Nebula Neighbor
When I step out onto my balcony and look East, I always have magnificent views. I look towards the ridge opposite my house in the Dandenong Ranges. There are frequent colorful sunrises that materialise behind the dead branches of a large tree jutting through the forest canopy. You’ll find a number of photos from my balcony with the tree top as subject (just see yesterday’s post).
I took this image some time ago and was struck by the contrast between the red rising sun and the black early morning sky. I then wondered, what would this view be like if we were much closer to other star systems. What if a nebula was a nearby neighbor? Here’s my minds eye of what that would look like. I’ve combined an image of nebula NGC 1333 with my tree view.
This image of NGC 1333 was taken using the Mosaic-1 imager and the National Science Foundation’s Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak. This star-forming region, located roughly 1,000 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Perseus, harbors hundreds of newly formed stars less than one million years old. Many of these proto-stars exhibit energetic activity such as jets and strong stellar winds. NGC 1333 credit T.A. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage, H. Schweiker/WIYN and NOAO/AURA/NSF
Read MoreWhen It Gets Darkest the Stars Come Out
I created this out of a request that came from Drew at Benspark.com. Drew posted
“what I am looking for is to get as many photos of people from all over the world who are holding messages of hope. Think Good Morning America’s “Three Words”. I am going to compile those photos into a video set to music to give to the family. Hope is what is keeping this family going and hope is what I want to give them.”
Best wishes to the Machinski family … always look to the stars for hope and inspiration.
Read MoreMy Backyard in the Orion Nebula
Call me an adult with an overactive imagination, a dreamer or a delusional geek but sometimes I just can’t help but wonder … What would my backyard look like if Earth was a little closer to the Orion Nebula?
Ah, now that’s worth pulling out the deck chairs and a pondering over a tequila sunrise.
Hubble’s Sharpest View of the Orion Nebula:
The Orion Nebula is a cavern of tumultuous gas and dust where thousands of stars are forming. The energy released by the young stars transforms their place of birth, whipping their surroundings into fantastic forms.
Exploration Dreaming – Humanity Leaving the Cradle
I would like to respectfully acknowledge Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation who are the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land I currently reside.
The use of traditional Australian Aboriginal painting techniques and symbols have opened a new vista to artistic expression for me when combined with deep space images.
Using traditional symbols, the image depicts the future dreaming of man leaving the cradle of humanity. The concentric circles represent the ‘campsites’ or colonies as man takes to the stars. Undulating patterns mirroring trials and tribulations persist in following the journey. The U shapes of mankind identify a new civilization emerging in the stars.
The background image is a Hubble Space Telescope shot of the Orion Nebula.
Created using the GIMP opensource image editing software
For more information on Aboriginal Painting or to view real Aboriginal artists work please visit:
www.aboriginalartonline.com/index.php
www.aboriginalart.org/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Aboriginal_art
Note: I am not of Aboriginal descent and do not claim to understand the complexities and full symbolism of traditional Aboriginal art. I hope that by learning more about the Aboriginal culture and art I can gain a greater appreciation and understanding.
Read MoreSearching for Something …
I know I’m searching for something
Something so undefined
That it can only be seen
By the eyes of the blind
In the middle of the night.
Billy Joel