A lunar eclipse is an event not to miss if you have clear skies. These occur when the Moon enters Earth’s shadow, transforming the familiar ivory disk into a deep, copper-red phantasm. Even though this post is published after the March 3, 2026 Lunar eclipse, this shot was taken last year when the moon went […]
What can beat a smooth lager beer pulled fresh from the bright tank? Only one you make yourself. Here in the Methow Valley, winter isn’t just for skiing; it’s peak lager season. From December to March, my brewing room stays between 50–60°F, which is the “Goldilocks zone” for lager yeast. The Science: Why Cold Matters […]
The Witch’s Broom Nebula (NGC 6960), located in the constellation Cygnus, is part of the vast Veil Nebula or Cygnus Loop complex. This is a supernova remnant—the aftermath of a massive star that spewed its enriched material into the cosmic soup. You are looking at the western portion of this complex. The statistics are mind-boggling: […]
I am getting inundated with posts about “conscious” AI and end-of-humanity scenarios involving a machine take-over à la Skynet. Can machines be intelligent in the human sense? Yes, they can—maybe even more intelligent by several metrics. Did you ever have a conversation online and wonder if you’re actually chatting with a real person, or some […]
I remember the first time I saw the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) with my naked eyes. A fuzzy patch of sky, like a ghostly whisper in the night floating in the Andromeda constellation adjacent to Pegasus the flying horse. I could not fathom the idea that my eyes are catching photons that have travelled millions of […]
