Rev Dr Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Field

Alex Salmond is dead. It would be so easy to concentrate on his many failings, both in appearance and temperament. You have to look beyond how irritating he was and try to see the good, of which I’m sure there must have been some. I just can’t think of them at the moment.

Which brings me to the Book of Samuel, the Invisible Magic Friend, the Book of Isaiah and basically anything that avoids having to talk about Alex Salmond. I’m sure the Invisible Magic Friend can find something delightful about Alex Salmond. Someone has to.

https://mega.nz/file/8ucTBCza#tsmEBmPhtBjvdHYcHGjHbWYeICyBqHa2UMpgKCtZn_E

Orion, Spiral and TCorBor (again)

Was going to go for a swim, but it looks like the pool must have a competition on today or something. There are no swim lanes available. So I’ll fill a few minutes by posting some pics.

This is the latest pic of T Cor Bor which remains steadfastly unexploded, just like it has in every picture I’ve taken since April.

tcorbor5oct2024ctrstSmlAr

I learned recently that the nova isn’t due for another two years. The prediction for this year was based on a drop in the star’s light curve similar to one that preceded the last explosion. The star is now sinking fast in the western sky and even the early darkness of Autumn nights won’t help. In a few weeks it will be below the horizon and out of sight for six months. Which is probably the point at which it will explode.

The winter constellations are beginning to pop into view. This the first, of what will probably be many, pictures of the great nebula in Orion. I might try a few filters and some different processing with this to see what I can get. Ideally, I’d like to be able to see the four stars at the core, the Trapezium Cluster. You can just about make them out as a bright smudge in this picture.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapezium_Cluster

And a random choice, the Spiral Cluster.

Here’s an ever so slightly better picture of it from Wikipedia.

I had to give up early taking pictures the other night. Although the stars were out, there was so much moisture in the air that everything was soaking wet. I was constantly wiping lenses and mirrors. You’re not supposed to do this as it damages the optical coatings. If I had expensive equipment I’d pay the extra for heaters and blowers to remove all the moisture.

Amazingly Reverend Doctor Lord David Walker, Bishop of Manchester

There are all sorts of wild conspiracy theories about Hurricane Milton. Humans tend to invent agency when really there is none. Some even used to think the Invisible Magic Friend caused hurricanes. Fortunately, in our more enlightened times, we now know that the Invisible Magic Friend does not intervene in this way. In fact he intervenes so little that he scarcely seems to exist at all.

https://mega.nz/file/hvEQ0JDQ#3gLmWtqQiD_f6I8uLMeP7lIvl39gQyn5JNfM50njYvk