#the nebula stars

[karebeast]

The Last Dance

-Music-

The floor collapses, as we dance

We are falling

Apart

Lord Sainterious and Lady Adara ™ @karebeast

[glitch07deity]

HEHEHEH MY HAND HURTS BUT IT WAS WORTH IT <3

DTYS Entry for Kare’s celebration on 500+ watchers! This was so fun to make and honestly this was the perfect excuse to draw the beans, they’re so unique and expressive <3 10/10 would draw them again (especially Sain, binging Rammstein really brought out his personality in the drawing LMAO)

Love you @kare-bear117 <3

[the-wolf-and-moon]

The Pleiades

[markscherz]

Meet the seven new frog species we just named after iconic Star Trek captains!

Artwork by A. Petzold, CC BY-ND 4.0

At the right time of year along rushing streams in the humid rainforests that stretch the length of Madagascar's eastern and northern mountain ridges, otherworldly trills of piercing whistles can be heard.

Are they birds? Insects? Communicator beeps? Tricorder noises?

No, they're little treefrogs!

Boophis janewayae. Photo by M. Vences, CC BY-SA 4.0

Until recently, we thought all of the populations of these little brown frogs across the island were one widespread species, Boophis marojezensis, described in 1994. But genetics in the early 2000s and 2010s showed that there were several species here, not just one.

Now my colleagues and I have shown that they are in fact eight separate species, each with unique calls!

These whistling sounds reminded us so much of Star Trek sound effects that we decided to name the seven new species after Star Trek captains: Boophis kirki, B. picardi, B. janewayae, B. siskoi, B. pikei, B. archeri, and B. burnhamae.

Photos of all new species described by Vences et al. 2024. CC BY-SA 4.0

I subtly and not-so-subtly built some Star Trek references into the paper, but probably the best one is this one:

'Finding these frogs sometimes requires considerable trekking; pursuing strange new calls, to seek out new frogs in new forests; boldly going where no herpetologist has gone before.'

— Vences et al. 2024

There’s a real sense of scientific discovery and exploration here, which we think is in the spirit of Star Trek.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that there are at least two Trekkies amongst the authors (including yours truly). As fans of Star Trek, we are also just pleased to dedicate these new species to the characters who have inspired and entertained us over the decades.

On a personal note, this marks a milestone for me, as it means I have now described over 100 frog species! I am very pleased that the 100th is Captain Janeway's Bright-eyed Frog, Boophis janewayae (if you count them in order of appearance in the paper)—she is probably my favourite captain, and I really love Star Trek: Voyager.

You can read more about the discovery of these new species on my website! You can also read the Open Access paper published in Vertebrate Zoology here.

[aimeekb]

Milky Way arch over the Mojave desert, California

[spacewonder19]

Beta Fish Nebula ESO 217-25 © Brian Boyle

[ellohcee]

Star eater

[wonders-of-the-cosmos]

Messier 39 in Cygnus is a large, sprawling open cluster

Images: Adam Block.

[astrhae]

crowley used the metal tool in season 1 to start time, and we learn that he's used it first to start space. to create the stars -- he still remembers how. he still remembers all of heaven's passwords: in the book crowley is described as an optimist because he has the "utter surety... that the universe would look after him". not god, but the universe. and of course he does: he helped create it and he's looking after it, too.

think about it: aziraphale had a sword, but crowley is about to face satan who wants to destroy the world, and crowley's only weapon is a tool of creation

[karlrincon]

This is how Eclipse Solar 2024 is looking from space. 🔭🌘

[tofupixel]

easy tutorial for how i made this simple stylized "nebula" from my 'head full of stars' piece. note that this is not the only way, or the best way to do it, it's just the way i did it (and i made it up). enjoy

btw this was made with my 8 colour palette 'supernova' which you can download free here. eyestrain warning maybe

30% off pixquare pixelart app with code 'tofu' 💕

pixelart guide | support me | commission me | buy a print | buy a sticker

[karebeast]

Traveler's Charm

Another doodle finished from earlier this month when I was visiting a friend for a week, I like how the vibrant colors came out

Noctias ™ KareBeast

[without-ado]

Exploration is in our nature. We began as wanderers, and we are wanderers still.

l photo: Sara Hunt l quote: Carl Sagan

[the-wolf-and-moon]

Vega, The Star at the Center of Everything

[dinamight12]

NGC 4038 and NGC 4039

[aimeekb]

The Milky Way rising above the mountains in Badwater Basin, Death Valley National Park