Created from thousands of images, the sequence begins with Mars as a small crescent in the distance. During close approach on May 15, the Red Planet’s cratered surface fills the imager instrument’s field of view. As the spacecraft departs Mars, the changing perspective reveals the planet’s icy south pole.
Want to learn more about the mission? Here’s an article from NASA:
One of the (many) great things about NASA is that the images it produces are public domain. What might a curious and creative person do with such imagery? Why, cut it together as a moon mission movie, of course!
“I have been completely spellbound by the images coming out of NASA’s Artemis II mission,” Boswell wrote on YouTube. “NASA / ESA deserves best cinematography at the Oscars! I dropped everything to put together a tribute to the mission, piecing together the best, highest resolution footage and mission photography with a custom eight-minute score.”
In case you could use a little space-based inspiration today. Thank you, John D. Boswell!
What did past generations of my fellow nerds get excited about before then? No idea! But now I’m happy to share my love of Tolkien’s books with the world.
“[The fairy tale] does not deny the existence of sorrow and failure: the possibility of these is necessary to the joy of deliverance. It denies (in the face of much evidence, if you will) universal final defeat…giving a fleeting glimpse of Joy; Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien
Last night’s moon looked just shy of full, and like a scoop of orange creamsicle ice cream in the sky. Tonight, if the weather gods align, we should be treated to the real thing, the full Buck Moon.
It’s called that because it happens around the time male deer start sprouting antlers in preparation for fall. It’s also known as the Raspberry Moon, which suits me just fine!
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I considered an image of raspberries, or orange ice cream, but this shot of a full moon over Montreal seemed like just the thing. Ice cream still sounds like a fine idea though. Photo by Edi Bouazza on Unsplash
Write 1,000 words about it by August 31st, 2026. You can write whatever you want, so long as you connect it to the photo. Creative nonfiction. Sci-fi. A joke. Something else. It’s up to you.
It’s run by Quarter Mile, the folks who put together the previously mentioned “Dear Aliens” contest. The contest is what you probably think it is. They’ve provided a photo and want 1,000 word stories about it. No more, no less. No fees!
Check out the site for more info (although apparently they’re being cagey about the name of the dog!).
Something for the writers among us: In case you were wondering what a professional author thinks of the editing process, fantasy and science fiction author Jessie Mihalik has Thoughts!
While it can sometimes be a helpful motivator to indulge in a bit of friendly professional competition, I find it generally unproductive to worry too much about who is doing what in the world of writing (and why I am not, who is ahead of me, what have they done lately, that sort of thing). What a lot of wasted energy. I’d rather use it to make something fun.
In case you need this reminder today!
“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.” ― Koshin Ogui
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