Lmst

This Aussie Town Might Be a Portal to Space (Hear Me Out)

I was meant to be installing an observatory dome at Perth Observatory… but somewhere along the way, I stumbled into Southern Cross, Western Australia — a tiny outback town where every street is named after a star.

Like, actual stars. You’ve got Sirius Street, Betelgeuse Boulevard, Vega Terrace… I thought I was in a galaxy brain fever dream. 😅

Come with me as I explore this unexpectedly cosmic place, get weirdly emotional about signage, and wonder how no one told me this place existed sooner.

If you’re into astronomy, quirky travel discoveries, or just want to hear me lose my mind over road names, this one’s for you.
🌌🛣️✨

#astronomy #space #astrophotography #starstuff #nightsky #spacegeek #australianoutback #perthobservatory #southerncross #deepsky #stars #astrotravel #cosmicwanderer #milkyway #telescope #stargazing #spacetourism #skywatcher #universetoday #astrophoto #nasa #spacenerd #darksky #astrocommunity #scienceonthego #domeinstall #astrotrip #galacticfind #spaceisawesome #spaceexploration

https://youtu.be/Q_B-NJJHzJE

After awesome launch, SpaceX’s Starship spins out of control
SpaceX's Starship super-rocket got off to a great start today for its ninth flight test, but the second stage ran into a host of issues and made an uncontrolled re-entry.

The 400-foot-tall rocket's first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, rose from its Starbase launch pad in Texas just afte
https://cosmiclog.com/2025/05/27/after-awesome-launch-spacexs-starship-spins-out-of-control/
#UniverseToday #Space #SpaceX #Starship

Long Ago on Corvan II
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I love this scene of a vintage truck, most likely a 1928 Dodge Brothers work truck, and an old gravity pump in the desert night. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld flashlight capable of producing different colors and illuminated the subject with warm white and red light to enhance the mystique during the exposure. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images.
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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com
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(Plate 9421) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. 2 minutes f/8 ISO 200. April 2023.
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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #urbex #urbanexploration #gravitypump #vintageautomobile #Dodge

Wishing you a happy Star Wars Day! May the Fourth be With You. "Beeep blurrrrp beep beep buuuurrrreeeep!!!" - R2D2
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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com
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Info: Nikon D7000, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens, Feisol tripod. 180 second long exposure, f/8, ISO 200. Light painting with laser pointer, LED flashlight, and El Wire. All light work was done during the exposure, and is not a post-processing creation. 22 February 2014.
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#r2d2 #nikon #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #longexposure #longexposurephotography #lightpainting #lightpaintingphotography #kenlee #kenleephotography #starwars #starwarsday #maytheforcebewithyou #maythefourthbewithyou #feisol #MyRRS #nightscaper #nightphotography

Just signed up--long overdue--to Universe Today's free Patreon tier.

https://www.patreon.com/cw/universetoday/home

Frasier Cain is a wonderful science communicator focusing on space news. He does lots (and lots) of interviews with scientists that keep you up-to-date with what's going on in space science.

Join me, if you're interested!

#Space #Patreon #UniverseToday

Dazzling pictures celebrate Hubble’s 35 years in orbit
This week brings the Hubble Space Telescope's 35th birthday — but instead of getting presents, the Hubble team is giving out presents in the form of four views of the cosmos, ranging from a glimpse of Mars to a glittering picture of a far-out galaxy.

It's the latest observance of a tradit
https://cosmiclog.com/2025/04/23/dazzling-pictures-celebrate-hubbles-35-years-in-orbit/
#UniverseToday #Astronomy #HubbleSpaceTelescope #Space

Lucy probe snaps closeup of weirdly shaped asteroid
NASA's Lucy spacecraft made a successful flyby of the second asteroid on its must-see list over the weekend, and sent back imagery documenting the elongated object's bizarre double-lobed shape.

It turns out that asteroid Donaldjohanson — which was named after the anthropologist who discovered the fossils of
https://cosmiclog.com/2025/04/21/lucy-probe-snaps-closeup-of-weirdly-shaped-asteroid/
#UniverseToday #Asteroids #LucyProbe #NASA

Fresh findings revive debate about life on alien planet
Two new studies have sparked fresh debate about a faraway planet with a weird atmosphere. One of the studies claims additional evidence for the presence of life on the planet K2-18 b, based on chemical clues. The other study argues that such clues can be produced on a lifeless world covered with h
https://cosmiclog.com/2025/04/17/fresh-findings-revive-debate-about-life-on-alien-planet/
#UniverseToday #Astrobiology #Exoplanets #Space

Lubrication
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This gas station in Nelson Ghost Town appeared briefly in "3000 Miles to Graceland" with Kevin Costner. Here, it's lit up rather strangely at night. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting." Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. This was photographed while Tim Little and I were teaching a night photography workshop at Nelson Ghost Town in Nevada and Goffs, CA, along Route 66.
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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com
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(Plate 7733) Nikon D750 DSLR/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. October 2024.
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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nelson #NelsonGhostTown

Asteroid will miss Earth — but may set off lunar light show
Although astronomers have ruled out a smash-up between Earth and an asteroid known as 2024 YR4 in the year 2032, the building-sized space rock still has a chance of hitting the moon. In fact, the chances — slight as they are — have doubled in the past month.

Th
https://cosmiclog.com/2025/04/07/asteroid-will-miss-earth-but-may-set-off-lunar-light-show/
#UniverseToday #AsteroidInstitute #Asteroids #B612Foundation #Moon #Space

Stone Magi
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Have you been under the stars in Alabama Hills? Fantastic rock formations, and the mighty Sierra Nevada mountains nearby. This is not quite a super dark sky photo, as the moon was already rising, illuminating the mountains. But still, we can see the Milky Way overhead. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the scene. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images.
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For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com
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(Plate 3662) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. October 2024.
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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #AlabamaHills #LonePine #EasternSierra #OwensValley

The Day the Earth Stood Still
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I don't know if you have ever seen a UFO? Unfortunately, this is about as close as I've gotten recently. No abduction or alien probe, thankfully! This is a night photo with light painting on a cold winter evening in the Arizona desert. These structures which look like enormous stone caterpillars or upside-down swimming pools were built for the manufacture of computers but never completed. Now, some speak of ritualistic witchcraft and Satanic worship. Regardless, the domes at Casa Grande were torn down in January 2023. I illuminated the interior and exterior with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 during this long exposure image. This was part of a three-night trip with night photographer Mike Cooper, exploring the remote corners of the desert.
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Photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com
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(Plate 6833) Pentax K-1/28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. 5 minutes total "stacked". Each photo 100 seconds f/8 ISO 200. February 2022.
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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #roamtheplanet #pentax #urbex #urbanexploration #arizona #casagrandedomes

Mysterious Lockheed Lodestar on some forbidden nocturnal grassland in Kansas. To create this night photo, I set the camera on a tripod. I opened the camera shutter for a long time. While the shutter was open, I used a handheld flashlight capable of producing different colors, illuminating the scene with warm white and red light. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting". Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images.
~~~~~
For photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com
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(Plate 4848) Nikon D750/Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 fisheye lens. October 2023.
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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #urbanexploration #kansas #lodestar #lockheedlodestar #fisheye #airplane

The following hashtags are trending across South African Mastodon instances:

#universetoday

Based on recent posts made by non-automated accounts. Posts with more boosts, favourites, and replies are weighted higher.

The following hashtags are trending across South African Mastodon instances:

#ransomware
#cybersecurity
#southafrica
#universetoday

Based on recent posts made by non-automated accounts. Posts with more boosts, favourites, and replies are weighted higher.

Somehow missed that El Reg covered this story more than a week ago!

https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/17/universe_today_opinion/

#UniverseToday

The Gold Eye and the Heavens Above
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Have you ever been somewhere outdoors so quiet and remote that you are keenly aware of that barely perceptible "hum" and are conscious of how well you can hear your breathing? Silence is louder and the stars shine brighter. This is Ojo Oro Arch, a hidden gem located in a secret corner of the Mojave Desert, not a strange new world from "Star Trek" but almost as far. Bodhi Smith, Chip Morton and I hiked several miles and hung out during this night photography trip. When I finally settled down to sleep under the stars around 3:30 am, I was cocooned by a canopy of stars and the Milky Way arching directly overhead. Every several minutes, I saw shooting stars streaking through the night sky. Much thanks to Bodhi for inviting me on this fantastic trip. While the shutter was open, I walked around with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light capable of producing different colors, and illuminated the rocky arch with warm white light. During the exposure, all the light I shined on the subject was cumulative. This process is called "light painting." Why? Because one uses the flashlight as a paint brush, "brushing" on light, not paint. Light painting to illuminate subjects is a beautiful, addictive art, as you can walk around the scene, deciding what to bring to light and what to keep in shadow. And it's more fun than AI-generated images. Thank you very much for looking!
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Photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com
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(Plate 6322) Nikon D750/Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. Earth: 135 seconds f/2.5 ISO 400. Sky: 17 individual photos "stacked" at 15 seconds f/2.5 ISO 4000. ProtoMachines LED2 light painting device.
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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mojave #mylensrental #nightportraits #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #roamtheplanet #astrophot

Should March 5th be #Mar5day ?

#NASA #curiosity #perseverance #JPL #ESA #JAXA #UniverseToday #FraserCain #CoolWorldsLabs

The Year Lot Longyear Became a Joshua Tree
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Half the Park is After Dark. A magical winter night in Joshua Tree National Park. I love partially cloudy nights. To create this night photo, I lit the subject with a handheld LED flashlight while the camera shutter was open for a long time. So yes, this is a real single-exposure photo. And Lot Longyear is thought to be the bent figure on the cover of "Led Zeppelin IV."
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Photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com
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(Plate 3954) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. February 2025.
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#kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #universetoday #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #starphotography #landscape_nightscape #igsouthwest #divine_deserts #splendid_earth #instagood #beautifuldestinations #humanmade #urbex #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #JoshuaTree #JoshuaTreeNationalPark

Telescope tracks fireworks around our galaxy’s black hole
The supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy may not be as voracious as the gas-gobbling monsters that astronomers have seen farther out in the universe, but new findings from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope reveal that its surroundings are flaring with firew
https://cosmiclog.com/2025/02/18/telescope-tracks-fireworks-around-our-galaxys-black-hole/
#UniverseToday #BlackHoles #JamesWebbSpaceTelescope #Space

#UniverseToday

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