Most of you know I’m a slave when it comes to tech stuff, even though half the time I have to get assistance from others on various technical problems/questions I have with/about certain fancy gadgets. I also enjoy taking pix of fake bunny rabbits, oh like the one that used to be in my front yard, am not shy about admitting one of my early influences was Wonder Woman, have an addiction to Christmas decorations, and am proud of the fact that I grew up listening to and trying to be like Olivia Newton-John 
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone to find out that I’m a stargazer - a casual one, not one who knows everything there is to know about every star in the galaxy, but who enjoys it nevertheless … along with playing amateur photographer when it comes to sky high events like the recent lunar eclipse, where I tried and bombed miserably at photographing it (scroll).
I brought this up because the Hubble Space Telescope just celebrated it’s 18th anniversary last week and NASA released some 59 HST photographs of “merging galaxies.” This one in particular I found stunning:
Caption: NGC 6050/IC 1179 (Arp 272) is a remarkable collision between two spiral galaxies, NGC 6050 and IC 1179, and is part of the Hercules Galaxy Cluster, located in the constellation of Hercules. The galaxy cluster is part of the Great Wall of clusters and superclusters, the largest known structure in the universe. The two spiral galaxies are linked by their swirling arms. Arp 272 is located some 450 million light-years away from Earth and is the number 272 in Arp’s Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies.
Schweet. Kinda romantic-looking, ain’t it? 
Looks invigorating, too - can you imagine being the captain of your own private spaceship and flying into outer space to view something like that? It would totally rule. And if there happened to be a sizeable, inhabited land mass nearby, ‘twould be an ideal place to perfect my Jedi mind trick powers, too, since they don’t seem to work too well with the moonbats we have here on Earth …
Ok - time for me to say hello to some shut-eye. Friday’s going to be another busy day for me, so please utilize this as an open thread until I return tomorrow afternoon or evening. Also, I’ll be home most of the weekend, and will try to make up for some of the blogging I missed this week.
TGIF, all, and g’nite.
(Note: I do not find the term “geek” insulting when I use it to describe someone - including myself. I wear it like a badge of honor 
)
One of my (many) correspondents sent me a link to an article about that…pretty awesome stuff.
Comment by camojack @ 4/25/2008 - 1:30 am
Okay we want a clean fight , keep it above the belt and no gouging or kidney punches. Yes, yes, He Who’s Middle Name Must Not Be Mentioned, even you. Yes, I know you played half-balack in the high school halfway house for incurable muzzies, however, lying has been reserved this month for the Clintonista. No, you can’t continue to pander, you three candidating lovebirds have played hooky long enough. Before your truant officers get here you may want to address todays feelings and pretend for the cameras, mic’s and keyboards that you actually give a rats ass, (sorry GWR) because some of your frosting is melted, as evidenced by this AP weave with about a three count.
If you don’t shine this up soon it will read We feel many states appear to be in recession and boy, you don’t even wanna think about the hand wringing THEN, that JohnnyMac will be obligated to perform.
Comment by forest hunter @ 4/25/2008 - 1:34 am
Warp speed, mistress!
Comment by Tango @ 4/25/2008 - 12:43 pm
I have been authorized by the Save Our Barack (SOB) Defense Fund to make this appeal:
As many of you know, Barack Obama is under constant attack from the wingnuts. If you are one of the vast majority of progressive patriots in this great yet horribly flawed land of bitter racist homophobic sexist Jewish Christianist tax-cutting global warming-denying God-and-gun yahoos, you would like to see Senator Obama as president so that we can do away with all of these Distractions.
You may contribute to our fund by by calling 1-800-MESSIAH (extension 666).
If you prefer, you may send cash contributions (small unmarked bills, please) to: SOB, Chicago, IL.
You’re welcome.
Comment by Mwalimu Daudi @ 4/25/2008 - 4:29 pm
Literally LOL, MD!!
Comment by Sister Toldjah @ 4/25/2008 - 7:15 pm
I saw that in this AM’s rag and wondered what techie stuff went into concatenating those 59 photos into one. Now I realize that our local rag was poorly written. Thanks for directing me to a clarification.
Interesting RE: “Geek-talk”. I presently describe my current job as “translating Geek.”
Hope you’re well, Sister! Keep on keeping on!
CA
BnG
Comment by Poet @ 4/25/2008 - 9:25 pm
That photo breathes new life into the term “celestial body.” Personally I suspect ST has been fiddling around with a partial self portrait and PhotoShop.
But I’m a cynic.
Comment by Steve Skubinna @ 4/25/2008 - 9:56 pm
Geeks rock.
Comment by Karl @ 4/26/2008 - 3:24 am
With all due respect, there’s a small barred spiral at the top of the two merging systems. Is that outside of the plane of activity?
Comment by Mike H. @ 4/26/2008 - 5:43 am
Add to the amazement the fact that the odds of any of those stars colliding is extrememly small. The average space between each star is 4 light years.
Comment by lonetown @ 4/26/2008 - 9:16 am
MikeH, my selection as a Galaxyzoo.org member is that what you are seeing is evidence to me that the two big galaxies are merging and not just overlapping from our point-of-view.
For more see here, where the latest project we voters are involved in concerns determining that crucial difference as we help our pet astronomers…
LINK
Comment by oino @ 4/26/2008 - 9:34 pm
Since there’s no open thread for Sunday, I’ll post this here. This is just amazing, and made me think of our own NC Cop. Here’s hoping you do as well as this guy!
Wounded Iraq War Vet Plays Lacrosse On Prosthetic Legs
The strength of character and can do attitude of people like this and NC Cop continue to amaze me. It’s so refreshing to see people like this after being bombarded daily with the victimhood society we’ve become.
Comment by Severian @ 4/27/2008 - 10:10 am
Gosh, Steve - I think I’ll be blushing for the rest of the year from your compliment. Thank you
Comment by Sister Toldjah @ 4/27/2008 - 2:43 pm