That is Arp 273, a pair of interacting galaxies. The smaller one, the “stem” is thought to have passed through the larger one, the “flower”.

When I was young”er”, I never fully appreciated roses. It just seemed to me that they were so over-commercialized. I mean, every single holiday pushes one to buy roses, even Christmas. Consequently, I was never a fan until in later years, when I grew my own, and learned to appreciate the lushness and beauty of the unfolding petals, the fragrance of romance, and the thorns telling me to back the hell off. Still, though not my favorite flower, they still stir the romantic in me.

And it’s nice to see romance out among the stars

To us mere mortals, that means it’s time to substitute that program with another. One that’s Better, Faster, Stronger™. But no…. that isn’t in the cards at this time. The Constellation Project has been severely scaled back, and the future of the Orion spacecraft is in serious doubt. Then when you read stuff like this, it makes you wonder if NASA is making a bully move to take someone else’s work.

But the bitter pill I can’t swallow has to be the snubbing of Johnson Space Center. Four STS spacecraft needing homes for display: Atlantis will go to Cape Canaveral (I refuse to use KSC), Discovery will go to the Smithsonian, Endeavour will retire to the California Science Center in L.A.

And the Enterprise will go to… New York City, to be displayed on board the U.S.S. Intrepid, because New York City has such a long history of space exploration….

Yes, I was upset. I was actually seething when I heard the announcements. And I also saw the confusion among some of the Canaveral employees when NYC was rewarded. And I called my dad, asking him if this was protocol, or a snub, or a joke. His answer was, this was not the NASA from my childhood. And he is right. It isn’t. Back then we wanted to explore the heavens and reach the stars. Now, NASA is more concerned with climate change and making people feel good. Maybe I’m harsh, or just jaded, because every kid I ever babysat always wanted to be an astronaut, and I seldom hear that from kids nowadays. And it makes me sad.

But Karma has a way of having the last laugh. And as my friend Dick pointed out, our state has more pressing issues as well as better places to allocate the huge financial burden that would have come with displaying a Shuttle. And knowing that California and New York are in dire financial straits….well, let’s just say there’s plenty of popcorn to pass around

Lou Ferrigno is now deputized by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to help patrol the Arizona border. I hope he goes the “Incredible Hulk” on the invaders.

Texas DPS is taking a stand, doing what our federal government won’t do.

Wesboro fucktards Baptist Church is picketing the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, MI. The world runs out of popcorn, more at 11.

Wikileaks douchenozzle in trouble once again. Sweden attempts to establish serious street cred.

Texas A&M University sends a clear message to the new legislature. And they better pay attention.

And finally, scientists managed to create and capture anti-matter!! Time to start on the Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator. Get ready for an Earth-shattering Ka-BOOM!!!

Hope y’all’s day starts off on a groovy note

The Glowing Eye of NGC 6751. This image is being released to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Hubble Telescope. The nebula is found in the Aquila Constellation, and shows a star that has ejected a cloud of gas. Beautiful….wondrous….mysterious…and totally hot.

Like a July 4 fireworks display, a young, glittering collection of stars looks like an aerial burst. The cluster is surrounded by clouds of interstellar gas and dust—the raw material for new star formation. The nebula, located 20,000 light-years away in the constellation Carina, contains a central cluster of huge, hot stars, called NGC 3603.

See? Even the Universe celebrated our Day of Independence

And I highly recommend going over to Michelle Malkin, just for this:

NASA Chief: Next Frontier Better Relations With Muslim World

What. The. HELL???

Though international diplomacy would seem well outside NASA’s orbit, Bolden said in an interview with Al Jazeera that strengthening those ties was among the top tasks President Obama assigned him. He said better interaction with the Muslim world would ultimately advance space travel.

I’m sorry, what part of NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION does Prez Obama NOT understand? Where the blooming fuck does it say they are a branch of the Diplomatic Corps(e)? And giving an interview with Al Jazzera before the rest of us know about this? Holy fuck, how blatant can you get??

“It is a matter of trying to reach out and get the best of all worlds, if you will, and there is much to be gained by drawing in the contributions that are possible from the Muslim (nations),” he said. He held up the International Space Station as a model, praising the contributions there from the Russians and the Chinese.

However, Bolden denied the suggestion that he was on a diplomatic mission — in a distinctly non-diplomatic role.

“Not at all. It’s not a diplomatic anything,” he said.

Oh, so his task to “reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science … and math and engineering” is NOT a “diplomatic anything”? And why the fucking hell do we have to help them “feel good” about contributions made over a thousand years ago?? What the twatmoldy fuck have they contributed lately? Why don’t we take a look at all of the Muslim achievements, eh?

I had high hopes for NASA when Major General Bolden was picked to head the agency. I sincerely hope experience was not trumped by race in this case, but I have a feeling I could be dead wrong.

Supernova 1987A, delighting astronomers for over two decades. Who knew the universe enjoyed wearing a pearl necklace??

Let the comments begin

Stellar spire in the Eagle Nebula, measuring about 57 trillion miles high. And still, it rises….

Monocerotis, Supergiant star V838.

A “light echo” is formed as light travels from the orange glowing supergiant through gas and dust. Maybe I’m being romantic, but the foreground stars look like twinkling diamonds on a bed of soft sable. Or milk chocolate.

*Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline.

This nebula is known as NGC 6302. The result of gases released by a dying star, it earns the nickname “Butterfly Nebula”. Much more poetic, in my opinion.

A different view of the Crab Nebula. One of my personal favorites, this pic shows the utter havok a dead star can wreak, spewing forth gases in all directions. But then you see this, and wonder:

The Helix Nebula,  a dying star wrapped in an orderly pocket of gas. This is also known as The Eye of God. Truly a wonder.

And for those wondering about the title:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtGG1WLP1pk

“And notes of busy life in distant worlds
Beat like a far wave on my anxious ear.”

Alfred, Lord Tennyson