M51 And Then Some

M51 and then some

Galaxies are often far more than the stuff we see, even in the best of Hubble photo's, there are stars, dust and gas that stretch out at densities too low to be picked up in some of the most iconic images.

Here M51 is recorded over 255 Hours, collecting all the light and gas at far lower densities, revealing the structure of M51 and the merging galaxy, and how huge plumes of stars and dust and gas are being kicked out way beyond the apparent confines of the spiral galaxy itself.

This is the same situation around most galaxies, the halo area reaching out from the Milky Way so far, it's thought in some parts to potentially be interacting with Andromeda's halo, over 2.1 million light years away, albeit at a very low level (so far).

Knives in both hands

One thing that I think is really missing from the Lirin Discourse (from all directions!) is that Kaladin absolutely did want to be a surgeon. He genuinely wanted it. There were times where he wanted to be a soldier more, but by the time the recruiters came he had decided that he wouldn't join the army after all! In fact, the tragedy of the whole thing is that Roshone's cruelty forced Kaladin into a path he didn't want anymore.

Nah you gotta become me first

Kelsier fucking dies!?!??? I was right!! He is that dramatic bitch!!!!!

Let's go visit it. Who's with me?

JWST Looks Towards the Most Distant Star Ever Seen

JWST was designed to look towards the early universe, and there we see countless galaxies, but individual stars are usually far too faint to really be able to separate from all the other stars around them. Even galaxies fairly close to us can be a huge technical challenge to zoom in to the point of being able to see individual stars, and when you consider the closest star (not counting our sun) isn't even visible in the night sky to the naked eye at 4.24 light years, when we're talking millions even billions of light years, just seeing the galaxies is a miracle within itself.

That was until Hubble picked out Earendel, an actual individual star gravitationally lensed across 12.9 billion light years.

What was exciting about this was that this star was in existence within the first billion years of the universe, so maybe it was a population III star, one of the original stars theorised to have populated that early universe. The problem for Hubble was, being an optical telescope, it couldn't see all of the wavelength data coming from the star, only that which had become visible after being red shifted.

Now, JWST has also done the same, and it has the data to see what kind of star this is, and interestingly it's a blue B type star, much more massive than our Sun, but similar to the kind of stars most visible in open clusters, and born today in our own galaxy.

What's more, JWST also detected red light, potentially pointing at a companion star, which wouldn't be too surprising given most B type stars are binary in nature.

While this star doesn't appear to be a Population III star, it is evidence that we can pick out light from some of the earliest stars in our universe, and expectations are that it's only a matter of time before such a star is detected.

Source:

Space.com

Earendel revealed: James Webb Space Telescope lifts veil on the most distant star known in the universe

Earendel is about twice as hot as the sun, and it probably has a stellar companion.

This reminds me of something i think i saw on the 17th shard, of a stormlight prologue being me stuck in a bathroom, trying to get out, for the entire prologue. At the end, I resort to Awakening, resulting in my exit, in front of guards, right after the assassination, dressed in white.

More Ways for Hoid to be Tortured

[Includes a spoiler for Tress!]

Hoid has sure had it rough lately. He’s had his memories siphoned off, gotten cursed, even spent some quality time as a coatrack. As @kingjasnah points out in this post, Sanderson is setting a precedent here: we’re all expecting ever new and more hilarious shit to happen to Hoid.

So here are some ideas for ways that Hoid might suffer in future Cosmere books.

1. Trapped in a dimension full of talking bananas…who don’t care about stories

Hoid: And that was the story of the banana who looked up.

Banana 1: [yawning]

Banana 2: Sorry, did you say something? I was thinking about radishes.

Banana 3: I feel so neutral about everything you said!

Hoid: …I may have found a place nearly as unpleasant as Komashi. 

Hoid: Nearly.

2. A new and ever weirder food craving every day.

Hoid: Well, it seems that today I can stomach nothing except mayonnaise-topped pickles.

Design: And you’re sure you’re not pregnant?

3. Trapped on a planet during a time of no plot relevance 

Design: Hey, will you look at that!

Design: According to the town newspaper, old lady Dennis FINALLY figured out who’s been eating her lettuce. 

Design: Get this–it was a rabbit!

Design: That’s something, right?

Hoid: W-Was it an invested rabbit?

Design: Nope! Just a normal one.

Hoid (sinking further into his turtleneck): I have GOT to get my Luck back.

4. Can only communicate via song…after losing his perfect pitch 

Hoid (singing): And thus you should learn, / that if I must, I will let this planet buuuuuuurn!

Design: Your pitch is off by a mere .0005%!

Hoid (singing): And it’s really not fair–this much is true, / that my perfect pitch, went straight to yooooou!

5. Turned into a rat

Rat-Hoid: The worst part is…it’s not even original.

6. De-Aged into a Child

Hoid: It’s not so bad, really.

Hoid: People perhaps don’t take me the most seriously, but then, I was the King’s Wit for a while so I’m used to that.

Hoid: …I do hear the word “precocious” a lot. 

7. De-Aged into a Baby

Hoid: (furiously signing with his fat baby hands) What is this, an isekai?!

Design: Hmmm…I should start a babysitting business. 

8. Unable to respond to anyone unless his response rhymes

Design: I love it, to be orange.

Design: If I ever need some peace and quiet, I just end every sentence with “orange.” 

Hoid: Once again I must ask you to act a bit less like a poison-filled sporange. 

Design: It’s fun to watch him incorporate that word into all of his sentences!

9. Grows to the size of a mountain

Hoid: It’s not (ouch) that I mind (ouch) the mountain-climbing business that Design (ouch) is running.

Hoid: But the constant (ouch) pick-axes driving into my shins (ouch) does get a tad…distracting.

Hoid: (ouch)

10. Handcuffed to Kelsier, ala Light & L

Kelsier: [eyes gleaming]

Kelsier: And this time you can’t escape me, Drifter!

Hoid: Hey, is that a spike in your eye, or are you just happy to see me?

Kelsier: …

Kelsier: T-That doesn’t even make any sense!

Hoid: …This might actually be fun.

Reblog for a wider audience please!