years as NewsRadio’s evening anchor and Science Editor.  Gary’s always loved science. He studied astronomy at university and was invited to undertake a PHD in astrophysics, but instead focused on his career in journalism and radio broadcasting. Gary’s radio career stretches back some 34 years including 26 at the ABC. He worked as an announcer and music DJ in commercial radio, before becoming a journalist and eventually joining ABC News and Current Affairs. He was part of the team that set up ABC NewsRadio and became one of its first on air presenters. When asked to put his science background to use, Gary developed StarStuff which he wrote, produced and hosted, consistently achieving 9 per cent of the national Australian radio audience based on the ABC’s Nielsen ratings survey figures for the five major Australian metro markets: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. That compares to the ABC’s overall radio listenership of just 5.6 per cent. The StarStuff podcast was published on line by ABC Science -- achieving over 1.3 million downloads annually.  However, after some 20 years, the show finally wrapped up in December 2015 following ABC funding cuts, and a redirection of available finances to increase sports and horse racing coverage.  Rather than continue with the ABC, Gary resigned so that he could keep the show going independently.  StarStuff was rebranded as “SpaceTime”, with the first episode being broadcast in February 2016.  Over the years, SpaceTime has grown, more than doubling its former ABC audience numbers and expanding to include new segments such as the Science Report -- which provides a wrap of general science news, weekly skeptical science features, special reports looking at the latest computer and technology news, and Skywatch – which provides a monthly guide to the night skies. The show is published three times weekly (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and available from the United States National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio, and through both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

[5sosfanfictioncatalogue]

Completed Wattpad Fics Masterlist

Beauty - afibloom ot4 43 Parts

Summary: Everyone knew not to look and definitely not to touch the beautiful man named Michael Clifford. He was the precious baby of the notorious Calum Hood after all. But (un)fortunately for Luke Hemmings and Ashton Irwin, they simply didn’t listen.

behind the bars - wastedheartmuke michael/luke 32 parts

Summary: Michael and Luke share a history but they also share a prison cell.

billionaire - ninjaturtleirwin luke/calum 32 Parts

Summary: “What’s not to like? Luke, I’m a billionaire." 

 —

Where polar opposites fall hard for one another, but not without complications.

deaf - aIltimelucas michael/ashton 34 Parts

Summary: mikey’s been deaf for 17 years and now that he’s not he’s not really sure how to speak. everyone avoids him or teases him. except ashton. ashton had always been the caring type. the rescuer. he started out hanging out with the red haired mute boy to be kind but quickly finds himself falling in love. 

Fall for You - FINEHEMMINGS ot4 102 Parts

Summary: luke can’t sleep at night, so instead he spends his time messaging his favorite band members

For A Good Time Call - 1D_HarryStyles_1D michael/ashton, michael/calum 26 Parts

Summary: Michael was looking for a good time, not a relationship.

girly - genderfluidmikey luke/calum 27 Parts

Summary: calum may be girly, but luke likes him and his pink little skirts.

Hold My Hand - catchlukeonfire luke/ashton 53 Parts

Summary: In which Ashton over-analyses Luke, and Luke is always worrying what Ashton thinks about him.

Let's talk about sex - wastedheartmuke michael/luke 37 Parts

Summary: Michael Clifford: I want you to have sex with me. top!Michael

Lie To Me - afibloom ot4 57 Parts

Summary: Luke being arrested for the possession of drugs made Michael believe that he would never be surprised by his boyfriend’s secrets ever again.

But the reality of it was, was that it was only the beginning of all the secrets and lies. Everything soon gets revealed out into the open for those involved to see.

Add the drug lords Ashton and Calum to the mix, and things start getting even messier.

New Kid - LashtonStylinson28 luke/ashton 33 Parts

Summary: "He's just a classmate who talked to me. I shouldn't feel anything. But I do."

Ripped Tights and Late Nights - youmeathemmo michael/luke 22 Parts

Summary: Michael’s fully aware of the fact that what he’s doing is wrong, but Luke’s beckoning him closer with crooked fingers and an easy smirk and Michael’s never been able to resist his baby boy.

Stripper!Luke, Lawyer!Michael

Rose Petals - afibloom ot4 41 parts

Summary: A hurt tattoo artist, a crazed painter, a confused druggie, and a controlling gangster…It sounds like a chaotic mix of colors that shouldn’t be able to mix, but instead they take that expectation and they make themselves blend together instead.

Shelter - the_mo_ment michael/luke 47 Parts

Summary: In which Michael was homeless and Luke is a Student.

Skirts - genderfluidmikey michael/calum 18 Parts

Summary: “i really like your hair”

“i really like your skirt, beautiful”

start a fight - fivesecondsofsheeran michael/luke 44 Parts

Summary: prisoner!michael likes to pick on parole officer!luke

Tangled Sheets - Princessofmuke luke/ashton 29 Parts

Summary: Ashton isn’t your ordinary 16 year old high school boy,he’s on the edge of breaking down and it won’t be pretty. Caught up between the non stop bullying,anxiety and fighting parents Ashton struggles to breath.

But one night changes his life forever , the one night his only ‘friend’ Michael invited him to a party.

“it was a mistake but why is he captivating my mind?”

The Bet - mentholsmgc michael/luke 13 Parts

Summary: Michael and Calum have a bet going: that Michael, who usually can’t keep a relationship longer than two weeks, can make someone stick around for a whole month. But Michael doesn’t expect the someone to be the shy kid in school, Luke Hemmings.

the sophomore - hemmowrites michael/luke 37 Parts

Summary: In which Michael falls for the boy in the wheelchair.

tutor - lhemmingsdaily michael/ashton 21 Parts

Summary: “And why the hell do I need to know the answer of y² - x³ = 432?”

“Well, because if you solve it, I’ll kiss you.”

[talonabraxas]

The Sky This Week from May 31 to June 7: A Jupiter-Mercury conjunction

The parade of planets starts as two worlds come close and the Moon moves on down the line in the sky this week.

Friday, May 31 Although the Leo Trio of galaxies gets quite a lot of fame, these aren’t the only deep-sky objects to chase down within the Lion. With no Moon in the sky after sunset tonight, consider hunting down another of this constellation’s galactic gems: NGC 2903. In fact, many skywatchers wonder how Messier could have missed this gorgeous spiral, whose brightness is on par with other galaxies the Frenchman did spot in Leo.

NGC 2903 sits just below the big cat’s “chin.” To find it, first look west an hour after sunset, where Leo is slowly making its way down toward the horizon, now 50° high. You’ll easily spot the constellation’s alpha star, magnitude 1.4 Regulus, as one of the brighter suns in this region of sky.

From Regulus, see if you can find the rest of the Sickle asterism, which looks like a backwards question mark in the sky. The Sickle’s blade ends at 3rd-magnitude Epsilon (ϵ) Leonis; from this star, scan 3.3° west to land on 4th-magnitude Lambda (λ) Leo. And from there, simply drop 1.5° south to view magnitude 8.9 NGC 2903.

This spiral galaxy is roughly twice as long as it is wide, stretching about 12.6′ on its long axis. It is considered one of the finest NGC objects, and a medium-sized telescope (4 inches or so) will begin to resolve its brighter nucleus and fainter halo into distinct regions.

Sunrise: 5:34 A.M. Sunset: 8:22 P.M. Moonrise: 2:06 A.M. Moonset: 1:52 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (39%)

*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.

Saturday, June 1 June opens with a gorgeous dark evening sky that might allow you to catch a glimpse of noctilucent clouds floating high above the northern horizon. These stunning, reflective clouds are unique in that they are composed of ice crystals that condense largely on high-up dust particles left behind as meteorites streak into the atmosphere.

Noctilucent clouds form in the mesosphere, some 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the ground. Because they are so high up, they can remain in sunlight long after the Sun has gone down for those on the ground, thanks to the curvature of Earth. Thus, these clouds can appear to shine high in the sky even in the dark of night, while lower, “normal” clouds are dark blots without illumination.

There’s no special equipment needed to view noctilucent clouds, just a little luck and some patience. Step outside an hour or two after darkness falls and turn your gaze north. Note that even though they’re high in the atmosphere, these clouds may be low on your northern horizon depending on your latitude, so try to get to a viewing site where that direction is clear of both obstacles and artificial lights. Look for wispy, silvery clouds that appear lit up rather than dark or dusty. Like the aurora, noctilucent clouds can come and go, and displays may ramp up slowly — but hopefully the mild weather and moonless skies will allow for some additional stargazing even if no night-shining clouds appear!

Sunrise: 5:33 A.M. Sunset: 8:23 P.M. Moonrise: 2:30 A.M. Moonset: 3:05 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (28%)

Sunday, June 2 The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth in its orbit, at 3:16 A.M. EDT. At that time, our satellite will be 228,728 miles (368,102 km) away.

The Moon then passes 2° north of Mars at 8 P.M. EDT. Both are visible in the morning as part of the line of planets now shining in the pre-dawn sky. So, step outside early this morning about an hour before sunrise to find Mars and the Moon both in Pisces, standing 15° high at that time in the east.

The waning Moon lies west of Mars early this morning, sitting to the Red Planet’s upper right in the sky. By tomorrow morning at the same time, the Moon will be an even thinner crescent to the east of Mars, having moved to its lower left.

An hour before dawn, three planets in the six-world lineup are already visible. Mars and Saturn are both 1st magnitude, with Saturn far to Mars’ upper right (west) in Aquarius, nearly 30° high at this time. Neptune lies between them in Pisces, about 5.5° below magnitude 4.5 Lambda Piscium. The distant ice giant is magnitude 7.8 and requires binoculars or a telescope to spot.

Wait 30 more minutes, and Uranus (magnitude 5.8 — again, requiring optical aid) and Mercury (magnitude –1) have risen, with Uranus some 4.5° high and Mercury just 1.5° high. Magnitude –2 Jupiter is just rising at that time, and will need a bit longer to climb above the horizon. See if you can catch it just before sunrise, though be careful to look away and stop using binoculars or a telescope several minutes before the Sun rises from your location, which may differ from the time given below.

This lineup of planets will feature throughout the week, especially as the Moon passes through the line and Mercury and Jupiter meet in a close conjunction in just two days. Stay tuned!

Sunrise: 5:33 A.M. Sunset: 8:24 P.M. Moonrise: 2:54 A.M. Moonset: 4:18 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (18%)

Monday, June 3 Asteroid 2 Pallas is currently moving through Corona Borealis, now within the constellation’s southeastern border. Tonight, the 9th-magnitude asteroid sits just 20′ from a magnitude 6.5 field star, but there’s actually a much easier way to find it.

Because of its location and the rotation of Earth, you can let nature do the work for you. Center your telescope on magnitude 4.1 Epsilon Coronae Borealis and simply lock it in place without tracking, so the sky appears to drift past. Within 20 minutes, Pallas will be in the center of the field!

Corona Borealis has been recently making headlines for a different star: T CrB, a star just 1° southeast of Epsilon. Normally magnitude 10 and requiring the aid of binoculars or a telescope to see, T CrB is expected to suddenly and briefly flare sometime in the next few months, reaching a naked-eye magnitude of roughly 2. Tonight, Pallas is nearly 3.5° east-northeast of T CrB; it will close in on the variable over the next few weeks and pass within ¼° of the star later this month.

Sunrise: 5:33 A.M. Sunset: 8:24 P.M. Moonrise: 3:21 A.M. Moonset: 5:34 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (10%)

Tuesday, June 4 Let’s hop back to that parade of planets early this morning to check out a close conjunction as Mercury passes 0.1° south of Jupiter at 6 A.M. EDT.

At that time, sunrise has already reached the East Coast, while the two planets are just rising in the Midwest. Mercury lies just to the lower right of Jupiter and binoculars or a telescope will show both within the same field of view. No matter your time zone, you can catch the pair about 20 minutes before local sunrise, when they are some 2° to 3° high. It’s definitely a challenging view, but a rewarding one. Note that Mercury will continue sliding east over time, so those in time zones farther west may see Mercury directly below or even to the lower left of Jupiter in the sky.

They’re a stunning contrast — the solar system’s smallest and largest planet, together in one view! Mercury spans some 5″ and appears nearly 90 percent lit. Nearby, Jupiter is more than six times as wide at 33″ and is fully illuminated by the Sun. Its four Galilean moons are on display, though they will be hard to make out in the growing twilight. In the eastern half of the U.S., Europa is just finishing a transit across the disk, slipping off just 10 minutes before sunrise in the Midwest, so take care if you’re trying to follow the event. After that, Europa lies closest to the planet to the west, with Callisto farther west. Io lies closest to Jupiter on the east, and Ganymede sits farther east.

Moving down the line of planets, the Moon passes 4° north of Uranus at 9 P.M. EDT tonight.

And earlier in the day, Venus reaches superior conjunction at noon EDT, which is why it’s currently invisible in the bright glare of our star.

Sunrise: 5:32 A.M. Sunset: 8:25 P.M. Moonrise: 3:51 A.M. Moonset: 6:50 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (4%)

Wednesday, June 5 The Moon now passes 5° north of Jupiter at 10 A.M. EDT. The slim crescent will be a real challenge to observe, although according to longtime Astronomy contributor Stephen James O’Meara, there are some unique and beautiful effects to be seen if you can manage it.

See if you can catch the nearly New Moon in the sky shortly before dawn. If you do, you might experience the lunar blackdrop effect, which can cast dark stripes on the last illuminated bits of the lunar crescent. These stripes aren’t real, but are instead an illusion caused by both the diffraction of sunlight and the turbulence of our atmosphere, through which we are viewing the Moon (and all other celestial objects). In fact, you might notice these stripes dance, waver, or disappear and reappear if you’re able to follow the slim crescent over time. The more turbulent the atmosphere — and the poorer your local seeing — the more likely you are to see the stripes.

Particularly intrepid observers can try to catch this effect again tomorrow morning, just hours before the Moon finally reaches its New phase.

Sunrise: 5:32 A.M. Sunset: 8:26 P.M. Moonrise: 4:26 A.M. Moonset: 8:05 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (1%)

Thursday, June 6 New Moon occurs at 8:38 A.M. EDT this morning, leaving our sky dark, moonless, and perfect for deep-sky observers.

Longtime observers know that although the images of galaxies and nebulae we see are often stunningly multicolored, most objects don’t show off vivid hues through the eyepiece when visually observing. But some do, and one of these is NGC 7662, also called the Blue Snowball and the brightest planetary nebula in the constellation Andromeda.

You’ll want to catch this object in the early-morning sky, after around 3:30 A.M. local daylight time, when Andromeda has risen well above the eastern horizon. The Blue Snowball is located in the western portion of the constellation, just under 2.5° west-southwest of magnitude 4.3 Iota (ι) Andromedae. The nebula itself is magnitude 8.3 and roughly 30″ across; it’s easy to capture in most instruments. Smaller scopes will show a small, grayish smudge. But you’ll want a larger scope to pull out its deep blue color — something in the 8- to 10-inch or larger range is a good start, but bigger is better! Make sure to use high magnification as well for the best chances at a glimpse of its beautiful blue hue.

Sunrise: 5:32 A.M. Sunset: 8:26 P.M. Moonrise: 5:11 A.M. Moonset: 9:15 P.M. Moon Phase: New

Friday, June 7 Tonight offers the first of several chances in the coming days to catch Comet 13P/Olbers near NGC 2281, a 5th-magnitude open cluster in Auriga the Charioteer.

You’ll need to be quick, though, as the constellation is setting in the west just behind the Sun. An hour to an hour and a half after sunset, you’ll want your telescope trained on eastern Auriga, just to the lower right of the bright stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini. Tonight, Olbers lies some 5.7° north-northwest of magnitude 3.6 Theta (θ) Geminorum and just 2.2° southwest of NGC 2281. The comet is currently around 8th magnitude, so a few magnitudes fainter than the open cluster but still bright enough to pick up in relatively small scopes as long as the atmosphere is clear and calm. An observing site that is slightly elevated above its surroundings and with a clear western horizon will help, too.

Discovered by William Herschel in 1788, NGC 2281 is a loose collection of young stars spanning about ¼°. Astronomers estimate the cluster is some 435 million years old. It is among many open clusters in Auriga, including the three Messier objects M36, M37, and M38. Of these, M37 is believed to be closest to NGC 2281 in age, based on the clusters’ rotational rates.

Sunrise: 5:31 A.M. Sunset: 827 P.M. Moonrise: 6:04 A.M. Moonset: 10:15 P.M. Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (2%)

The Sethian Gnosis by talon Abraxas

[yakool-foolio]

30 and 34 for tha dangan ask game ☝️☝️

30. Which character would’ve deserved to survive?

I've said it once n I'll say it again: TAKA! I would've answered both 29 n 30 with Taka no matter what. Taka really did deserve to survive but got caught in the 'uh oh we need two deaths to begin the horrors of Chapter 3 Syndrome'. His death felt so unnecessary, practically proven by his death being narratively sidelined in favor of focusing completely on Hifumi's death. If he did survive, I imagine the whole Kiyondo thing wouldn't have lasted the rest of the game, as it would be part of his arc to realize that carrying on the legacy of your loved one doesn't mean forgetting yourself. Mondo appreciated Taka for who he was, so trying to live as an imitation would be a disservice to who he truly is. However, being Kiyondo for some time could help him learn to loosen up and enjoy life in ways he never gave himself the chance to before. Mondo undeniably changed Taka's life and resonates with him even after he's gone. What could've been, man...

34. Best character design?

It's a tie between Kirumi and Gundham for me, but today I'm in a mood to ramble about the Ultimate Maid! I may be an arachnophobe, but I adore the spiderweb motif on her dress! It's similar to that of an orb-weaver's web pattern, but appears a bit messier than usually pictured, and even looks like a bullet hole in shattered glass. Perhaps this could symbolize that no matter how much control she thinks she has over her work and strives for perfection, she'll never be the flawless maid she's built up to be. Pressure can crack a diamond. I also love the muted green and purple accents with her eyes and tie. The layering on her dress is soso pretty. I dearly adore her!

[klimkovsky]

Open star cluster Messier 7, also known as the Ptolemy Cluster

Open star cluster Messier 7, is drawn by the Grok AI

Messier 7, also known as M7, the Ptolemy Cluster, or NGC 6475, is an open star cluster in the constellation Scorpius. Here's some key information about M7:

Basic Information:

Type: Open Star Cluster

Constellation: Scorpius

Catalog Numbers: Messier 7, NGC 6475

Right Ascension: 17h 53m 51.2s

Declination: -34° 47' 34"

Distance: Approximately 980 light-years from Earth

Physical Characteristics:

Age: Estimated to be about 200 million years old.

Number of Stars: Contains roughly 80 to 100 stars, with some estimates going up to several hundred.

Diameter: The cluster spans about 25 light-years across. Visually, it covers about 80 arcminutes, making it one of the larger and more prominent open clusters in the sky.

Visual Appearance:

Magnitude: M7 has an apparent magnitude of about 3.3, making it visible to the naked eye under good viewing conditions. It's one of the brighter objects in the Messier catalog.

Color: The stars in M7 vary in color, with many being blue and white, indicative of hotter, younger stars.

Historical Observations:

Discovery: M7 was one of the first objects known to ancient astronomers. It was cataloged by Ptolemy in his "Almagest" around 130 AD, thus sometimes called the Ptolemy Cluster.

Messier Catalog: Charles Messier added it to his catalog in 1764 as M7.

Observing M7:

Visibility: It's best observed in the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere or the late spring/early summer in the Northern Hemisphere, when Scorpius is well placed in the evening sky.

Telescopic Observation: With binoculars or a small telescope, M7 resolves into a beautiful cluster of stars, with many individual stars visible even in modest instruments.

Scientific Significance:

Study of Star Formation: Open clusters like M7 are crucial for understanding stellar evolution since all stars within such a cluster formed at roughly the same time from the same molecular cloud.

Astrophysical Research: Measurements of the brightness and color of stars in M7 help in determining their ages, distances, and evolutionary paths.

Source: Grok AI

Addition to brief information from AI

In the middle northern latitudes, the Ptolemy cluster is not observable. There, it either does not rise or does not rise to a height sufficient for confident visibility. And only starting from the latitude of the subtropics can it be observed with light optics, and even further south - in the tropical zone of the northern hemisphere - with the naked eye.

Claudius Ptolemy conducted his observations from Egyptian Alexandria. And more northern astronomers of antiquity did not notice this cluster. Because its integral brightness - 3m - decreased significantly as it approached the horizon due to atmospheric absorption.

A small remark regarding the number of stars in this cluster

There are about a hundred identified participants. Why do astronomers talk about several hundred stars possibly included in the cluster?

Because for the stable existence of a cluster of 25 light years (moreover, the radius of gravitational dominance for this cluster is estimated at 40 light years), its mass must be at least 800 solar masses. On average, each visible star must have a mass of about 10 solar masses, and this is a fairly large mass - the mass of a supergiant star. But such are not observed in the cluster - there are mainly stars of medium masses and luminosities. Consequently, a significant part of the cluster is represented by dwarf stars, like the Sun or less massive.

By the way, if we place our Sun at a distance of 1000 light years (approximately this distance is removed from us by the Ptolemy cluster), then without taking into account the absorption of light by the interstellar medium, it would have only 13 stellar magnitude, and such stars - background and not only - in the visible limits of this cluster are a great number. But the amount of light absorption in the direction of the center of the Galaxy (and this is the direction we are looking when observing the Ptolemy cluster) is significant. And the main part of the stellar population of the cluster is most likely weaker than the 15th stellar magnitude. All objects of such brightness have not yet been studied by astronomers.

But astronomers have studied the distribution of stars by mass in open clusters, from which we can draw a simple conclusion: If we observe a certain number of bright and clearly visible stars in a particular open cluster, then most likely the total number of all stars in the cluster is at least 10 times greater.

New image from the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile, shows the bright star cluster Messier 7, aka NGC 6475

Image source

[quiltofstars]

The Spiral Cluster, M34 // William Maxwell

[zahri-melitor]

Gail Simone for the comic writer thing?

Gail! As you probably noticed I disappeared back into brainrot here but let's rate all of these:-

7. Secret Six 2006: I simply think this is the most uneven of the three preboot Secret Six runs. I still enjoy it, but it doesn't make my brain itch quite like the others do.

6. Batgirl 2011 #1-34: While I have full respect for Simone taking on this project, and there are definitely aspects of this run I like, it's unfortunately also Babsgirl post-Oracle. One of the things that I go back and forth about in this run is that Simone, quite realistically, makes Barbara have some difficulties with skills and approach due to being back in the field, given she's been behind the computer for years and while I love the concept, it unfortunately also makes Barbara a more incompetent vigilante when set beside any of the boys. Down to Damian. And that irritates me in terms of messaging and what it allows people to say about Batgirl as a character.

5. Birds of Prey 2010 #1-13: There are aspects of this run I really enjoy and the Shiva v Dinah fight that was prevented by HELENA stepping in to challenge Shiva so that Shiva didn't need to fight Dinah yet, and Shiva stopping the fight midway through to put it on 'hold' for later gives me incredible levels of brain rot. However. There are runs I love even more!

4. Secret Six 2008: Gail Simone gets to play with every villain she wants to her hearts content and have them conflicted over if they're doing good, doing bad, being heroes, being antiheroes being villains, betraying each other, saving each other, and makes them all queer coded. I swear she came up with the entire premise as she wanted DC to pay her for some of her messier fic ideas and she somehow got an ongoing out of it because of the portion of her committed fandom who also went "yes please".

3. Villains United 2005: This is so gay. So extraordinarily gay. It also has a plot that contributes to Infinite Crisis I guess but essentially it's just Gail Simone writing herself as much queer coding as possible while she slams her supervillain action figures together and goes 'and then they kissed'. This is pure Gail Simone shipper on board id stuff and I for one adore it, because among other things it's actually messier, queerer and weirder than confirmed stuff is generally allowed to be (I am not even going to touch on the sexuality stuff built into Ragdoll and Parademon's friendship). Just slightly ahead because it's so concentrated and such a perfect encapsulation of how fandoms expected to read queerness into media characters in the mid 2000s.

2. Wonder Woman 2006 #14-44: There's a reason that Simone's in my list of top Wonder Woman runs. Just...ahhhhh. Simone's happy to glory in the mythology of DC and Wonder Woman and roll around in ideas she's clearly been thinking about for years and it comes through really well.

1. Birds of Prey 1999 #56-108: God I adore this run. Simone takes Dixon's extremely good concept, shakes it up a bit going "well, women DO tend to have friendship groups not just a single friendship; most don't actually hate other women for being in their niche". She takes a very multifaceted relationship (Barbara and Helena's rivalry) and works the two of them through it, with trip ups along the way in both directions, to best friends. She plays more with the concept of Barbara selecting the best team for the job and mixes up lineups more often, and pulls characters in from all over. She just gives the entire concept more depth.

[hircines-hunter]

Sorry Sifkni. Let me get Thea started and I’ll get back to our normal program

I might also go and fix 34 before I post it. Bc I fucking hate parts of it. It’s already a messy chapter and I don’t want it to be… messier lol

Anyways I really love werewolves and I’ll never stop making them

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

3. "Funny that you're worried about this and not your ruthless exploitation of the entire *human race*."

KIM KITSURAGI - "You're right, ma'am, that donations are permitted under the Emergency Act, unseemly as it may be, as long as they're properly logged with the precinct..."

JOYCE MESSIER - "Which he most certainly will do." She bows, and then raises a single eyebrow in your direction: "Now, how else can I help the RCM today, besides supplementing its salaries?"

7. "Thank you. That's all for now." [Leave.]

JOYCE MESSIER - "Of course, detective -- take care."

We are beset by notifications.

THOUGHT COMPLETE: RIGOROUS SELF-CRITIQUE

SOLUTION: Here it is. Hard facts from the man you are. You once jerked off in the locker room and were caught. You held a young woman by the arm and kept her in your apartment for 20 minutes against her will. That's right, these are not flights of fancy. These are *real deeds*, Harry, emerging from the darkness of your past. You tried shooting a fleeing suspect in the foot but hit him in the pelvis, crippling him for life. And above all, you let life defeat you. All the gifts your parents gave you, all the love and patience of your friends, you drowned in a neurotoxin. You let misery win. And it will keep on winning till you die -- or overcome it.

BONUSES: INT and PSY failures heal +1 Morale FYS and MOT failures heal +1 Health Learning cap for Pain Threshold raised to 6

These are some really good bonuses. We're not done with Thoughts yet, though:

Revachol Special Administrative Region, Le Caillou, the Insulindian Ocean, Coalition Government, Insulindian Mission Command... Name after name and none of them is familiar. They seem real, but something is wrong. You feel like a kid looking at stickers on the fridge: Truvant, The Apricot Company, World Games '34. You can almost see your hand reaching out for them. Scratch at the corners, see if they peel loose... This feels like the *most* important of all the thoughts; the one you truly must complete.

We've been prompted on the importance of completing this Thought a couple of times now. Which we will, but we don't have space for it right now.

Kim also wants to talk to us.

KIM KITSURAGI - "We should think about calling it a day, maybe? The nights are still miserably cold this time of year."

"I haven't paid the cafeteria manager for damages yet."

KIM KITSURAGI - "You should take care of that, then."

"I think I have the money now. This is money, right?" (Show him reál bills.)

KIM KITSURAGI - He nods. "I'll also take a room at the Whirling. One cannot get much closer to the crime scene."

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] - He's proud of you for getting your act together and finding a way to pay back what you owe.

[willmarstudios]

Bookworm Will Review 2025 (#34)

Title: The Bell In The Fog

Author: Lev AC Rosen

Rating: 4 / 5

Review: (MILD SPOILERS)

Am I a *little* disappointed that I didn't listen to this as an audiobook?

Yes because Vikas Adam is incredible as Andy and makes me swoon lol

We find Evander Mills, Andy, with the new beginnings of a new PI career. He lives above The Ruby and new clients are slowly but surely coming along. One night a blast from the past shows up begging for help regarding a blackmail situation that could jeopardize his promotion in the Navy, something Andy is familiar with. Things get personal, memories are uncovered, new and old faces appear and Andy continues to discover the unexpected.

Quick side note, I had intended to play detective myself while reading in hopes I can solve a mystery on my own, but after about reading 200 pages and taking copious amounts of notes, I gave up. I am NOT a detective.

My god did I still have a grand old time reading this sequel. It felt more thrilling than Lavender House considering the higher stakes towards the end. This was also MESSIER in terms of backstory. It truly was a more character driven situation where we not only got a better look at Andy's backstory, but also this look at vulnerable and terrified relationships between friends. James and Helen, ya'll need to leave my guy Andy alone. Shoo!

While I was frustrated at the mystery aspect, I was also entertained because I keep going into mysteries and 'who-done-its' as a simple and clear pattern of one person's motives. Just proves how naive I am and why I'm not a great detective lol. The red herrings where EVERYWHERE and I fell for most of them. Except the ones with the sweetest and soft exteriors, damn you cute elderly characters. I blame my love for Pat from the first book.

I also LOVED how we got to watch Andy grapple with past guilt and how he's really trying to take a step towards actually helping and being a part of his community. The ex-cop who was so focused on self preservation, no shame especially during that era, is now trying to be present. UGH! I love it!

Overall, another solid yes!

[leanstooneside]

Stravinsky

1. BRICE

2. Mark 3

3. WALLACE Fuck

4. Tom

5. Easy

6. Colonel Rosetti

7. TRENT The Anchorpoint

8. Jack

9. Rosetti

10. messier

11. City

12. Colonel Admin

13. WALLACE

14. Walker

15. Jackson's

16. sergeant bellow

17. Walker's

18. ColonelDoctor

19. Science Officer

20. Trent

21. Hyperdyne

22. Brice Hold

23. Queen's fury

24. moss

25. Fox

26. Queen screams

27. Jesus

28. queen. It

29. young Slavic

30. Queen HISSES

31. Jackson

32. genestructure

33. nick

34. WALLACE Holy Christ

35. Tatjana Malik

[hobbyspacer]

Night sky highlights for September 2024

Check out the night sky this month, September 2024. Here are several videos highlighting the top sights to observe. ** What's Up: September 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA - NASA JPL What are some skywatching highlights in September 2024? Five planets each make appearances, the Harvest supermoon shows us a partial eclipse, then slices through the Pleiades. Plus International Observe the Moon Night and solar sail sightings! 0:00 Intro 0:18 Sept. planets visibility 1:06 Moon & planet highlights 2:58 Solar sail visibility 3:38 International Observe the Moon Night 4:34 August photo highlights 4:48 September Moon phases Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatch.... See also What's Up: September 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA| NASA Science https://youtu.be/bLhVllgLZ94 ** Tonight's Sky: September 2024 - Space Telescope Science Institute - Tonight's Sky In September, Pegasus becomes increasingly prominent in the southeastern sky, allowing stargazers to locate globular star clusters and a nearby double star, Alpha Capricorni. Keep watching for space-based views of densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars in visible and X-ray light About this Series ... “Tonight’s Sky” is a monthly video of constellations you can observe in the night sky. The series is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning. This is a recurring show, and you can find more episodes—and other astronomy videos—at https://hubblesite.org/resource-gallery/tonights-sky. https://youtu.be/k-qQSeAUfp0 ** What's in the night sky, January 2024 - BBC Sky at Night Magazine Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal what's in the night sky this month, including the planets improving, a partial lunar eclipse on 18 September and Saturn and Jupiter moon events. 00:00 Introduction 00:08 Inner planets 02:55 Outer planets 09:28 Saturn Titan event 11:38 Ganymede transits Jupiter 12:46 18 September partial lunar eclipse 14:19 Autumn equinox 14:43 Saturn's moons 18:08 Stars and constellations https://youtu.be/Ch4GPsKV4yc ** Sky & Telescope's Sky Tour Podcast – September 2024 | The Equinox and the Summer Triangle - Sky & Telescope Youtube https://youtu.be/klDHLZGDp30 See also - Sky Tour Astronomy Podcast: Upcoming Celestial Events | Sky & Telescope - Interactive Sky Chart | Map Your Night Sky - Sky & Telescope - Astronomy Pictures: Sky & Telescope's Online Gallery Archives | Sky & Telescope ** What's in the Night Sky: September 2024 - National Space Centre What's in the Night Sky: September 2024 Saturn at Opposition Partial Eclipse of the Moon Andromeda Galaxy ✨ Constellation of the Month: Andromeda https://youtu.be/FXnUIdQm85s ** What's in the Sky this Month | September 2024 - High Point Scientific on Youtube In this episode of What's in the Sky this Month, Teagan reviews some of the beautiful celestial objects you can see in September 2024! Read the full September 2024 Newsletter: https://www.highpointscientific.com/a... Looking to expand your astronomy knowledge even further? The Astronomy Hub is the place to learn everything from what’s in the sky this month, to what gear can help you capture the best celestial images. Learn more here ➡️ https://www.highpointscientific.com/a... ... #highpointscientific #astronomy #september Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:37 - Nearest Neighbors 02:02 - Saturn & Neptune at Opposition 03:01 - NGC 7000 04:04 - Messier 39 04:30 - Messier 2 04:59 - Messier 15 05:33 - Conclusion https://youtu.be/i-cGqFx917M ** Night Sky Notebook September 2024- Peter Detterline What's happening in the sky in September 2024. https://youtu.be/5jRmxNMkOHU ** See also: - September’s Night Sky Notes: Marvelous Moons | NASA Science - Catch a Fall Feast of Lunar Occultations in September | Universe Today - Night sky, September 2024: What you can see tonight | Space.com - September Night Sky Guide (September 2024) | Farmers' Almanac - September 2024 Stargazing Guide | Perfect Astronomy - September 2024: What's in the sky this month? Saturn and Neptune reach opposition, with Mercury at its best | Astronomy.com - September 2024 Night Sky Calendar | Voyageurs Conservancy - 15 Must-See Astronomy Events in the September Night Sky (2024) | Space TourismGuide.com - See 6 planets in late August and early September | EarthSky.com === Amazon Ads === Celestron 70mm Travel Scope Portable Refractor Telescope Fully-Coated Glass Optics Ideal Telescope for Beginners BONUS Astronomy Software Package == Stellaris: People of the Stars Read the full article