20 April Crescent Moon. The Sea of Crises is nicely centered tonight. Olympus camera. Telephoto lens.
20 April Crescent Moon. 🌒
The Sea of Crises is nicely centered tonight.
Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mark III. 600 mm telephoto lens.
On the Trail: the greening of spring continues in Chicago’s western suburbs.
On the Trail: the greening of spring continues in Chicago’s western suburbs.
Along the trail in northern Illinois, the Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is starting to bloom in violet/pink hues.
Along the trail in northern Illinois, the Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is starting to bloom in violet/pink hues.
The night of April 14-15 is a sad and consequential night in history.
1865 - Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
1912 - Sinking of the RMS Titanic
Both tragic events began on the 14th and ended on the 15th.
Attention all spaceflight enthusiasts! Here are two great sources for higher resolution versions of Artemis II images:
★ www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii-m...
★ www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2...
Wow! It was GREAT to see the complete success of Artemis II. 🚀 It feels like a whole new Apollo era has truly begun! 🌖 . . . and something GOOD has happened in the world! 🌎
Wow! It was GREAT to see the complete success of Artemis II. 🚀
It feels like a whole new Apollo era has truly begun! 🌖
. . . and something GOOD has happened in the world! 🌎
On the two-year anniversary of the Great American Eclipse, NASA releases this stunning Total Solar Eclipse image from Artemis II. Saturn, Mars, and Mercury shine near the Moon’s ghostly orb. Credit: NASA
On the two-year anniversary of the Great American Eclipse, NASA releases this stunning Total Solar Eclipse image from Artemis II. Saturn, Mars, and Mercury shine near the Moon’s ghostly orb.
Credit: NASA
Wow! Did you see this nice Milky Way photo from the Artemis II astronauts? P.S. That's the Large Magellanic Cloud in the right corner. Credit: NASA
Wow! Did you see this nice Milky Way photo from the Artemis II astronauts?
P.S. That's the Large Magellanic Cloud in the right corner.
Credit: NASA
Tonight's 3-day old crescent Moon, exposed for the Moon's sunlit portion.
Tonight's 3-day old crescent Moon, exposed for the Moon's sunlit portion.
Tonight's waxing crescent Moon, with prominent Earthshine. Olympus camera, telephoto lens, tripod. From west suburban Chicago.
Tonight's waxing crescent Moon, with prominent Earthshine. Olympus camera, telephoto lens, tripod. Taken from west suburban Chicago.
A jet flying almost directly overhead joined the already crowded skies in Gemini tonight, including the Moon, Jupiter, and the stars Castor and Pollux. These two frames were taken 28 seconds apart.
The Gemini gathering: Castor, Pollux, Moon, Jupiter. Taken with Olympus camera and 53 mm lens.
The Gemini gathering: Castor, Pollux, Moon, Jupiter. Taken with Olympus camera and 53 mm lens. #astronomy
Celestial traffic jam in Gemini tonight . . . high overhead! Tonight, the 86% lit Moon is positioned beside Castor and Pollux, the two brightest stars of Gemini. The Moon essentially becomes a third (and very bright) brother. And bright Jupiter stands nearby.
Celestial traffic jam in Gemini tonight . . . high overhead! Tonight, the 86% lit Moon is positioned beside Castor and Pollux, the two brightest stars of Gemini. The Moon essentially becomes a third (and very bright) brother. 😁 And bright Jupiter stands nearby.
#astronomy
This post revealed to me that Bluesky significantly mangles the fine resolution of posted photos. My original shows two Jovian moons plainly; not at all here! Interestingly, Facebook mangles the least 👍; Instagram and Threads mangle the most. 👎
Tonight's Great Rectangle overhead . . . with corners marked by the Moon, Jupiter, Castor and Pollux (stars in Gemini). Two of Jupiter's moons can be seen by zooming in on the lower right "star." Olympus camera; zoom lens set at 53 mm.
Tonight's Great Rectangle overhead . . . with corners marked by the Moon, Jupiter, Castor and Pollux (stars in Gemini). Two of Jupiter's moons can be seen by zooming in on the lower right "star." Olympus camera; zoom lens set at 53 mm.
The Moon visits the Pleiades February 23. 8:01 p.m. CST Olympus camera. 270mm f.l.
The Moon visits the Pleiades
February 23. 8:01 p.m. CST
Olympus camera. 270mm f.l.
Happy Birthday, George Washington! 🎂
In 6 years, we’ll celebrate the tricentennial of your birth!
I enjoy explaining across my interests:
🪐 Astronomy — what’s in the sky
🇺🇸 Civil War — citizen soldiers & history
🪙 Coins & stamps — history in objects
🚴🏻♂️ Cycling — trails & observations
• Retired planetarium director
• Astrophotographer
Accurate, calm explanations across topics.
Remembering Abraham Lincoln on his birthday, which was in 1809 (217 years ago).
Remembering Abraham Lincoln on his birthday, which was in 1809 (217 years ago).
#AbrahamLincoln #CivilWarHistory #americanhistory
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 12 — Second Inaugural
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address may be his greatest speech. Delivered in March 1865 as the Civil War neared its end, its famous line
“With malice toward none; with charity for all”
emphasized reconciliation over triumph.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 11 — The Lincoln Cent In 1909, on the centennial of Lincoln’s birth, the U.S. replaced the Indian Head Cent with the Lincoln Cent — the first circulating coin to feature a real person. 117 years later, its obverse design hasn’t changed.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 11 — The Lincoln Cent
In 1909, on the centennial of Lincoln’s birth, the U.S. replaced the Indian Head Cent with the Lincoln Cent — the first circulating coin to feature a real person. 117 years later, its obverse design hasn’t changed.
#CivilWarHistory
Today I enjoyed my first bike ride in 4 weeks! It reached a balmy 45 degrees, with traces of snow still clinging to the less traveled streets.
Today I enjoyed my first bike ride in 4 weeks! It reached a balmy 45 degrees, with traces of snow still clinging to the less traveled streets.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 10 — Places Named Lincoln
Only one town named “Lincoln” existed during his lifetime — Lincoln, Illinois. In the 1850s, Abraham Lincoln helped design the town, practiced law there, and helped shape its future.
All others were named for him after his death.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 9 — Lincoln’s Height
In the 1850s, the average American man stood about 5’ 7”.
At 6’ 4”, Lincoln physically towered over his contemporaries — including Stephen Douglas, who stood a full foot shorter. The contrast became part of his legend.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 8 — Lincoln’s Beard In 1860, an 11-year-old girl wrote Lincoln suggesting he grow a beard to soften his appearance. After the election, he did just that! When his train passed through Grace’s town in 1861, he met her and credited her suggestion.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 8 — Lincoln’s Beard
In 1860, an 11-year-old girl wrote Lincoln suggesting he grow a beard to soften his appearance. After the election, he did just that! When his train passed through Grace’s town in 1861, he met her and credited her suggestion.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 7 — Lincoln’s Speaking Voice (Part 2)
We’ll never hear Lincoln’s real voice, but using historical descriptions, I conducted a thought experiment using ElevenLabs speech synthesis technology. The result was far less strange than expected:
bit.ly/3OeEtFt
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 6 — Lincoln’s Speaking Voice (Part 1) Lincoln’s voice was high-pitched and reedy — not the booming baritone we imagine. But it carried across crowds and proved remarkably effective once listeners adjusted. Tomorrow: a voice reconstruction experiment.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 6 — Lincoln’s Speaking Voice (Part 1)
Lincoln’s voice was high-pitched and reedy — not the booming baritone we imagine. But it carried across crowds and proved remarkably effective once listeners adjusted.
Tomorrow: a voice reconstruction experiment.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln Day 5 — Lincoln at Gettysburg Following Edward Everett's two hour speech, Lincoln's short address argued that the Civil War was a test of whether a nation founded on equality and self-government could survive. Lincoln’s 272 words redefined American democracy.
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 5 — Lincoln at Gettysburg
Following Edward Everett's two hour speech, Lincoln's short address argued that the Civil War was a test of whether a nation founded on equality and self-government could survive. Lincoln’s 272 words redefined American democracy.
#CivilWarHistory
12 Days of Lincoln
Day 4 — Cooper Union: Lincoln the Logician
Lincoln’s 1860 Cooper Union speech made his presidency possible. By calmly proving that the Founders supported restricting slavery, he made his conclusion inescapable — and transformed himself into a national figure.
#CivilWarHistory
