Up At The Ranch And Beyond

[Bluegreen]

Analemma Over The Callanish Stones




Nature's Perfection by Giuseppe Petricca

If you went outside at the same time every day and took a picture that included the Sun, how would the Sun's position change? A visual answer to that question is an analemma, a composite image taken from the same spot at the same time over the course of a year. The featured analemma was composed from images taken every few days at noon near the village of Callanish in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, UK. In the foreground are the Callanish Stones, a stone circle built around 2700 BC during humanity's Bronze Age. It is not known if the placement of the Callanish Stones has or had astronomical significance. The ultimate causes for the figure-8 shape of this and all analemmas are the tilt of the Earth axis and the ellipticity of the Earth's orbit around the Sun.

(4:41)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=n4jD_DpXuHU

[Bluegreen]

Outer Space News

JUICE Mission to Swing by Earth on September 28





On April 23rd, the European Space Agency launched its JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE), a robotic explorer mission bound for Jupiter's moons Ganymede and Europa. Since then, mission controllers have performed several maneuvers intended to put the spacecraft on a trajectory that will deposit it around Jupiter by July 2031. The next maneuver will be a gravity assist with Earth, which will take place on Monday, September 28th, with its closest pass (8,640 km; 5,370 mi) at 13:45 CEST (07:45 a.m. EST; 04:45 a.m. PST).

The first maneuver occurred on August 19th, 2024, when JUICE conducted the first-ever lunar-Earth flyby. This braking maneuver put it on track toward Venus, followed by a gravity-assist maneuver (GAM) with the planet by August 31st, 2025, that altered the spacecraft's trajectory and allowed it to pick up extra speed. The upcoming flyby with Earth will set it up for a final Earth flyby in January 2029, which will place the spacecraft on the optimal flight path toward Jupiter.

These maneuvers are all necessary to ensure JUICE has the necessary velocity to reach Jupiter without overshooting. The complicated flight path will also mean that JUICE will have plenty of fuel to orbit Jupiter in 2031 and Ganymede in 2034. Arranging the upcoming flyby with Earth has been similarly complicated, with six time slots established for making small course corrections to ensure it arrives at the right angle and velocity for an optimum GAM.

Said Claire Vallat, a Juice Project Scientist:

“All flybys are risky, requiring very careful planning and continuous monitoring. But the upcoming Earth flyby is much simpler from an operational perspective than the 2024 lunar-Earth flyby, where a flyby of the Moon set Juice up for a flyby of Earth the next day. This is great news for science, because it means we will be able to turn Juice in all different directions to point its science instruments at different parts of Earth and the Moon.”

Published 23rd September 2026 by Matthew Williams - Universe Today
https://www.universetoday.com/articl...n-september-28

Juice Flies Past Earth in September 2026 – 2D view



(0:30)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=CUsMXDhiTWI

In a First, Astronomers Pick Up Radio Signals From a Planet Beyond Our Solar System





For the first time, astronomers have detected radio signals from a planet beyond our solar system, according to a study available on the preprint server arXiv. The landmark observation offers a new way to study distant worlds and understand how they interact with their host stars and the environments that surround them.

Radio signals can carry clues about a planet’s magnetic field and its interaction with the star it orbits—information that can be surprisingly difficult to tease out from the tiny amount of light reaching Earth. By detecting and studying these signals from exoplanets, scientists can begin to build a clearer picture of the extraordinary diversity of planetary systems across the galaxy.

Previous radio detections from other star systems couldn’t be definitively linked to the planets themselves, leaving astronomers unsure whether the signals originated from the planets or their host stars.

For the recent study, an international team of astronomers turned South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope toward Beta Pictoris b. Located around 63 light years away, the exoplanet is a gas giant that’s roughly 10 to 12 times the mass of Jupiter.





The researchers picked up faint, repeating bursts of radio signals originating from the star system. They weren’t initially certain whether the radio waves were coming from the planet or its host star. To pinpoint the source, the researchers compared radio images of both the planet and the star with the positions of distant background quasars.

The quasars act as fixed markers, allowing the researchers to map the exact position of the planet and the star. By layering the radio images over the map, the radio signals lined up with the position of Beta Pictoris b rather than its host star.

So while the recent detection is not a direct “hello” from alien life, it does help scientists on the road to learning more about planets beyond our solar system.

Published September 23rd 2026 by Passant Rabie - Gizmodo
https://gizmodo.com/astronomers-fina...tem-2000816236

[Bluegreen]

"We have found traces of peace, thousands of years old"

Fragment of World's Oldest Known Peace Treaty Found in Turkey





Archaeologists have discovered a 3,400-year-old fragment of the world's oldest known peace treaty, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced.

The agreement, known as the Treaty of Kadesh, was signed around 1269 B.C. by Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II and Hittite king Hattusili III. Other parts of the treaty have already been found, but the new fragment was unearthed during an excavation at Hattusha, in north-central Turkey.

"We have found traces of peace, thousands of years old, in the soil of Anatolia," Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Turkey's minister of culture and tourism, said in a Sept. 21 translated statement. The newly discovered cuneiform tablet fragment contains text from a section of the treaty related to the treatment of refugees, according to the statement. "It reminds us of our responsibility to protect human life and dignity," Ersoy said.

Archaeologists unearthed the fragment from a building in the ancient Hittite capital of Hattusha. The Hittite Empire controlled central Anatolia from about 1650 to 1200 B.C. during the Bronze Age. Archaeologists have discovered numerous examples of diplomatic documents at Hattusha that were written in Akkadian, the earliest documented Semitic language, including other fragments of the Treaty of Kadesh.

The royal leaders signed the treaty around 1269 B.C. to mark the end of a lengthy war between the ancient Egyptians and the Hittite Empire, and it is regarded as the world's oldest known peace treaty.

Marking the end of a two-century-long war over lands in the eastern Mediterranean, the Treaty of Kadesh marks a military détente between Ramesses II and Hattusili III.

According to a translation of the treaty provided by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, it includes lines like, "He is a brother to me and he is at peace with me; and I am a brother to him and I am forever at peace with him," referring to the two leaders. "The country of Egypt and the country of Hatti [Hittite Empire] will be forever in a state of peace and of fraternity as it is with us."

The treaty has further provisions for coming to a country's aid if it was invaded and on how to treat refugees. The text mentions that any refugee from Egypt to Hattusha will be returned to Egypt, and any Hattusha refugee to Egypt will be returned to Hattusha, as fleeing was considered a crime.

However, the treaty specifically forbids punishing refugees: "Their tongue and their eyes are not to be pulled out; their ears and their feet are not to be cut off; their houses with their wives and their children are not to be destroyed."

Published 22nd September 2026 by Kristina Killgrove – Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/archaeol...ound-in-turkey

[Johnnycomelately]

Unknown Unknowns, can be the worst kind of surprise! 😮


Watched a sad vid yesterday, about 2 kids who didn’t know the hazard of carving a kid-cave in sand. I commented that my dad had told me and my brother that in his youth, a friend had perished the same way.

Here’s a very similar situation, but in a very high-science setting. Thankfully, here, criticality was avoided, and everybody clocked out safe.

They missed the facts that water is a neutron reflector, and the human body is largely water.

L = 29:55.


A Hilarious Nuclear Criticality Incident at Los Alamos

Alexander the ok
168K subscribers

Sep 9, 2026

00:00 Incident description
07:05 Neutron Reflection
12:55 Procedural Errors
18:34 Incident Response
24:42 Root Causes

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=SVoo3tcYdr8

[Bluegreen]

I don't know what happened to my online friend Star Tsar (Kevin) from the UK when he disappeared. We shared a love for the stars and R&B. Star Tsar was a true astronomer and followed the latest scientific discoveries closely. What I hope:

He found a job in astronomy. Or, as a single father, he found a woman who laid down the law. Or maybe both.

May the stars shine on you Kevin





Bowwowwowyipeeoyoyipeeay

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LuyS9M8T03A

[Bluegreen]

And may the stars shine on you Gio

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lJtSi6-0418

[Bluegreen]

Bigfoot Bounty

Bigfoot believers have spent decades making the case with blurry photos, plaster footprints, and late-night campfire stories. This fall, Hard Mountain Dew is launching the Bigfoot Bounty – a $1 million reward for the first person 21+ to submit verified evidence that Bigfoot exists.

The hunt is on.





The Bounty:

Starting today, fans nationwide can submit their Bigfoot evidence for a shot at the $1 million* prize – right in the thick of peak Bigfoot sighting season, when cooler temperatures send Americans outdoors for hunting, hiking, and camping, and reported sightings climb right alongside them.

Submissions will be evaluated against a rigorous set of standards co-developed with Bigfoot expert, Bryce Johnson. His involvement ensures every hunter is held to the same standard as a real investigation.

The Prize:

$1,000,000 to the first fan to submit verified evidence that Bigfoot exists. Evidence must meet a rigorous judging criteria co-developed with Bryce Johnson of Expedition Bigfoot.

Plus, 100 fans who submit evidence will win a $20 cash prize to cover the cost of a pack of Hard Mountain Dew – because proving Bigfoot exists should come with at least one guaranteed win.

The Criteria:

To be considered, submissions must include at least 4 of the following 7 criteria:

1. Bigfoot Paw Print — A footprint measuring between 37 and 38.5 inches long, found pressed into dirt.
2. Bigfoot Handprint — Clearly documented 13-inch handprints displaying distinct shape, proportions, and unusual characteristics suitable for further examination.
3. Bigfoot Cameo — A photo showing what appears to be Bigfoot.
4. Audio Submission — A recording containing high-frequency vocalizations, knocks, calls, or other unexplained sounds consistent with reported Bigfoot activity.
5. Environmental Remnants — Evidence of debris and/or environmental remnants with no visible machinery or storm damage nearby.
6. Thermal Imaging Capture — Night vision footage showing a seven to nine-foot-tall heat signature moving at 20-25 mph through dense forest.
7. Bigfoot Hair Follicle Sample — A tuft of dark brown, black, or reddish-brown hair containing unknown DNA markers.

*Our lawyers made us say this: The $1M Grand Prize requires actual, verified proof that Bigfoot exists. Hard Mountain Dew doesn’t have any additional evidence that he’s out there beyond speculation — but don’t let that stop you from having a little fun and give it your best shot!

Got the goods? Register here:
https://harddewbigfootbounty.com/

[Bluegreen]

Dad Flees Flat After Catching String of Paranormal Activity on Camera



Willow Hunter began noticing strange happenings after moving into his new flat, and has since moved out.

Published 17th May 2026 (2:46)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=bzunvy8j6PM

[Johnnycomelately]

For BG. :Kablammo!:

Hey buddy. Sheryl C scored a talk with Rick B. Thought you’d like to know.

Her Wiki is a flying golden rabbit’s burrow: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheryl_Crow

On August 14, 2026, Crow announced her thirteenth studio album, Pick You Up, which will be released on October 9, 2026.[100]

L = 58:42.


The Sheryl Crow Interview

Rick Beato
5.85M subscribers

Sep 26, 2026

In this episode I sit down with iconic artist Sheryl Crow to deep dive into her legendary career, songwriting process, and the mechanics behind some of her biggest hits. The interview includes 3 live performances!

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=-7ik1NeS4lc

[Bluegreen]

Harvest Moon (Sept 26, 2026)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=n2MtEsrcTTs

- Georgios Kostomitsopoulos (Utrecht, Netherlands)




- Davide Pischettola (Molfetta, Italy)




- Lorenzo Di Cola (L'Aquila, Italy)




- Heather Diehl (San Francisco, CA, USA)




- Soumyabrata Roy (Tehatta, West Bengal, India)

[Bluegreen]

The Sky This Week

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

■ The starry W of Cassiopeia stands high in the northeast right after dark. The right-hand side of the W (the brightest side) is tilted up. Look at the second segment of the W counting down from the top. It's not quite horizontal. Notice the dim naked-eye stars along that segment (not counting its two ends). The brightest of these, on the right, is Eta Cassiopeiae, magnitude 3.4. It's a remarkably Sun-like star just 19 light-years away. But unlike the Sun it has an orange-dwarf companion, magnitude 7.3. Their separation of 13 arcseconds makes them a lovely binary in almost any telescope.

■ Left of Eta, and quite a bit fainter, is a naked-eye pair in a dark sky: Upsilon1 and Upsilon2 Cassiopeiae, 0.3° apart, magnitudes 4.8 and 4.6. They're yellow-orange giants unrelated to each other, 400 and 200 light-years distant from us. Upsilon2 is slightly the brighter of the pair. It's also the closer one.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

■ The waning gibbous Moon rises in the east-northeast about an hour after dark, with the Pleiades less than a fist to its upper right. Aldebaran comes up below the Moon about an hour behind it. They all climb through the night, as shown below.




■ Stay up late, and the eerie waning gibbous Moon will guide you to an early seasonal sighting of the Pleiades, Aldebaran, and the dim Hyades V asterism lying on its side.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

■ Globular clusters are at their most abundant on summer evenings. Now in this first week of October, with moonlight gone from the evening sky, set up your telescope to look in on four that remain high that in 2021 Josh Urban called The Last Wildflowers: Globular Clusters Greet Autumn. There's "Sagittifolia," the Arrowhead Flower, M71 next to Sagitta; "Queen Anne's Lace," M15 sneezed from the nose of Pegasus; "Watercress by the Stream," M2 in Aquarius a little farther south; and "Seaflower of the Deep," M30 deep in southern Capricornus.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

■ With the evening sky now moonless, this is a great week for the Milky Way under a dark sky. When Cygnus crosses your zenith, around 9 p.m. now, the Milky Way does too — running straight up from the southwest horizon, across the zenith, and straight down to the northeast horizon.

■ Algol should be at its minimum brightness for about two hours centered on 9:33 EDT.

■ Last-quarter Moon tonight (exact at 9:25 a.m. Saturday morning October 3rd). The Moon rises in the east-northeast around 11 p.m., about two fists below Capella.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3

■ Saturn is at opposition tonight, opposite the Sun as seen from Earth. It rises at sunset, is highest in the middle of the night, and sets at sunrise. The Seeliger effect brightening its rings should be strongest tonight; see September 25 above.

■ The waning Moon, just past last quarter, rises around 11 p.m. daylight-saving time. It climbs higher through the early morning hours of October 4th accompanied by Pollux and Castor, as shown below. Mars follows behind them after rising about an hour after moonrise. An hour and a half after Mars-rise, up comes much brighter Jupiter. By the beginning of dawn on Sunday the 4th, they're all arrayed in a rough vertical line high in the east.




https://skyandtelescope.org/astronom...observing-news

[Bluegreen]

Flatland & the 4th Dimension – Carl Sagan





Sit back and let one of the masters of science communication bend your brain with a journey into Flatland and the 4th dimension.

(9:41)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=iiWKq57uAlk