Starship Asterisk*

Many years ago I watched a full moon rising in early evening. Suddenly, there was a bright white light about the size of bright Venus in the Moon's south east quadrant. After several seconds, my only thought was "OMG, they have nuked the Moon." I watched transfixed for 15-20 seconds as it ...

Why is the track of the retrograde motion a loop? Doesn't Mars stay in the same plane? I would think the track would be a straight line with overlap during the retrograde period... Mars stays in the same plane, and Earth stays in the same plane... but they are different planes. So our relative &quo...

Why is the track of the retrograde motion a loop? Doesn't Mars stay in the same plane? I would think the track would be a straight line with overlap during the retrograde period...

A significant new telescope has to be an APOD, even though the others (especially the moon over Cerro Paranal) are all worthy. And the Trappist Beer reference makes it a sure winner!

I like the solar prominence, but if you show it, please include a rollover that shows the relative size of the Earth, for example: http://www.naturalhighs.net/Sun_7239.jpg

Can anyone tell the size of the small squares?

Can anyone tell me the time span of the video? Is it several hours? I am guessing that the altitude of the prominence is about 200,000 miles but would also like to know the scale of the image in the video.

Maybe somebody can work out the copyright and upload details and upload this image to YouTube.com. Then we could post a link for those having trouble viewing this amazing movie. I have yet to have any problems in viewing a clip on YouTube. Technical problems that is...

Thanks. So it would look something like this:

http://www.naturalhighs.net/Sun_7239.jpg

What would be the relative size of the Earth in this image?

BTW, I can't get the sound to work at all on my Windows machine.

Moving the image of the airplane in front of the cloud eliminates the parallax effect makes it much easier for me to see the perspective of the scene. I now believe that the plane is between the cloud and the observer and has not altered course.

http://www.naturalhighs.net/smokeangel_modified.jpg

Is it possible that the airplane (Aug 22) is between the cloud and the observer and that a telephoto lens has foreshortened the perspective? Alternatively, is it possible that the airplane made a 180 degree turn after dropping the flares and is returning to view the cloud? This would place the cloud...

It looks like an ordinary rainbow to me. The photographer is standing close to a dirty window with the sun directly behind. Behind the glass is a spray of water. Maybe a spray to keep setting concrete cool? The brightness in the center is the normal rainbow effect where light rays within the rainbow...