Daily Archives: July 10, 2021

The US military needs to burn down its zero-tolerance weed policy – Task & Purpose

Posted: July 10, 2021 at 3:46 am

Americans attitudes toward marijuana are changing across the country. With four more states joining the fold in November, 15 states and Washington, D.C. have now legalized marijuana for recreational use, and 34 states allow its use for medical reasons. More recently, the House of Representatives voted to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level, although the bill failed in the Senate. Given the disastrous consequences of the war on drugs both in the U.S. and abroad, this shift is unsurprising and long overdue.

There continues to be, however, a zero-tolerance policy in the military regarding marijuana, and thousands of uniformed service members are discharged each year for failing randomly administered drug tests. The governments stance on marijuana as a controlled substance may not change anytime soon. But there is a better way for military leaders than zero-tolerance by transitioning to a more measured response to marijuana use among service members.

For men and women in uniform, drug use is governed by a single article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which imposes a maximum penalty of dishonorable discharge and two years of confinement for anyone who wrongfully uses, possesses, manufactures, distributes, or imports any controlled substance including opium, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana. In reality, a positive test for a drug like marijuana often leads to an immediate separation from the military.

Related: Canadian troops were going to fire artillery. Then they got high

The UCMJs direction here, however, is woefully limited. Should using marijuana once be considered a crime tantamount to distributing cocaine or manufacturing meth? Given that most states recognize the medical benefits of marijuana, its illogical to consider that all drugs on the federal controlled substance list are equally harmful and should be treated under a single law. An 18-year-old who smokes a joint because of a lapse in judgment is no Walter White, after all.

More importantly, it makes little sense to lump drugs into a single category while making separate, more lenient allowances for alcohol. Though military culture may not like to admit it, alcohol is a drug, one I contend is far more harmful than marijuana. A recent study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that frequent heavy drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks on one or more occasions per week, occurs among a substantial proportion of U.S. military personnel, and that young adults in the military are more likely than their civilian counterparts to engage in heavy drinking.

Like many of my fellow service members, during my five years in the Navy I repeatedly witnessed how alcohol use can destroy sailors careers and families and impact a units morale. American service members stationed in Japan, for example, have earned a reputation for their drunken escapades, many of which have had deadly consequences for civilian bystanders. Aboard deployed Navy warships, rest stops at foreign ports are largely seen as opportunities to drink among the crew, the average age of which is rarely above the mid-twenties.

The military communitys acceptance of drinking as a pastime and its zero-tolerance policy toward marijuana use stand in stark contradiction to one another.

I have personally seen Navy chief petty officers, men with at least 15 years of service to their name, go to jail and later stand in front of their captain for crashing their car or pulling a gun on someone while drunk. I have never heard of a sailor, or indeed anyone, doing anything similar because they had smoked a joint. After having served five years as a commissioned officer aboard warships, I seriously question whether our attitudes toward alcohol and marijuana arent entirely misguided.

The federal governments policy towards the drug notwithstanding, isnt there a better way for the military to deal with marijuana use among its ranks? It is not surprising that service members, many barely out of high school, will make mistakes and use what is, in truth, a drug that is widely prevalent among young people. That the punishment for such an offense should be an immediate and unquestioned discharge from the military seems unusually harsh.

In the Navy, for example, sailors are allowed one strike when it comes to alcohol-related incidents like drunk driving; only a second offense, or treatment failure, will lead to a members discharge. Why not adopt a similar policy towards marijuana use?

Its time to reform the zero-tolerance policy for marijuana use in the military.

While we may not see the federal legalization of marijuana any time soon, service members dont deserve to see their careers ended, and their veterans benefits potentially stripped, for a lapse in judgment. Instead, just like with alcohol-related incidents, they should be counseled and recommended for discharge only if they are deemed treatment failures. Given the militarys recent woes in manning its own ranks, it is nonsensical to hemorrhage service members who have made a harmless mistake. To show up to ones unit high or drunk should be considered a serious offense, but to have one positive THC test doesnt make a service member an irredeemable criminal. Instead of turning their backs on these men and women, perhaps military leaders should seek to rehabilitate them.

The militarys stubborn drug policy remains unchanged in large part because we refuse to talk about it. Indeed, to point out its logical inconsistency would likely draw the unwanted attention of ones superiors. This is unfortunate, because the reality of marijuana use in American culture is not what it was decades ago. The leaders of the militarys services should pay closer attention to how its zero-tolerance stance is impacting sailors, soldiers, Marines, and airmen. Reforming this policy is not only good for Americans in uniform, but for the strength of the services themselves.

Thibaut Delloue served as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy from 2015 to 2020. He was the communications officer aboard the destroyer USS Carney in Rota, Spain and the navigator of the littoral combat ship USS Coronado in San Diego. He now works in education in Nashville, Tennessee. Connect with him @t_delloue.

Read the original here:

The US military needs to burn down its zero-tolerance weed policy - Task & Purpose

Posted in War On Drugs | Comments Off on The US military needs to burn down its zero-tolerance weed policy – Task & Purpose

Songs Celebrating the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment – WDET

Posted: at 3:45 am

As part of 101.9 FM WDETs Book Club,were invitingthe Detroit region to examine and discuss the textthat impacts every resident of the United States: The Constitution. Whether youre revisiting the documents or reading them for the first time,join us in reading alongand engaging in civil conversations with yourcommunity.

Get your free pocket Constitution

If you take a look at the long history of popular music, it becomes pretty clear that the will of the people wont be stifled easily. Time and time when people try to take rights away, artists speak up loudly and the people embrace theirmessages.

Over the course of the summer as WDET explores the context and significance of the Constitution, CultureShifts Rob Reinhart will be highlighting musical suggestions for celebrating our rights, specifically, the Bill ofRights.

Well start at the beginning: The First Amendment. Especially significant for artists, the First Amendment guarantees the freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition. The amendment provides the ability for artists to express themselves as theywish.

Click the audio player above to hear Robs picks for songs representing the five freedoms outlined in the FirstAmendment.

Inclusive, robust conversations like the ones WDET is conducting around the Constitution are made possible because of your support. Please make a gift today.

Go here to read the rest:
Songs Celebrating the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment - WDET

Posted in First Amendment | Comments Off on Songs Celebrating the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment – WDET

Ask Civics 101: Do The States Need Congress’s Permission To Hold A Constitutional Convention? – New Hampshire Public Radio

Posted: at 3:45 am

Our question this week comes from a listener who asks: Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, do the states need Congresss permission to hold a convention to propose constitutional amendments, or was this originally proposed by the Framers as a way to bypass Congress in order to amend the Constitution?

Do you have a question for the Civics 101 team? Submit it here!

Article V of the U.S. Constitution lays out the amendment process for altering our governmental structure. Its a product of two systems: checks and balances and federalism. The former is an arrangement of counterbalancing influences preventing all power from residing in one branch of government, and the latter is a structure that divides power between the national and state governments. As such, the answer is, no, the states dont need Congresss permission to apply for and hold a convention to propose constitutional amendments. Rather, this was included by the Framers as a way for the states to bypass Congress in the amendment process.

To explain this in more detail, lets start by taking a look at Article V. There are two steps to amend the Constitution. The first step, proposal, can be done one of two ways. Congress can propose amendments when two-thirds of both houses deem it necessary, or the states can propose amendments when two-thirds of the state legislatures apply for and Congress calls a convention for that purpose.

Once proposed, the next step is ratification. Congress chooses whether ratification should be considered by state legislatures or by state conventions created for that purpose. Three-fourths of the states, whether as legislatures or conventions, must ratify an amendment in order for it to become part of the Constitution. The Twenty-First Amendment repealing prohibition remains the only one that was ratified by conventions in three-fourths of the states.

The listeners question focuses on the first step. The text of Article V states, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, [Congress] shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments. Lets call this an Article V convention.

Interestingly, this type of convention has never been called! All 27 amendments to the Constitution, and thousands of others that died during the ratification process, were proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress. Today, 34 of the 50 state legislatures would need to apply in order for Congress to call a constitutional convention.

The Article V convention is a way for the states to bypass Congress. When two-thirds of the state legislatures apply for a convention, Congress is constitutionally required to call it. In Federalist No. 85, Alexander Hamilton wrote, The words of this article are peremptory. The Congress shall call a convention. Nothing in this particular is left to the discretion of that body. In other words, the states dont need Congresss permission. Congress doesnt get to decide whether the states should or shouldnt hold an Article V convention; Congress actually doesnt have any say in the matter besides merely calling the convention when two-thirds of the state legislatures apply.

Once called, the Article V convention can propose amendments that are then sent to the states for ratification. By creating a process for the states to propose amendments without Congresss permission, the Framers created a way to check and balance Congresss power over the amendment process. Moreover, the Framers wanted the states to retain a substantial amount of power under the Constitution, so granting them the shared power of proposing amendments was logical under their federalist design.

Amendments proposed by the Article V convention are also not subject to Congresss approval. There are conceivably many constitutional amendments that could affect Congress but, no matter how popular, might not be in Congresss interest to propose. The Framers knew there should be another way to formally propose amendments to the Constitution when Congress drags its feet.

Lets use the example of congressional term limits. Getting two-thirds of the House of Representatives and the Senate to propose a constitutional amendment establishing term limits for themselves and future lawmakers seems unlikely. So, if a congressional term limits amendment was popular enough, at least two-thirds of the states could go around Congress, apply for an Article V convention to propose this amendment, and send it to the states for ratification. If three-fourths of the states approve, it would become the law of the land without Congresss permission or support.

See original here:
Ask Civics 101: Do The States Need Congress's Permission To Hold A Constitutional Convention? - New Hampshire Public Radio

Posted in First Amendment | Comments Off on Ask Civics 101: Do The States Need Congress’s Permission To Hold A Constitutional Convention? – New Hampshire Public Radio

Jolie and Pitt’s lawyers face off over her bid to dump their private judge in divorce case – USA TODAY

Posted: at 3:45 am

ShowBiz Minute: Cena, Jolie, Pooh

Actor John Cena faces backlash in China over Taiwan comment; Angelina Jolie says judge in Pitt divorce won't let children testify; "Winnie the Pooh" to bring friends to New York stage this fall in new musical. (May 26)

AP

The long-delayed celebrity divorce of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt entered a new stage of complications Friday when their big-name legal teams went before a California appellate court to argue about Jolie's bid to dump their private judge and start over on their nearly five-year-old custody battle.

There was no immediate decision from the three-justicepanel following more than an hour of back-and-forth between power lawyers Robert Olsonfor Jolieand Ted Boutrousfor Pitt.

Jolie's lawyer said Judge JohnOuderkirk, the judge who married Jolie and Pitt in 2014, who was picked by both stars to preside as a paid private judge over their 2016divorce, should now be dismissed because he failed to fully disclose in a timely manner professional links to one of Pitt's lawyers.

"If you're going to play the role of a paid private judge you have to play by the rules and the rules are very clear, they requirefull transparency," Olson said. "Matters that should have been disclosed were not disclosed....If rules have no consequences they are empty."

Pitt's lawyer arguedthat Jolie is engagingin a stalling tacticbecause she doesn't like Ouderkirk's earlier decisions in the case, including awarding temporary joint custody of their children to Pitt.

IfOuderkirk is dismissed, his previous rulings in the case could be voided, a new judge would be appointed and the case would be slowed down even further, thus allowing more of the couple's six childrento reach adulthood (son Maddox is 19), at which point they can make their own choices about a relationship with their father.

Their other children are Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 12.

"This is the kind of game-playing that the courts condemn," said Boutrous, a First Amendment lawyer who recently persuaded a New York judge to allow a tea-spilling book about former President Donald Trump by his niece to be published over his objections.

Boutrous insisted that Jolie,"a sophisticated person with sophisticated lawyers," has known all along about matters requiring disclosureby Ouderkirk but did not raise objections until she began losing in his court.

"These kids are aging, some are already adults, others are reaching adulthood, and to allow this delaying tactic is extremely unjust and extremely unfair" to them and to Pitt, Boutrous said.

The lawyers and the justices engaged indense legal arguments about precedents and earlier decisions on similar cases, and occasionally wandered into questions about whether California should even allow private judges to be compensated.

Jolie sought Ouderkirk's dismissal in August 2020,alleging he was not impartial due to professional links between him and Pitt's lawyers. She lost that bid in Superior Court in November. The hearing Friday was to hear her appeal of that decision.

Ordinarily, an appellate courtdecision could be expected in about a month. As the hearing closed, Olsonpleaded for the court's decision to be made public.

Divorce cases in California, especially celebrity cases and those conducted under the aegis of a private judge, often take place behind closed doors and are not accessible online, even before the COVID-19 pandemic closed courthouses. Much of the Jolie/Pitt divorce has been closed to the public.

The appellate proceeding before theSecond District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles was regarding the judge, not the divorce, so it was live-streamed.

Christopher Melcher, a Los Angeles family law attorney not involved in the Jolie/Pitt case, who watched the entire proceeding, told USA TODAY that disqualifying a judge is rarely successful.

"It's viewed as a last-ditch measure," he said. "Questioning a judges integrity is a serious accusation, which carries the risk of alienating the person who will decide custody and other issues. Angelina must have decided that was a risk worth taking."

He says it's significant that Jolie repeatedly agreed to the reappointment of Ouderkirk each time his assignment was coming to end, and it wasonly after he criticized her in court that she cried foul.

Olson said Friday that Jolie approved the last reappointment of the judge without full knowledge of Ouderkirk'sdisclosure of his latest business links to Pitt's legal team. Olson also asked for a stay so that Ouderkirk does not issue a final custody ruling before the appellate panel issues its ownruling.

Jolie's lawyer's brief in the case declaredthat even if she loses at the appellate level, she will keep fighting Pitt and the custody order.

The brief filed by Jolie's lawyers ahead of Friday's hearing claimed "prejudicial legal error" on Ouderkirk's part, includingthe judge's refusal to hear testimony from the younger children about their views on custody. Jolie's team also argued the actress was denied "a fair trial" because the judge improperlyexcluded hearing "evidence relevant to the childrens health, safety, and welfare."

Read more:
Jolie and Pitt's lawyers face off over her bid to dump their private judge in divorce case - USA TODAY

Posted in First Amendment | Comments Off on Jolie and Pitt’s lawyers face off over her bid to dump their private judge in divorce case – USA TODAY

Kik Hernandez feeling more comfortable in everyday role as Red Sox CF: Im still getting better – Boston Herald

Posted: at 3:44 am

After six seasons of mostly coming off the bench for the Dodgers, Kik Hernndez signed with the Red Sox seeking an everyday job. Hes found that, but not in the position he may have expected.

The Red Sox had plans to make Hernndez their full-time second baseman and play him in center field occasionally, but its turned out to be the other way around. Hernandez has now made 53 starts in center and 16 at second, a product of Christian Arroyos emergence but also how comfortable Hernandez has gotten in center.

Playing for a new team in a new league and a new home ballpark required an adjustment period for Hernandez, but he seems to have found his stride over the last few weeks. Entering Friday, he ranked third among MLB outfielders with nine defensive runs saved, and hes been a critical piece of a Red Sox outfield that leads baseball with 28 assists. That consistent playing time has helped him get into a groove at the plate, too, as hes hitting .317 with four homers and 10 walks in 11 games since returning to the leadoff spot on June 27.

I always envisioned myself playing every day in the position that I think is my best position, which is second base, and Im lucky enough to be versatile where I can play many positions and play one in an everyday role, Hernandez said. I always said I care more about the starting lineup than the defensive positioning, so center field, its what allows me to play every day and make the team better as far as our defensive alignment and all that, so Im all for it. Were in first place, Im playing everyday center field and were playing good baseball. Cant ask for more.

Im still getting better. I didnt start off the way I wanted to. It became a little bit of an adjustment period and once I slowed everything down, slowed my mind and everything else down, and the weather started warming up a little bit, everything else started happening for me. I started getting used to center field on a daily basis. I feel like Im a lot more confident now than I was at the beginning of the season playing center field.

Alex Cora has been impressed, even more so because Hernandezs outfield drill work extends to him shagging in center during batting practice before games. Hernandez said its the most realistic way of preparing for reads and a tricky Fenway Park outfield, and so far its worked.

I didnt know he was this good a center fielder, to be honest with you, Cora said. I knew about the jumps that he was elite at it. But his routes are solid. His arm always played. Expectations-wise, I thought he was a solid center fielder. Hes solid all over the place, but hes been above average.

Sale set for next session

Chris Sale will pitch to live hitters again in another two-inning session in Fort Myers on Saturday, potentially the final step before hes ready for a rehab assignment. The Red Sox ace continued to feel good after his last session on Tuesday, and the team is hopeful for another encouraging day as they target an August return.

Hopefully we get good news that he feels great, Cora said. Then well make decisions about what hes going to do next week.

Santana heads to IL

The Red Sox made a flurry of roster moves before Fridays game, including sending Danny Santana to the 10-day injured list with a left quad strain. The utility man came up limping while running out a play against the Angels on Tuesday night. Michael Chavis was brought back up to fill his spot.

Backup catcher Kevin Plawecki was reinstated from the injured list after he suffered a left hamstring strain. Connor Wong, who was impressive in his place, was optioned back to Worcester.

Read the rest here:

Kik Hernandez feeling more comfortable in everyday role as Red Sox CF: Im still getting better - Boston Herald

Posted in Cf | Comments Off on Kik Hernandez feeling more comfortable in everyday role as Red Sox CF: Im still getting better – Boston Herald

Toyota Supra A91-CF Edition Is The Most Expensive Supra You Can Buy – Motor1

Posted: at 3:44 am

The 2022 Toyota Supra A91 Carbon Fiber Special Edition isn't your ordinary two-seater sports coupe. It's limited in number and it comes with more functional and lightweight carbon fiber aero bits.

With that said, the Supra A91-CF Edition expected to ask for a commanding price tag, which we now know thanks to data from a recent order guide that CarsDirect revealed. According to the website, the limited Toyota Supra will sell for $64,275, including a $995 destination charge.

10 Photos

Of note, this makes the 2022Supra A91-CF Edition the most expensive Supra your money can buy at least when talking about MSRPs without dealer markups. When loaded with options, the CF Edition can reach the $68,000 mark.

In comparison, the current (and also limited) 2021 Supra A91 Edition has a price tag of$55,990 when announced last year, which is more affordable than the new CF Editionby over eight grand. Pricing for the rest of the 2022 Supra lineup is yet to be revealed but for now, let it be known that the most expensive Supra you can buy at the dealer costs around 55 percent more than the base 2021 Supra 2.0.

That's, of course, assuming you can get your hands on one. The 2022 Supra A91-CF Edition is limited to 600 units in North America, which makes it a rather rare specimen.

For the uninitiated, the CF Edition is a 2022 Supra 3.0 that comes with exposed carbon fiber parts, specifically on the front splitter, side rocker panels, side and rear canards, and extended duckbill spoiler. It also has a set of 19-inch wheels that comes exclusively in matte black, plus a redone red/black cabin with added carbon fiber bits.

Dealer availability is expected this fall along with the official pricing.

Visit link:

Toyota Supra A91-CF Edition Is The Most Expensive Supra You Can Buy - Motor1

Posted in Cf | Comments Off on Toyota Supra A91-CF Edition Is The Most Expensive Supra You Can Buy – Motor1

Media/Photo Advisory – Cadillac Fairview to unveil The Lot at CF Sherway Gardens, one of the city’s newest and largest patio destinations! – Yahoo…

Posted: at 3:44 am

The sprawling patio features 30,000 sq. ft. for al fresco dining and delight

TORONTO, July 9, 2021 /CNW/ - With its continued commitment to create inviting community spaces that bring people together, Cadillac Fairview is set to debut The Lot at CF Sherway Gardens on Friday, July 9. The massive 30,000 square foot patio transforms the west parking lot of CF Sherway Gardens, outside the Gate 1 and 2 entrances, into one of the city's biggest destinations for al fresco diners.

Cadillac Fairview to unveil The Lot at CF Sherway Gardens, one of the citys newest and largest patio destinations! (CNW Group/Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited)

With more than 30 restaurants and food retailers available at CF Sherway Gardens, guests are invited to sit back, relax and reconnect over take-out at The Lot. The vibrant, sprawling space is perfect for photo ops and is shaded by umbrellas, adorned with muskoka chairs and more than 100 picnic tables. Tables and chairs will be cleaned after each use, and ample seating is available on a first come first serve basis.

"Ontarians have been craving safe and fun ways to reunite and The Lot at CF Sherway Gardens provides a central destination for guests to do just that. As we welcome back our community of shoppers, retailers and employees to our centre, we're delighted to expand our offerings with this beautiful outdoor patio that encourages in-person connections shared over a delicious meal," said Andy Traynor, General Manager of CF Sherway Gardens.

For more information, please visit: https://shops.cadillacfairview.com/property/cf-sherway-gardens/news-events/n/the-lot-at-sherway

WHAT

Cadillac Fairview introduces The Lot at Sherway Gardens, featuring 30,000 sq. ft. of al fresco dining space with more than 100 safely distanced picnic tables and muskoka chairs

WHEN

Open daily beginning Friday, July 9, during shopping centre hours

Monday to Saturday - 11AM to 7PM

Sunday - 11AM to 6PM

WHERE

CF Sherway Gardens Located in West Parking Lot (along The Queensway)

25 The West Mall

Etobicoke, ON M9C 1B8

HOW

Seating in The Lot is first come, first serve with a recommended seating of time of one hour. Guests are welcome to enjoy takeout from restaurants and food retailers at CF Sherway Gardens in the designated outdoor seating area. A full list of restaurants and food retailers is available here.

The Lot is open to guests of all ages.

Free onsite parking available.

The Lot is subject to local government guidelines and restrictions, operating hours and seating and table capacity are subject to change. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, guests will be welcomed by brand ambassadors who will screen patrons before being seated in The Lot, and are encouraged to practise physical distancing and wear masks when not seated at their table.

The Lot at CF Sherway Gardens (CNW Group/Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited)

The Lot at CF Sherway Gardens (CNW Group/Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited)

SOURCE Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2021/09/c3211.html

View post:

Media/Photo Advisory - Cadillac Fairview to unveil The Lot at CF Sherway Gardens, one of the city's newest and largest patio destinations! - Yahoo...

Posted in Cf | Comments Off on Media/Photo Advisory – Cadillac Fairview to unveil The Lot at CF Sherway Gardens, one of the city’s newest and largest patio destinations! – Yahoo…

These are the best astronomy images of the year – Livescience.com

Posted: at 3:44 am

The best astronomy photos of the year invite the eye upward and outward, bringing stunning views such as auroras above Earth and visions of a stellar nursery 554 light-years away.

These images, from the finalists in the 13th annual Royal Observatory Greenwich's Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, are a beautiful reminder of the size and age of the universe. One image, created by photographer James Rushforth, shows the comet NEOWISE passing over Stonehenge, a structure that didn't even exist when the comet last streaked by Earth 6,800 years ago.

Held in cooperation with BBC Sky at Night magazine, the competition drew more than 4,500 entries from 75 different countries. Winners in 12 categories will be announced on September 16, 2021, and the winning photographs will be exhibited in the National Maritime Museum in London. Here are the shortlisted competitors.

The International Space Station travels across a waning crescent moon in this daylight shot. Photographer Andrew McCarthy of Elk Grove, California, used two cameras and two telescopes to capture the images, which he then blended together into a seamless scene.

(For the monochrome image: McCarthy used a Celestron EdgeHD800 telescope at f/10, Hobym Traveller mount, ZWO ASI174MM camera, 1,000 x 1-millisecond exposure. And for the color, he chose the Orion XT10 telescope at f/10, Hobym Traveller mount, Sony A7II camera, ISO 200, 1-millisecond exposure.)

The aurora borealis outshines the lights of Murmansk, Russia, in this photograph taken in January 2020. Photographer Vitaliy Novikov had to wait for a strong solar flare so that the aurora was visible despite the city lights.

(To capture the skylights, Novikov used a Nikon D850 camera, 24 mm f/5.6 lens, ISO 1000, 0.8-second exposure.)

This image was stitched together from shots taken of the Veil Nebula in June, July and August 2020. The nebula is the remnant of a giant supernova explosion the death throes of a massive star. The image was snapped from Pest County, Hungary.

(The photographer used a SkyWatcher 200/800 Newton Astrograph telescope at f/4.6, Astronomik Ha and OIII filters, SkyWatcher NEQ6 Pro mount, Moravian G3-16200 Mark II camera, Ha-OIII composite, 12 hours total exposure.)

This chateau in Centre-Val de Loire, France, was a photographer's dream and a challenge for Benjamin Barakat of the U.K., who had to snap photographs during minute-long pauses in the castle's lighting, which occurred once every 15 minutes.

(Baraket used the following equipment: Sigma Art 40 mm telescope, iOptron SkyTracker Pro mount, Canon 6D Baader modified camera. For the foreground, Baraket used a 40 mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 3200, 4 x 30-second exposures; and for the sky, he used a 40 mm f/2 lens, ISO 1600, 8 x 30-second exposures.)

Stonehenge didn't exist 6,800 years ago, the last time the comet NEOWISE passed by Earth. This stunning shot, captured by James Rushforth of the U.K., hints at the incredible changes our planet has seen since the astronomical phenomenon last occurred. An orange glow emanates from the villages of Durrington and Larkhill, and a passing truck's lights illuminate the stones.

(Equipment: Nikon D850 camera, 70200 mm lens at 100 mm f/2.8, ISO 5000, 4-second exposure)

The Dolphin Head Nebula sits in the middle of the constellation Canis Major. Yovin Yahathugoda, of Sri Lanka, captured this shot with the help of the Telescope Live remote telescope in Chile. The gorgeous result represents 90 minutes of exposure time spread over three nights of uncooperative weather.

(Yahathugoda used the ASA 500N telescope at f/3.8, Astrodon filters, ASA DDM85 Premium mount, FLI PL16803 camera, Ha-OIII composite, 1.5 hours total exposure.)

Star trails reveal the rotation of Earth in this shot taken over Dugi Otok in Croatia. The stars reflected in the water were added in post-production because winds over the water prevented the photographer, Ivan Vucetic, from capturing the real-life reflection of the stars.

(Vucetic used a Nikon D600 camera, 20 mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 1600. The foreground required a 526-second exposure, and the sky 247 x 25-seconds.)

The Milky Way shines over Mount Damavand, Iran, in this shot from May 2020. To capture this image, Masoud Ghadiri took a seven-hour hike to get into position. The photo contains 10 stacked images, five for the sky and five for the foreground.

(Ghadiri used Nikon D850 camera, Vixen Polarie mount, 24 mm f/4 lens, ISO 6400, 10 x 30-second exposures.)

Our favorite cameras for night sky photography

This view of the Milky Way contrasts the stars of the galaxy with the lavender fields of Valensole, France. The photographer, Stefan Liebermann, shot the foreground and night sky separately because the lavender blowing in the breeze would otherwise look like a blur in the long exposures required to capture the Milky Way's beauty.

(Liebermann captured the shot with a Sony ILCE-7M3 camera, Fornax Mounts LighTrack II mount, 16 mm f/2.8 lens. For the foreground: ISO 2500, 15 x 0.8-second exposures; and for the sky: ISO 2000, 5 x 120-second exposures.)

The aurora lights up the sky near Vik, Iceland, in this shot taken in January 2020. The photographer, Larryn Rae, noted that capturing the northern lights over the powerful natural environment of Iceland in winter was an amazing experience.

(Rae used a Canon EOS 5D Mark 4 camera, 16 mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 6400, 20 x 6-second exposures.)

The entrance of Luna Park, an abandoned amusement park in Sydney, Australia, is dark for just a few hours each night. That fleeting period of darkness allowed photographer Ed Hurst to capture this image of stars against the defunct human creation.

(Park used a Pentax 645Z camera, 25 mm f/4 DA lens. For the foreground: ISO 100, 60-second exposure at f/13; for the sky: ISO 1250, 3,004 x 1.6 second exposures at f/5.)

The sun sets on Mars in this shot made from images taken by the Curiosity Rover in 2015. The sun looks slightly smaller than it does on Earth, given Mars' greater distance from our nearest star. The photo is credited to John White.

Durdle Door, a coastal rock formation in Dorset, England, foregrounds the Milky Way in this shot taken in May 2020 by Anthony Sullivan. Saturn and Jupiter are visible above the horizon on the left side of the frame.

(Sullivan captured the images with a Canon 6D camera. For the foreground: 20 mm f/8 lens, ISO 100, 244-second exposure. And for the sky: 20 mm f/4 lens, ISO 1600, 4 x 240-second exposures.)

The setting sun lights up the clouds as the moon appears over the Lovell Telescope in northwest England. Matt Naylor snapped the image from Holmes Chapel on Dec. 29, 2020.

(Naylor used a Canon EOS 90D camera, Canon EF 100400 mm lens at 286 mm f/14, ISO 100, 1/15-second exposure.)

The Flame Nebula sits in the constellation Orion, between 900 and 1,500 light-years away from Earth. Steven Mohr took this composite image from Australia between November and December 2020.

(Mohr used a planewave CDK 12.5" telescope at f/8, Astrodon and Baader filters, AP900GTO mount, SBIG STXL-1100 + AOX camera, L-RGB-Ha composite, 23 hours total exposure.)

NGC 3981 is a galaxy 65 million light-years away in the constellation Crater. Here, its interaction with a nearby galaxy is clear the outer arms are being muddled and swept away by the gravity acting between the two objects.

(Photographer Bernard Miller used an ASA RC-1000AZ telescope at f/6.8, Astrodon filters, ASA Alt-Azimuth Direct Drive Mount, FLI PL16803 camera, L-RGB composite, 34 hours total exposure.)

NGC 6188 is a stunning nebula found within the constellation Ara, some 4,000 light-years from Earth. The Cielaustral team stitched together a mosaic of images taken over more than 250 hours to create this image of the gaseous region of space. The team of photographers included Jean-Claude Canonne, Didier Chaplain, Georges Chassaigne, Philippe Bernhard, Laurent Bourgon and Nicolas Outters.

(The image was captured with a CDK 20" homemade telescope at f/6.8, Paramount ME2 mount, Moravian G4 16803 camera, RGB-Ha-SII-OIII composite, 253 hours total exposure.)

This is a full-moon-size slice of the Dark Molecular Cloud found within Corona Australis, a constellation 554 light-years away. Within this cloud, new stars are born. On the left is NGC 6723, a globular cluster that sits a stunning 28,400 light-years away.

(Photographer Steven Mohr used a planewave CDK 12.5" telescope at f/8, Astrodon and Baader filters, AP900GTO mount, SBIG STXL-11000 + AOX camera, L-RGB-Ha composite, 82.58 hours total exposure.)

The moon travels over Paris in this photograph, which was taken from the flat of photographer Rmi Leblanc-Messager in the central part of the city during a period of pandemic curfew in February 2021.

(The photographer used a Canon EOS 6D camera, 28 mm f/6.3 lens, ISO 200, 1,080 x 15-second exposures.)

Fourteen-year-old Jashanpreet Singh Dingra took this image of the Pleiades star cluster over Punjab, India, in December 2020.

(Equipment: Takahashi FSQ-85ED telescope at 450 mm f/5.3, Astrodon filters, Avalon M-Uno mount, QSI 660WSG-8 camera, L-RGB-Ha composite, 3 hours 3 minutes total exposure)

The Andromeda galaxy fills this image, taken by Hungarian photographer Pter Feltti in several exposures between October 2017 and January 2021.

(Equipment: SkyWatcher 200/800 Newton Astrograph telescope at f/4, Astronomik filters, SkyWatcher NEQ6 Pro mount, ZWO ASI183MM Pro, Moravian Instruments G3 16200 Mk II and Canon EOS 600D cameras, L-RGB-Ha composite, 14.1 hours total exposure)

The details of Saturn's rings stand out in startling beauty in this photograph taken by Damian Peach from Spain in July 2020. The planet's polar hexagon, a persistent cloud pattern, is seen near the pole.

(Equipment: ASA 500 mm Cassegrain telescope, SkyWatcher EQ-8 mount, ZWO ASI290MM camera, c.100,000 x 0.03-second exposures)

Sculptures in the Tengger Desert near Wuwei, China, reflect the light of the Milky way in this shot taken in August 2020 by photographer Wang Zheng. The metal columns that point skyward are called raindrops. To capture the image, Zheng placed the camera at a low spot in the center of the sculpture.

Stars trail across the sky over Lujiazui city in Shanghai's Pudong district. Light pollution makes this a difficult place to shoot, but a clear autumn night allowed the photographer Daning Kai to capture this reminder of the night sky above urban areas.

(Equipment: Sony ILCE-7RM3 camera, 16 mm f/5.6 lens, ISO 100, 305 x 15-second exposures)

Photographer Yang Sutie was driving on a mountain road in Tibet late one night when he noticed the Milky Way and the mountains lining up for the perfect shot. He set his camera to shoot automatically and climbed up the hillside to get into the frame himself.

(Equipment: Nikon Z 7II camera, 17 mm f/2.8 lens; car lights and figure: ISO 1000, 2 x 25-second exposures; sky and mountains: ISO 6400, 25-second exposure.)

Just a few minutes from the Lujiazui financial district in Shanghai, sunrise takes on a particular beauty. The photographer Jiajun Hua took four exposures from the same perspective to capture this image.

(Equipment: Sony ILCE-7RM3 camera, 403 mm f/9 lens, ISO 320, 4 x 1/320-second exposures)

A sunspot flickers in this image of the sun's chromosphere, part of the outer atmosphere of the star at the center of our solar system. Photographer Siu Fone Tang stacked several images together and enhanced them in Photoshop to show the contrast in this restless layer of the sun.

(Equipment: SkyWatcher Esprit 150 telescope at f/7, DayStar Quark Gemini lens, SkyWatcher EQ8Rh-Pro mount, ZWO ASI174MM camera, 2,000 x 16-millisecond exposures)

Dark and light contrast in this shot of the aurora borealis seen from a cave, which was taken by Markus van Hauten in January near Breidamerkurjkull, Iceland.

(Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera, 16 mm f/4 lens; foreground: ISO 100, 1/-800-second exposure; sky: ISO 800, 20-second exposure.)

The comet 2020F8 SWAN is a visitor from the Oort Cloud that surrounds the solar system. The comet may have disintegrated completely after it appeared in the southern sky in May 2020, but it left behind this indelible image of its gas-rich tail, captured by Gerald Rhemann from Austria.

(Equipment: ASA Astrograph 12" telescope at f/3.6, ASA DDM 85 mount, FLI ML16200 camera, LRGB composite, 21 minutes total exposure)

The crater Clavius in the southern highlands of the moon appears to harbor two eyes actually smaller craters illuminated by the rising sun, in this shot taken by Thea Hutchinson from London in February 2021.

(Equipment: Celestron C11 HD Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope at f/10, Baader filter, Celestron CGE Pro mount, ZWO ASI174MM camera, 1,200 x 5.895-millisecond exposures)

The full moon rises over Hodynka, a park in Moscow that was once an airfield. Moscow often has cloudy weather, but the sky cooperated with photographer Anna Kaunis in this July 2020 shot.

(Equipment: Nikon Z6 camera, 200500mm lens at 500 mm f/22, ISO 400, 0.25-second exposure)

Magnetic field lines shimmer on the sun in this image that was originally captured in black and white. Andrew McCarthy captured this shot after a large solar flare in November 2020.

(Equipment: Coronado Solarmax III telescope at f/5, Hobym Traveller mount, ZWO ASI178MM camera, 6-millisecond exposure)

The stars sparkle above the village of Hongcun near Huangshan Mountain in Anhui province, China. Hongcun has been populated for at least 900 years and is a World Heritage Site. Zhang Xiao captured this photo after 1 a.m. when the streetlights had gone out.

Read this article:

These are the best astronomy images of the year - Livescience.com

Posted in Astronomy | Comments Off on These are the best astronomy images of the year – Livescience.com

Astronomy Fans; July 15 – YOU Are Invited to a Free Lecture on Telescopes and Technology to See the Stars – Glendale Daily Planet

Posted: at 3:44 am

Astronomy Fans; YOU Are Invited to a Free Lectureon Telescopes and Technology to See the StarsPhoenix, AZ The Phoenix Astronomical Society PASAZ.ORG is proud to announce that Mr. Mark Johnston will be our guest lecturer on July 15, 2021 during our ZOOM meeting starting at 7:00 p.m.The link to this meeting can be obtained at the PASAZ.ORG website under the heading of "PAS Calendar, & the date of this meeting.Marks lecture is titled Electronically Assisted Astronomy. Technology is now helping amateur astronomers see more than ever before and allowing them to take pictures of these awesome images above us in the dark sky.Mark is a NASA Solar System Ambassador and also runs a technology consulting business in Scottsdale.A member of PAS and numerous other astronomy societies, he has shared the Arizona night sky with thousands of people in his public outreach star parties. He is also a certified cruise ship speaker on astronomy and space science, and an enthusiastic astrophotographer. This lecture is open to the public, so please tell a friend.

1

Visit link:

Astronomy Fans; July 15 - YOU Are Invited to a Free Lecture on Telescopes and Technology to See the Stars - Glendale Daily Planet

Posted in Astronomy | Comments Off on Astronomy Fans; July 15 – YOU Are Invited to a Free Lecture on Telescopes and Technology to See the Stars – Glendale Daily Planet

Ennead Architects’ Shanghai Astronomy Museum opens this month as the largest in the world – The Architect’s Newspaper

Posted: at 3:43 am

Ennead Architects has unveiled its completed Shanghai Astronomy Museum, the celestial object-focused new branch of the landmark Shanghai Science and Technology Museum in the citys Pudong district. (The Perkins&Will-designed Shanghai Natural History Museum at Jingan Sculpture Park is the museums other main satellite location.) Spanning 420,000-square-feet, the expansive facility, which opens to the public on July 18, is the largest astronomy (only) museum in the world.

As detailed by the firm, which opened its Shanghai-based office in 2014 and was tapped for the project a year later, the building uses scale, form, and the manipulation of light to heighten awareness of our fundamental relationship to the sun and the earths orbital motion. Notably, the design of the structure features nary a straight line or right angle, to reflect the geometry of the universe and the dynamic energy of celestial movement.

In making this building, we wanted to create a place where the institutional mission is fully enmeshed with an architecture that itself is teaching, and finds form in some of the fundamental principles that shape our universe, explained Thomas J. Wong, design partner at Ennead Architects, in a statement. Leading the project, which broke ground in November 2016, alongside Wong was Ennead management partner, V. Guy Maxwell.

The big idea of the Shanghai Astronomy Museum was to infuse a visceral experience of the subject matter into the design, and to deliver that before you even enter the building, added Wong. And at the end of your visit, there is this culminating moment directly with the sky, which is framed and supported by the architecture.

As further detailed by the firm, Wong was inspired by the three-body problem in physics and looked to the intricate choreographies created by gravitational attraction of multiple bodies within solar systems. The resulting structure features a spiraling facade and a building envelope that traces a series of arcing paths that are visibly influenced by gravitational pull: the heart of the central atrium, the forward momentum at the entry, and the planet-like sphere that envelopes the planetarium theater.

Featuring exhibits and interactive elements divided into three thematic areas (Home, Cosmos, and Odyssey), the museum is defined by a trio of core architectural components that pull double-duty as functional astronomical instruments that track the sun, moon, and stars: The Oculus, the Inverted Dome, and the Sphere.

Suspended directly above the museums main entry point, the Oculus creates a veritable time piece by tracking a circle of sunlight on the ground opposite the museums entry plaza and reflecting pool. At noon during the summer solstice, there is a full circle, which aligns with a circular platform within the Museums entry plaza, explained Ennead.

Situated at the buildings roofline above the central atrium and the 720-degree spiraling ramp, the Inverted Dome takes the form of an inverted glass tension structure where visitors can congregate and crane their necks upwards to enjoy unobstructed views of the heavens above. As noted by the firm, the culmination of the exhibit journey, this space cuts the view of the horizon and adjacent urban context and focuses the visitor on the all-encompassing skya real encounter with the universe to conclude the simulated experience within.

Finally, the Sphere, instantly reminiscent of Enneads Hayden Sphere at the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, is home to the museums half-submerged planetarium theater. The Sphere derives its shape not only from the requirements of the programmatic element it contains, but as an abstract manifestation of a primary celestial form explained Ennead. Embedded in the roof plane of the lower Museum wing, as if rising out of the Earth-bound horizon, the sphere gradually emerges into view as one rounds the building, the drama unfolding as though one were approaching a planet from one of its moons, allowing visitors to experience it as a weightless mass from below.

Other major programming elements and buildings located at the Shanghai Astronomy Museums park-like campus in the Nanhui New City (formerly the Lingang New City), a booming free trade zone southeast of the central business district, include: A crowd-drawing range of temporary and permanent exhibits, a 78-foot solar telescope, an observatory, an optical planetarium, an education and research center, and Digital Sky Theater. Per Ennead, the museums programming will showcase immersive environments, artifacts and instruments of space exploration, and educational exhibitry.

While the Shanghai Astronomy Museum officially opens to the public later this month, some guests have already toured the vast space during a preview run. One early visitor told the Global Times that she was overwhelmed by the museums augmented and virtual reality-heavy exhibitions because the demonstrations of astronomy are so realistic.

Original post:

Ennead Architects' Shanghai Astronomy Museum opens this month as the largest in the world - The Architect's Newspaper

Posted in Astronomy | Comments Off on Ennead Architects’ Shanghai Astronomy Museum opens this month as the largest in the world – The Architect’s Newspaper