If morning's echo says we've sinned, well, it was what I wanted now. And if we're the victims of the night, I won't be blinded by the light.

Varanasi is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres (199 miles) southeast of state capital Lucknow. It is regarded as a holy city by Buddhists and Jains and is the holiest place in the world in Hinduism (and centre of the Earth in Hindu cosmology). It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and probably the oldest in India.

Among the sources of Western esotericism, the Hermetica is the most prominent. It is a collection of writings on cosmology, astrology, alchemy, and magic, and it has its origins in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The Hermetica is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and magic, is a significant figure in the Hermetica. Greeks in Egypt came to identify Thoth with their god Hermes.

Hermetism, in its ancient context, is closely related to pagan Neoplatonism. Neo-Platonists practiced Theurgy, a form of pagan mystical practice and magical ritual. The concept of theurgy came from the Chaldean Oracles, which describe the physical world as a prison from which the higher human soul must escape.

Gnosticism is a heresy from the early Christian era. The word Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis, meaning “knowledge” or “insight,” and it pertains to hidden or secret spiritual knowledge. Gnostics believe that their souls are trapped in an imperfect world and that through esoteric knowledge they can be freed from the prison of this material world.

During the Italian Renaissance, a priest named Marsilio Ficino taught new spiritual concepts of Platonism and the Hermetica. This caused a revival of Neoplatonism and Hermetism. During this time, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola blended Kabbalah with Hermeticism. Then came figures such as Johannes Reuchlin, Johann Trithemius, and Henry Cornelius Agrippa, who mixed forms of Hermeticism with Neoplatonism, Neopythagoreanism, magic, astrology, alchemy, and Cabala. After came John Dee, who was an advisor to Elizabeth I. He immersed himself in astrology, alchemy, and Cabala. John Dee and Edward Kelley collaborated in angel magic for several years. And an influential figure in medicine named Paracelsus, combined alchemy with Hermetic and Neoplatonic ideas to form his medical theories. The Emerald Tablet, one of the oldest alchemical writings, played a major role in Renaissance esotericism. The saying, “as above, so below,” comes from the Emerald Tablet.

Christian theosophy emerged in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in reaction to the strict orthodoxy of the Lutheran Reformation. Jacob Boehme was the figure behind the start of this movement. His ideas influenced intellectual movements such as Romanticism and Idealism in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Platonism and Hermeticism are an essential part of theosophy. Rosicrucianism also arose in the seventeenth century. “From its obscure origins, the Rosicrucian myth would inspire literature, eighteenth-century Masonic adaptations, the rituals of the Golden Dawn, the leading magical order of the modern occult revival, and still exerts a powerful mystique today.”

Many secret societies formed in the eighteenth century, with their different esoteric beliefs. Many of these societies had relationships with the various Masonic lodges. Continental Freemasonry latched onto many of the esoteric ideas of these societies. The higher degrees of Freemasonry usually incorporated themes of theosophy, Rosicrucianism, and alchemy. Therefore, in the eighteenth century, Freemasonry was a major conduit for the spread of Western esotericism.

Emanuel Swedenborg had a great influence on eighteenth-century theosophy and was a major player in the development of modern esotericism. The Enlightenment influenced esoteric ideas, and they were accepted by many eighteenth-century illuminists. Then came Franz Anton Mesmer, who developed the theory of animal magnetism. His legacy can be traced to the early beginnings of modern Spiritualism. Animal magnetism was rooted in esoteric traditions. A key figure in animal magnetism was Justinus Kerner. His work became well-known throughout Europe. Another key figure was Baron Jules Dupotet de Sennevoy, who used animal magnetism to “unlock the secrets of magic.” His ideas influenced modern occultism. Helena Blavatsky, one of the founders of modern Theosophy, was a big fan of Dupotet. She also linked animal magnetism to magic. A man named James Braid coined the term “hypnotism” to describe animal magnetism. Hypnosis played a major role in the development of modern psychology. (Though they stripped the occult “ideas” from animal magnetism (hypnotism), I consider hypnotism to be an occult “practice.” Both Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung experimented with hypnosis.

In the mid-nineteenth century, occultism was introduced to America, predominantly through forms of animal magnetism, Swedenborgianism, and Freemasonry. Animal magnetism was introduced to America by Charles de Poyen. It quickly spread among occultists and spiritualists and was often combined with Swedenborgian ideas. Then came Andrew Jackson Davis, who communicated with a spirit he later identified as Swedenborg. He wrote a book called The Principles of Nature, which utilized Swedenborg’s ideas. His book sold many copies and became one of the founding texts of modern Spiritualism. Out of animal magnetism came the movements of New Thought and Christian Science, which integrated traditional Christian ideas with nineteenth-century metaphysical traditions. Next came modern Spiritualism, with its entertaining showmanship (self-moving furniture, self-playing musical instruments, and body levitation). Although the concepts of Swedenborg and animal magnetism were part of modern Spiritualism, the movement emerged independently of these influences.

The modern occult revival of the nineteenth century was complex. Romanticism sparked interest in the mysterious and unknown, thus creating an interest in animal magnetism, Spiritualism, and magic. A man named Eliphas Lévi became a pioneering figure in this Western occult revival. Lévi mixed ideas of animal magnetism with his philosophy of magic. Lévi used the Kabbalah and the Tarot as a source of magical symbolism. Much of modern occultism recognizes the Tarot as a root of mystical symbolism and imagery. Aleister Crowley believed himself to be a reincarnation of Lévi. Helena Blavatsky was also a fan of Lévi. In the second half of the nineteenth century, a Freemasonry order called the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia was founded. In turn, some of its members founded the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Golden Dawn produced various offshoots, impacting Western esoteric traditions during the twentieth century.

Arthur Edward Waite came out of the Golden Dawn. He was a poet, scholar, mystic, and occultist. He was a prolific writer on esoteric matters. He was also a co-creator of the Rider-Waite TAROT card deck, which is one of the most popular Tarot decks. Aleister Crowley also came out of the Golden Dawn. Crowley wrote “The Book of the Law,” which stated, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law!” Crowley used sex magick as a major tool for his magical system. Crowley referred to himself as the Great Beast 666. “Gerald Gardner, the founder of modern witchcraft, introduced Crowleyan magick into the neopagan Wiccan movement.” Dion Fortune, who had a great impact on modern Western esotericism, also came out of the Golden Dawn. She was one of the most influential twentieth-century occultists and ceremonial magicians. She had a significant influence on both later ceremonial magic and Wicca. “She was perhaps one of the first occult writers to approach magic and hermetic concepts from the psychology of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung.”

The Theosophical Society was founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott. Blavatsky combined elements of Neoplatonism, Renaissance magic, Kabbalah, Freemasonry, ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman mythology and religion, Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta into her religious system. Her new religious movement played a major role in the spread of esoteric traditions in the modern era, and it was likely the biggest Influence behind the modern occult revival. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Theosophy gained a large international following. Her work prepared the foundation for what is now known as the New Age movement.

Alice A. Bailey authored many books on Theosophy. She was one of the first writers to use the term New Age, and her works have significantly influenced the New Age movement. Alice and Foster Bailey founded the Lucifer Publishing Company, which was later named the Lucis Publishing Company. (The Theosophical Society had also used the name “Lucifer” for its early magazine.) World Goodwill, which is part of Alice Bailey’s Lucis Trust, is an accredited Nongovernmental Organization with the Department of Public Information at the United Nations. The Lucis Trust is also on the Roster of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Carl Jung, the famous psychiatrist, had a profound impact on the world of psychology and spirituality. Esoteric traditions profoundly shaped Jung’s understanding of the human psyche. Gnosticism deeply resonated with Jung’s theories. His ideas have had a significant influence on the New Age movement. Western esotericism gained renewed momentum from Jung’s implied spiritualization of the psyche.

“Ever since Plato’s separation of the body and the soul, Western esotericism has traced a path in which the soul has been granted some share in divinity.” Hermetism, Neoplatonism, and modern-day Western esotericism provide people with a vision of the cosmos in which their soul has divine purpose. With the popularity of New Age and neopagan philosophies in the West today, esoteric traditions will continue to evolve and lay claim to some sort of enlightened gnosis.

I think that modern esotericism will lead down the road to Alice Bailey’s vision of a world religion—the fusion of faiths. This concept has been around for a long time. Here is the concept: a one-world government is needed to unite mankind in order to create a world of peace and prosperity (political Gnosticism). To accomplish a one-world government, all religions must unite under one umbrella (spiritual Gnosticism). Many groups have been working towards this goal, such as the Parliament of the World’s Religions, the International Association for Religious Freedom, the World Congress of Faiths, Nostra Aetate, and Religions for Peace.

Nietzsche’s murder of God is an element of parousiastic Gnosticism, which seeks to destroy everything that is perceived as unjust (imperfect), and to replace it with a just (perfect) order through the power of human means and intellect. Therefore, the Christian God of the West has to go, and so does Western democracy. Just like the murder of God, Nietzsche’s transformation of man into the superman is an attempt to murder man. “Historically, the murder of God is not followed by the superman, but by the murder of man.” The Marxists must destroy capitalism and instate communism, thus killing off bourgeois society. They are trapped in this world of capitalism; thus, their world is a prison. The Marxists are trapped in a system of private property and must transcend private property, abolishing it forever. Marxists must transcend the evils of this capitalist world and evolve into the “socialist man”/“communist man.” They must destroy the current system to gain their utopia. Indeed, “socialism is man’s positive self-consciousness,” his gnosis.

“Communism is the riddle of history solved, and it knows itself to be this solution. The entire movement of history, just as its actual act of genesis—the birth act of its empirical existence—is, therefore, for its thinking consciousness the comprehended and known process of its becoming.” – Karl Marx

“The positive transcendence of private property as the appropriation of human life, is therefore the positive transcendence of all estrangement—that is to say, the return of man from religion, family, state, etc., to his human, i.e., social, existence.” – Karl Marx

Political Gnosticism is seen in communism and National Socialism. Political Gnosticism is alive and well today, with affluent people and organizations who want to transform our world into their utopian dream. The United Nations, with its Sustainable Development Goals, is the chief example. The World Economic Forum is another. Through their gnosis, they can bring peace and prosperity to the world.

“Queer theory brings knowing and being into the education of young children.” In queer theory, people are born (trapped) in the wrong body; their bodies are prisons. “Young people are absorbing the idea that the physical body is not part of the authentic self—that the authentic self is only the autonomous choosing self. This is ancient Gnosticism in new garb.”

Transhumanists want mankind to transcend into the superman. Man is trapped in this mortal body, but the goal is to someday attain immortality. They will use technology and super intelligence to solve man’s problems, to bring about a perfect world of peace and prosperity.

The Bible warns about the forming of a future one-world religion—the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. It warns of a one-world cashless currency system, which will be connected to the Mark of the Beast. Without this one-world digital ID Mark, which will be located on the right hand or forehead, a person will not be able to buy or sell. The man who implements this system will be the Antichrist. His Mark will plunge mankind into the first stages of transhumanism. Those who refuse this transformation into the superman will be put to death—the murder of man. The Western religion of Christianity will be replaced with the worship of Caesar (the Beast). Western democracy will be replaced with totalitarianism.

The gnosis: if you eat the fruit, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God.

Nikon d5500

35mm

9 x 13s

ISO 3200

f/2.2

iOptron Skytracker

Stitched in MS ICE

Lake Thetis is on the outskirts of Cervantes, a small town approximately 15km north of the Pinnacles in Western Australia (thanks for tagging along Padraic!).

This lake is one of the few places left in the world to host stromatolites, which differ from the thrombolites I have shot in previous images in that they are layered rather than clotted accretionary microbial structures.

Nikon d5500

50mm + Hoya Red Intensifier Filter

60 x 30 seconds

ISO 4000

f/3.2

Nikon d5500

50mm + Hoya Red Intensifier filter

61 x 30 seconds

ISO 4000

f/2.8

iOptron SkyTracker

Stitched in MS ICE

Another shot I took earlier in the month, normally the 'off season' for Milky Way photography. Though not as spectacular as the core, this part of the sky still contains prominent features such as the Carina Nebula, the Coal Sack Nebula and the Magellanic Clouds, which are mostly only visible in the Southern Hemisphere. This was taken at Guilderton Lighthouse, about 120km north of my home city of Perth, Western Australia, which is also responsible for the light pollution on the left.

The Insidious Paths of Shadows - The Void And The Emptiness by Daniel Arrhakis / Pethros Thoryan (2025)

The Insidious Paths of Shadows - The Corruption of Sensations - The Feeling of Uncertainty And Emptiness

The Feeling of Uncertainty and Emptiness

Darkness and the Human Psyche

Darkness often appears alluring, seeming to promise fulfillment. Yet, at its core, darkness is emptiness—a void defined by the absence of light, truth, and reality. It stands as a symbol of fear, the unknown, and the gradual decline of humanity.

When people succumb to this darkness, their fears obscure the truth and reality. In this shrouded state, darkness manipulates minds, giving rise to chaos and unrest.

Emptiness as a Human Condition

Emptiness manifests as a pervasive state of boredom, social alienation, nihilism, and apathy. This condition reflects a detachment from surroundings and a sense of meaninglessness that colors everyday experience. Such emptiness is not merely a fleeting sensation but a deeper existential concern, signaling a lack of fulfillment and connection.

Philosophical Insights on Emptiness

The exploration of emptiness reveals a profound insight: all phenomena lack inherent existence. Recognizing this leads to the understanding that attachment to these impermanent entities is the source of suffering. The realization of emptiness encourages a detachment from transient experiences, prompting a search for meaning beyond material or fleeting constructs.

Emotional Correlates of Emptiness

The feeling of emptiness closely intertwines with other emotional states such as dysphoria, boredom, loneliness, and numbness. It is especially linked with feelings of hopelessness, isolation, and loneliness. Notably, emptiness is a strong predictor of depression and suicidal ideation, though it is not directly associated with anxiety or actual suicide attempts.

The Concept of the Void in Philosophy

Philosophically, "The Void" captures the essence of nothingness and emptiness—a concept that has sparked debate and interpretation across various traditions. In ancient Greek philosophy, thinkers like Democritus considered the Void a necessary space that allowed atoms to move, making the existence of matter possible. In contrast, Aristotle denied the existence of a true Void, asserting that nature inherently resists a vacuum.

Eastern Perspectives on the Void

Eastern philosophical traditions assign significant spiritual and metaphysical meaning to the Void. In Buddhism, the concept of Śūnyatā (Emptiness) refers to the idea that all phenomena and beings do not possess an independent existence or permanent essence (they have no "inherent nature" or svabhava) because everything exists in interdependence with other things. Thus, all things are empty, and this means that they have no independent existence.

Western Thought and Modern Science On The Void

Modern scientific discourse, especially in quantum mechanics and cosmology, continues the approach that associates the Void with the quantum vacuum and the fundamental structure of the universe. The quantum vacuum is not an absolute "nothingness," but a state of minimum energy where virtual particles and antiparticles constantly appear and disappear, influencing the physical laws and the very existence of the universe. This view contrasts with the old notion of vacuum as empty space without properties.

____________________________________________________

Os Caminhos Insidiosos das Sombras - A Corrupção das Sensações - A Sensação de Incerteza e Vazio de Daniel Arrhakis / Pethros Thoryan (2025)

A Sensação de Incerteza e Vazio

Escuridão e a Psique Humana

A escuridão parece muitas vezes sedutora, prometendo plenitude. No entanto, na sua essência, a escuridão é o vazio — um vácuo definido pela ausência de luz, verdade e realidade. Apresenta-se como um símbolo do medo, do desconhecido e do declínio gradual da humanidade.

Quando as pessoas sucumbem a esta escuridão, os seus medos obscurecem a verdade e a realidade. Neste estado envolto em mistério, a escuridão manipula as mentes, dando origem ao caos e à inquietação.

O Vazio como Condição Humana

O vazio manifesta-se como um estado generalizado de tédio, alienação social, niilismo e apatia. Esta condição reflete um distanciamento do ambiente e uma sensação de falta de sentido que ultrapassa a experiência quotidiana. Tal vazio não é meramente uma sensação passageira, mas uma preocupação existencial mais profunda, sinalizando uma falta de realização e de conexão.

Reflexões Filosóficas sobre o Vazio

A exploração do vazio revela uma profunda perceção: todos os fenómenos carecem de existência inerente. Reconhecer isto leva à compreensão de que o apego a estas entidades impermanentes é a fonte do sofrimento. A perceção do vazio encoraja um desapego das experiências transitórias, impulsionando uma busca de significado para além das construções materiais ou efémeras.

Correlações Emocionais do Vazio

A sensação de vazio está intimamente ligada a outros estados emocionais, como a disforia, o tédio, a solidão e o entorpecimento. Está especialmente associada a sentimentos de desesperança, isolamento e solidão. Notavelmente, o vazio é um forte preditor de depressão e ideação suicida, embora não esteja diretamente associado à ansiedade ou a tentativas de suicídio.

O Conceito do Vazio na Filosofia

Filosoficamente, "O Vazio" capta a essência do nada e da vacuidade — um conceito que tem gerado debates e interpretações em diversas tradições. Na filosofia grega antiga, pensadores como Demócrito consideravam o Vazio um espaço necessário que permitia o movimento dos átomos, tornando possível a existência da matéria. Em contraste, Aristóteles negava a existência de um verdadeiro Vazio, afirmando que a natureza resiste inerentemente ao vácuo.

Perspetivas Orientais sobre o Vazio

As tradições filosóficas orientais atribuem um importante significado espiritual e metafísico ao Vazio. No Budismo, o conceito de Śūnyatā (Vacuidade) refere-se à ideia de que todos os fenómenos e seres não possuem uma existência independente ou essência permanente (não têm "natureza própria" ou svabhava) porque tudo existe em interdependência com outras coisas. Assim, todas as coisas são vazias e isso significa que elas não têm existência independente.

O Taoísmo refere-se ao Vazio como Wuji, representando o estado indiferenciado que precede toda a existência, contendo tanto o potencial para a criação como a ausência de forma.

O Pensamento Ocidental e a Ciência Moderna sobre o Vazio

O discurso científico moderno, especialmente na mecânica quântica e na cosmologia, continua a abordagem que associa o Vazio ao vácuo quântico e à estrutura fundamental do universo. O vácuo quântico não é um "nada" absoluto, mas um estado de energia mínima onde partículas e antipartículas virtuais surgem e desaparecem constantemente, influenciando as leis físicas e a própria existência do universo. Essa visão contrasta com a antiga noção de vácuo como espaço vazio e sem propriedades.

Imagem e texto por Daniel Arrhakis / Pethros Thoryan

Scanned mixedmedia collage and photomontage.

I really like this series of coins - I've been collecting them for a few years. They come from the Austrian Mint (Münze Österreich). They have a silver outer rim and an anodised niobium centre (giving it the colour). This is the second time they have done two shades of colour (the first was a green/ blue combination in 2014).

Each year is dedicated to a theme - this years theme was cosmology.

Thanks for viewing - HMM :-)

Nikon d5500

96 x 30 seconds

13mm

ISO 200

f/3.5

This was taken very early this morning at the end of my longest astrophotography trip yet. I drove 4.5 hours south of Perth to the Stirling Ranges to get another star trails image (it's the Milky Way offseason!) but I'm having a lot of trouble fixing my stupid mistake on that one.

Anyway, on the way back I stopped off at Lake Dumbelyung thinking the lake would be dry as it's the middle of summer here but it was still full, meaning all of the interesting parts were underwater. I was going to just head back home but thought I'd scout one last location and found this collection of dead trees near the shore.

All up it was a 16 hour trip and I might have just one photo to show for it! :-)

A beginning

According to our senses, I think it is possible if we want cosmologically speaking

and also without going so far, inside us, the visual idea of a new beginning

that is able to make sense of a reality never explained and "now" new ...

Something that almost an entire humanity has been asking for in silence.According to our senses, I think it is possible if we want cosmologically speaking

and also without going so far, inside us, the visual idea of a new beginning

that is able to make sense of a reality never explained and "now" new ...

Nikon d5100

35mm

f1.8

ISO 4000

17 x 13s

Point Peron is the most westerly point in the Perth metropolitan area. Situated near Rockingham, approximately 38km south of the Perth CBD, it's a headland known for its rock formations and reefs with several small beaches. Despite being away from the worst of the city's light pollution it still suffers more than other locations I've been to around the city, in fact it has the worst light pollution of any location I have photographed (between 21.5 & 21.2 mpss). Thankfully I was facing directly west, towards the Indian Ocean where the light pollution drops off dramatically.

35mm

ISO 3200

f1.8

42 x 13 seconds

This is a full width panorama of the Milky Way taken from Lake Dumbleyung in Western Australia. The left edge represents the SSW horizon while the right edge is the NNE horizon, that's 180 degrees. The central bulge was about 55 degrees above the western horizon. This particular image is 110 megapixels and comprises 42 images.

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About

Point Arkwright, QLD (Sunshine Coast)

My Mum and family are over visiting, staying up the coast, a ten minute drive from Point Arkwright. So.... what do I do... I get up at 5am and shoot dawn.....

I bumped into Phil there, check out his great stream.

Enjoy.

- Canon 50D.

- ISO 200, f9, 30 seconds, 10mm.

- Sigma 10-20mm.

- Tripod.

- Cokin p121 Medium Grad.

- ND400 filter (borrowed from Phil)

Processing

- Saturation and Contrast in Photoshop 6.0 and Lightroom 2.2.

About Parallel Universes.

The multiverse (or meta-universe, metaverse) is the theoretical set of multiple possible universes (including our universe) that together comprise everything that physically exists: The entirety of space and time, all forms of matter, energy and momentum, and the physical laws and constants that govern them. The term was coined in 1895 by the American philosopher and psychologist William James. The various universes within the multiverse are sometimes called parallel universes.

The structure of the multiverse, the nature of each universe within it and the relationship between the various constituent universes, depend on the specific multiverse hypothesis considered. Multiverses have been hypothesized in cosmology, physics, astronomy, philosophy, transpersonal psychology and fiction, particularly in science fiction and fantasy. In these contexts, parallel universes are also called 'alternative universes', 'quantum universes', 'interpenetrating dimensions', 'parallel dimensions', 'parallel worlds', 'alternative realities', and 'alternative timelines', among others.

I crateri Platone e Archimede, visibili in questa immagine, marcano il bordo del vasto Mare delle Piogge, distese che ricordano antichi mari di lava. In basso, i monti Appennini si stagliano come una catena possente, mentre la valle delle Alpi si snoda fra le montagne, un profondo solco scolpito da eventi cataclismatici del passato. Queste cicatrici sono oggi simboli di una bellezza ancestrale, testimoni immutabili della storia lunare. È lo stesso satellite che affascinava gli antichi sapienti, per i quali era simbolo di mistero e conoscenza celeste, e ancora oggi ci ispira con la sua incrollabile presenza e il suo fascino eterno.

Foto di stasera, telescopio Mak 127/1500mm con Canon EOS 800D e lente di Barlow 2x

#moon #lunaphotography #astronomy #telescope #craters #platocrater #archimedescrater #mareimbrium #appenninemountains #alpinevalley #lunarlandscape #moongazing #lunarbeauty #astrophotography #celestialbeauty #ancientmoon #planetaryscience #philosophyofspace #stargazing #cosmology

Nikon d5500

50mm with Hoya didymium filter

38 x 30 seconds

ISO 3200

f/2.8

iOptron SkyTracker

Let's get back to astrophotography shall we ;-)

I have quite a backlog of stuff to work on so I'll start from the beginning. This one was shot earlier in the year at South Dandalup Dam, approximately 80km (50mi) south of the state capital, Perth. The light pollution above the water tower is from the Worsley Alumina mining operation about 50km away.

To hike/ climb is a dangerous activity and requires proper equipment and clothing, the owner of this page cannot be blamed by injuries caused to anyone who read this description for its info about the mountain, and eventually got hurt by doing so with reckless behaviour or bad weather conditions.

Nikon d5500

50mm + Hoya Filter

36 x 8 seconds

ISO 4000

f/2.2

Stitched in MS ICE

This is a 385 megapixel image of the Large & Small Magellanic Clouds taken at Herron Point, just south of Mandurah in Western Australia. These neighbouring galaxies are 160k & 200k light years away respectively. The LMC contains approximately 30 billion stars while the SMC contains a few billion. The bright 'star' above the SMC is a globular cluster called 47 Tucanae containing around 500k stars. They can only be seen in Southern Hemisphere skies, so lucky us I guess :)

Nikon d5500

35mm

Sky:

ISO 3200

f/2.8

12 x 30 seconds

iOptron SkyTracker

Foreground:

6 x 300 seconds

ISO 800

f/1.8

This is an 18 image panorama of the Milky Way over Bluff Knoll, south Western Australia's highest peak at 1100m (3600ft). The Stirling Ranges are a designated National Park and one of the few places in the state to receive regular snowfalls in winter. I had forgotten I'd even taken this panorama until I stumbled upon it while looking for some other photos a week or so ago.

Located in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles, California. It contains the 100-Hooker telescope that was used by Edwin Hubble to make observations of the universe that touched off modern astronomy and cosmology. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the Sistine Chapel of Astronomy.

Triangulum (M33)

Credit: Giuseppe Donatiello

(J2000) RA: 01h 33m 50.02s Dec: +30° 39′ 36.7″

The gas-rich low-mass dwarf spiral galaxy Triangulum (Messier 33) at 3 million light-years. It is catalogued also as NGC 598 and known as Triangulum Galaxy. The galaxy is the smallest spiral galaxy in the Local Group and it is believed to be a big satellite of the Andromeda Galaxy.

M33 has two asymmetric faint arms, and an interstellar medium rich in gaseous filaments that extends for about 7 kpc. Although the inner disk is relatively undisturbed, the northern arm is less regular in shape than the southern one. M33, is a bulge-free galaxy with only three optically luminous dwarf galaxies believed to be its satellites: AndXXII (McConnachie et al., 2009; Martin et al., 2016) and Pisces VII (Martínez-Delgado et al., 2022), discovered by me in 2020, and Triangulum IV (I. Ogami et al. 2024) awaiting confirmation as a possible UDG satellite. However, given its mass, ΛCDM cosmological simulations predict that M33 should host a larger number of satellites, at least 10.

The neutral hydrogen (HI) disk is three times larger than the star-forming disk and is clearly warped. The outer disk has the same inclination as the inner one with respect to our line of sight but the position angle of the major axis changes by about 30 degrees compared to the inner disk and is more aligned with the M31 direction. While M33's undisturbed inner disk indicates that no major collisions between M31 and M33 or between M33 and a satellite have occurred in the past, the distortion could be the result of a flyby about 9 billion years ago. Timing assessments make this scenario unlikely and favor the hypothesis of a first fall of M33 in the region of influence of M31.

Superstack of images taken with 2x 300mm f/4.5 telephoto lens array and 110/250mm f/2.2 astrograph.

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Nikon d5500

50mm + Hoya Red Intensifier Filter

12 x 30 seconds

ISO 3200

f/2.2

Taken at Sugarloaf Rock near Dunsborough approximately 200km south of Perth.

The famous white temple in Mandalay is the ＂Hsinbyume Pagoda＂ or ＂Myatheindan Pagoda.＂ It＇s an iconic Buddhist temple with unique whitewashed architecture resembling the mythical Mount Meru. Commissioned by King Bagyidaw in 1816 in memory of his wife, Princess Hsinbyume, the temple symbolizes the seven mountain ranges encircling Mount Meru. Its design represents Buddhist cosmology and is adorned with intricate details, reflecting Mandalay＇s rich cultural heritage and spiritual significance.

There are seven gates to enter the mosque, each named after Al-Asmaul-Husna, the names of God in Islam. The number seven represent Seven Heavens in Islamic cosmology. The wudu (ablution) fountains located on ground floor, while the main prayer hall and main courtyard located on elevated first floor. The building is consist of two connected rectangular structures; the main structure and the smaller secondary structure. The smaller one served as main gate as well as stairs and prayer spaces. The rectangular main prayer hall building is covered by a 45 meter diameter central spherical dome, the number "45" symbolize the year of Proclamation of Indonesian Independence in 1945. The main dome is adorned with stainless steel ornamental pinnacle that took form of a crescent and star, the symbol of Islam. The smaller secondary dome is also adorned with stainless steel pinnacle with Arabic caligraphy of Allah

The nebula is classified as both a reflection nebula (as it is reflecting the light of a nearby star) and as an emission nebula (as it releases hydrogen-alpha radiation). The nebula won't be around for long (in cosmological terms). The intense radiation of the nearby variable star Gamma Cassiopeia is not only illuminating the nebula but also is essentially "blowing" it away and causing it to disperse. Officially known as IC 63, this nebula is located 550 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen.

Nikon d5500

50mm + Hoya Red Intensifier Filter

ISO 3200

f/2.8

26 x 30 seconds (sky)

10 x 13 seconds (foreground)

iOptron SkyTracker mount

Stitched in MS ICE

This is a 36 shot panorama of the Milky Way rising over a farm in Keysbrook, Western Australia, approximately 50km (30mi) south of Perth. This location is quite near to the city limits so normally you would struggle to get this much clarity in the core but the Hoya filter does a good job of minimising light pollution and capturing the night sky as if you were twice as far from those pesky city lights :)

Setting up this hour glass shot for the weeks theme 'Glass' got me thinking about so many things.

The shape of this object controls the flow of the raw material from which the vessal itself is made (sand) - and so in some ways, is it not a carefully constructed time machine? The narrower the waist the slower the time?

As I came to decide which of the many shots I had taken of this object to upload I also wondered if these weird colours and sensual curves perhaps also symbolise the very form of space and time itself? A cosmologists dream?

Forgive my meanderings! HMM!

Many thanks for all views, favs and comments, much appreciated!

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Nikon d5500

35mm

ISO 3200

f/2.5

Foreground: 3 x 10 seconds

Sky: 11 x 30 seconds

iOptron SkyTracker

This is a 14 shot panorama of the Milky Way at Bailup as it sets into the light pollution of the nearby city of Perth in Western Australia.

20 x 13 seconds

35mm

ISO 5000

f/1.8

Stitched in MS ICE

The Milky Way sets below the Mars-like landscape of The Pinnacles Desert. This is a 20 shot panorama taken as the core sets below the western horizon. The Large Magellanic Cloud can be seen on the left of the image above the light pollution of Perth, approximately 200km (120mi) to the south.

According to Thai cosmology, Sumeru Mountain is considered the pillar of the world as well as the center as the universe. The mountain, supported stays above the surface of the water. lt is the residence of spirits ranging from deities in heaven to devils in hell. The beings living by the mountainside also include humans, nagas, garudas. ogres. ogresses and yogis Each of them is distinguished by wisdom morality

On the top of the lofty mountain the heaven called Tavatimsa where trai Trueng City is located The city is believed be the kingdom of gods where Sakka or Indra is the king Indra’s most important responsibility is to protect the serenity of the world community his divine kingship is a result of the merit he had made during his past lives.

Sakka lives in a castle called Phaichayon Maha Prasat (Phai chayon great grand palace). In the center of the castle stands the heavenly throne, namely Bandu Kamplhon, which will turn stiff when the world falls into disastrous catastrophe. Learnirng the situation, Indra will come down from heaven to help save his people on earth.

Sumeru Mountain is surrounded by an ocean, called Nathi Si Thandorn, while the Himavant Forest and Anodata Pond are at the toot of the mountan. Four springs which ane illustrated by the faces of 4 different animals including the lion, elephant, horse and ox are located at the 4 cardinal points of the pond Through the ox spring only, the water flows from the pond into the ocean

I went to the movies today to watch "Horton Hears a Who!", a very funny movie and an intelligent metaphor. It reminded me of this photo, which I left behind after processing it a few days ago feeling it hadn't enough "wow factor", whatever that may be. It intends to be minimalist and abstract. It reminds me of the astronomical and cosmological revolution that ironically has diminished the uniqueness of Man's position. Ptolemy had us at the center, Copernicus nudged us to a minor planet in orbit around the Sun. The Sun is now an insignificant star in an insignificant galaxy in an insignificant cluster in what may prove to be an insignificant universe! Like an insignificant droplet, isn't it?

Tomorrow at dawn I'll go for more of this microcosms. Maybe I'll hear a Who!

Nikon d5500

50mm + Hoya Red Intensifier Filter

92 x 30 seconds

ISO 3200

f/2.8

iOptron SkyTracker Mount

Stitched in MS ICE

This is a 690MP image of the Milky Way rising over South Dandalup Dam approximately 80km (50mi) south of Perth in Western Australia. Originally coming in at 1.3 gigapixels the image had to be shrunk in order to get below Flickr's upload limit of 200MB.

Featured in this image are the Large & Small Magellanic Clouds, just above and to the right of the dam tower, and the prominent Carina Nebula, a little north of the LMC. This is highlighted nicely thanks to the Hoya Red Intensifier didymium filter. I also used a star tracker again which tends to allow the camera to pick up significantly more airglow which you can see as green waves just above the horizon here.

This is my first time shooting at this location. It's one of the dams around my city that is gated off so it requires a bit of a walk to get to but it also means no traffic to interrupt me :)

Shrine in one of the largest Khmer temples in what today is Nakhon Ratchasima province in Thailand. The temple must have been an important part of the empire, marking one end of the ancient Khmer highway from Angkor and with the enclosed area similar to Angkor Wat in size. Most buildings are from the late 11th to the late 12th century and built as a Buddhist temple, even though the Khmer were Hindu at the time, reflecting Buddhism as the established local religion.

As most Khmer temples Phimai was built to resemble the universe in Buddhist and Hindu cosmology. The main building forming the peak of mount Meru in the center and the outer buildings and enclosures forming the surrounding waters and mountains.

Today Phimai is protected as part of a National Historical park, with limited reconstruction and restoration.

☞ more from Angkor, Khmer empire

© All rights reserved. Please do not use my images and text without prior written permission.

The Purico complex seen from the NNW.

From left to right: Cerro Purico, Cerro Negro, Cerros de Macón. In the background you can see the Colachi (snow-covered) and Acamarachi strato-volcanoes.

50mm + Hoya didymium filter

21 x 6 seconds

ISO 4000

f/1.8

Stitched in MS ICE.

Shot at North Dandalup Dam, approximately 60km south of the Perth CBD. The light pollution is from a nearby mining operation. The dam tower was light painted using a spot light.

Nikon d5500

11mm

100 x 30 seconds

ISO 200

f3.5

Processed in startrails.exe

Bluff Knoll is south west WA's tallest peak at 1100m. It's about the only place that has fairly regular snowfalls in the entire state. This was taken though in the middle of summer earlier this year during the first of January's two Super Moons, called the Full Wolf Moon. I'd almost forgotten about this image as it didn't quite turn out how I liked (I stupidly set the intervalometer incorrectly) and I contemplated whether to upload it at all. I drove 4 hours to this spot so I may as well get something out of it! ;-)

Borobudur, or Barabudur, is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument near Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). During the journey, the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the walls and the balustrades.

Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the 14th-century decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Java, and the Javanese conversion to Islam. Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, then the British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians. Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage; once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument, and Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction.

Nikon d5500

35mm

ISO 3200

f/2.5

Sky: 21 x 30s

Foreground: 10 x 15s

iOptron SkyTracker

This is actually a large puddle that had formed after some recent winter rains. It was reflecting the night sky rather nicely so I decided to make the most of the situation :)

This is a 31 shot panorama of the Milky Way rising over Herron Point, not much more than 45 minutes from my home in Perth, Western Australia.

Nikon d5500

50mm + Hoya Red Intensifier Filter

f/2.8

ISO 4000

Sky - 37 x 30 seconds

Foreground - 22 x 13 seconds

iOptron SkyTracker

Another one taken over the summer during the Milky Way off season :)

This is a 59 image panorama of the Milky Way rising perpendicular to the horizon at North Dandalup Dam about an hour's drive from my home in Perth, Western Australia. The Carina Nebula is prominent just above centre in the image with the Magellanic Clouds on the right edge. The Hoya Red Intensifier filter helps with light pollution and to highlight H-Alpha nebulae but also has the effect of sometimes adding a red/pink hue which you can see in the light pollution here.

Excerpt from thewelltoronto.com/arts/dustin-yellin-emergence/:

Emergence

2023

Emergence by Dustin Yellin braids together three threads–the origin of the universe, the birth of life, and the creation of computing. The sculpture depicts a giant figure modeled from the World Tree, a mythological concept found across multiple cultures that connects the Earth to the stars. Mirroring various evolutionary hypotheses, Emergence grows out of a base plate that represents a primordial soup from which all life on Earth developed. Various vignettes and fantastical elements are scattered throughout the figure’s body: a cat with the rear of a dog stares into a toilet to see its reflection like Narcissus; an astronaut chick hatches out of a geodesic sphere; a battery-operated frog licks a Black Hole in the form of a bagel; a monkey emerges from a monkey brain held up by a large-lipped rotisserie chicken; hybrid animal/human astronauts explore the entire scene from top to bottom, making their way up to the moon.

Included among these surrealist details are many elements relating to the sculpture’s overarching themes of cosmology, mythology, and technology, interspersed with nods to Ontario, such as local flora and fauna, and major Canadian inventions. These many details add up to tell various stories of how small things come together to form more complex systems. Like an open-source code, these stories are not determined, and visitors are encouraged to decipher the artwork and construct their own narratives. More details catch the eye the longer one looks – discover the meaning behind each element by accessing the Emergence Discovery Handbook.

Coban Pelangi "rainbow 🌈" waterfall at the bottom of starting point for mountain hiking to Mount Semeru, one of the highest mountain in Java, took its name from the mythical Mount Meru in Indian cosmology.

Picture taken from the stairs heading towards Coban Pelangi waterfall, Tengger Semeru National Park, Malang City, East Java, Indonesia.

Nikon d5500

ISO 3200

f/2.8

35mm

Sky - 8 x 30 seconds

Dunes - 4 x 13 seconds

iOptron SkyTracker

Stitched in MS ICE

This is a 12 shot panorama of the Milky Way rising over the Nambung Desert approximately 200km north of Perth in Western Australia. The dunes were light painted using a hand held spotlight.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4CpY0xAMGk

Big Kisses @ All,Who Follow Me

XoXo Blackangel

(Background not From Secondlife,Photoshop Edit)

************************************************************

We're part of the moonlight

Ain't a fantasy

Can't bring you the sunlight

Gotta hide your heart

We're born to be sad, sad, sad, sad

So start to be glad, glad, glad, glad

C'mon yo moonchild, moonchild

That's supposed to be

Yeah all the pain, all the sorrow

That's your destiny, see

You know my life is like this

We gotta dance in the rain

Dance in the pain

Even though we crashed now

We gonna dance in the plane

우리에겐 누구보다 밤의 풍경이 필요해

그 어느 누구도 아닌 너만이 날 위로해 the savages

But don't you tell yourself

Moonchild you shine

When you rise, it's your time

C'mon yo

Moonchild don't cry

When moon rise, it's your time

C'mon yo

Moonchild you shine

When moon rise, it's your time

떠나도 절대 한 번도 떠나지지가 않아

죽고싶다며 그만큼 넌 또 열심히 살아댔네

떼어놓고 싶다며 또 다른 줄을 달아

생각하지 말란 생각조차 생각이잖아 you know

사실은 우리 이런 운명이런 걸 you know

끝없는 고통 속에 웃는거란 걸 you know

저유를 말허는 순간 자유는 없어 you know

Do you know

다시 그 내려오는 눈으로 저 밤하늘을 봐

너에겐 보여줄거야 너의 창 너의 시간

알고 있니 저 가로등에도 가시가 많아

저 명멸하는 빛을 자세히 한 번 쳐다봐

야경이란 게 참 잔인하지않니

누구의 가시들이 모여 펼쳐진 장관을

분명 누 군가 너의 가시를 보며 의로받겠지

우린 서로의 야경 서로의 달

우린 서로의 야경 서로의 달

우린 서로의 야경 서로의 달

우린 서로의 야경 서로의 달

C'mon yo

Moonchild don't cry

When moon rise, it's your time

C'mon yo

Moonchild you shine

When moon rise, it's your time

C'mon yo

When moon rise, it's your time

C'mon yo

Excerpt from thewelltoronto.com/arts/dustin-yellin-emergence/:

Emergence

2023

Emergence by Dustin Yellin braids together three threads–the origin of the universe, the birth of life, and the creation of computing. The sculpture depicts a giant figure modeled from the World Tree, a mythological concept found across multiple cultures that connects the Earth to the stars. Mirroring various evolutionary hypotheses, Emergence grows out of a base plate that represents a primordial soup from which all life on Earth developed. Various vignettes and fantastical elements are scattered throughout the figure’s body: a cat with the rear of a dog stares into a toilet to see its reflection like Narcissus; an astronaut chick hatches out of a geodesic sphere; a battery-operated frog licks a Black Hole in the form of a bagel; a monkey emerges from a monkey brain held up by a large-lipped rotisserie chicken; hybrid animal/human astronauts explore the entire scene from top to bottom, making their way up to the moon.

Included among these surrealist details are many elements relating to the sculpture’s overarching themes of cosmology, mythology, and technology, interspersed with nods to Ontario, such as local flora and fauna, and major Canadian inventions. These many details add up to tell various stories of how small things come together to form more complex systems. Like an open-source code, these stories are not determined, and visitors are encouraged to decipher the artwork and construct their own narratives. More details catch the eye the longer one looks – discover the meaning behind each element by accessing the Emergence Discovery Handbook.

Nikon d5100

35mm

4 x 13 seconds

ISO 4000

f2

Hmmm, something different about this one.....oh, no Milky Way! Well technically it's all the Milky Way, except those two splotches of course, they're the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, our neighbouring galaxies 200k & 160k light years away. The LMC contains approximately 30 billion stars while the SMC contains just a few billion. These two beauties can only be seen in Southern Hemisphere skies.

The yellow/orange light pollution is caused by smoke from controlled burns around the city at the time.

Nikon d5100

35mm

f2.0

ISO 4000

8 x 13 seconds

Stitched in MS ICE

This is a mosaic of 8 35mm shots taken at a salt lake near Cataby in Western Australia. The tree was light painted using a hand held spotlight. The Milky Way is setting towards the west.

Another shot taken at the Gnangara pine plantation. Just a single exposure this time :)

Excerpt from thewelltoronto.com/arts/dustin-yellin-emergence/:

Emergence

2023

Emergence by Dustin Yellin braids together three threads–the origin of the universe, the birth of life, and the creation of computing. The sculpture depicts a giant figure modeled from the World Tree, a mythological concept found across multiple cultures that connects the Earth to the stars. Mirroring various evolutionary hypotheses, Emergence grows out of a base plate that represents a primordial soup from which all life on Earth developed. Various vignettes and fantastical elements are scattered throughout the figure’s body: a cat with the rear of a dog stares into a toilet to see its reflection like Narcissus; an astronaut chick hatches out of a geodesic sphere; a battery-operated frog licks a Black Hole in the form of a bagel; a monkey emerges from a monkey brain held up by a large-lipped rotisserie chicken; hybrid animal/human astronauts explore the entire scene from top to bottom, making their way up to the moon.

Included among these surrealist details are many elements relating to the sculpture’s overarching themes of cosmology, mythology, and technology, interspersed with nods to Ontario, such as local flora and fauna, and major Canadian inventions. These many details add up to tell various stories of how small things come together to form more complex systems. Like an open-source code, these stories are not determined, and visitors are encouraged to decipher the artwork and construct their own narratives. More details catch the eye the longer one looks – discover the meaning behind each element by accessing the Emergence Discovery Handbook.