Behold: Pismis 24-1 at the heart of the open cluster Pismis in the nebula NGC 6357 some 6,500 light years away. At 200 times the mass of our own sun, it’s one of the most massive stars known. To wit:

This star is the brightest object located just above the gas front in the featured image. Close inspection of images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope, however, have shown that Pismis 24-1 derives its brilliant luminosity not from a single star but from three at least. Component stars would still remain near 100 solar masses, making them among the more massive stars currently on record. Toward the bottom of the image, stars are still forming in the associated emission nebula NGC 6357. Appearing perhaps like a Gothic cathedral, energetic stars near the center appear to be breaking out and illuminating a spectacular cocoon.

(Image: NASA, ESA and Jesús Maíz Apellániz (IAA, Spain); Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin (ESA/Hubble)

apod

A garda checkpoint on the M7 filter for Kildare Village in County Kildare

Rejoice.

This afternoon.

Thanks, Kildare.

Let’s not have this happen again.

We’ll speak no more of it.

Kildare Covid-19 restrictions lifted with immediate effect (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

 

“To a raven and the hurricanes which bring back smells of humans in love from unknown places”: an elaborately titled but rather adorable exhibition at Madrid’s Reina Sofia’s Palacio de Cristal by Kosovar visual artist Petrit Halilaj in collaboration with his fellow artist (and partner) Álvaro Urbano.

A metaphorical nest with oversized oversized forsythia, palm seeds, cherry blossom, poppy, carnation, and lily blooms – all based on the elaborately decorated nests created by courting bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus): ‘a place for the celebration of love’, according to Halilaj. 

Mmf.

colossal

Last night.

The VMA Awards.

If it encourages young people to muzzle, it’ll be worth all the autotuned, transhuman gyrating.

Meanwhile…

Heh.

Bronagh Gallagher – Truth Or Dare

She’s got soul.

Acclaimed actress and singer Bronagh Gallagher (top) is back with a rousing soul number co-written and co-produced by former Eurythmics maestro Dave Stewart and features Lucius singers Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig on backing vocals.

The single is released on Bronagh’s own Salty Dog label and the video is by Matt Deery.

Nick says: Nothing but the Truth.

Bronagh Gallagher

This afternoon.

Former Ireland football under-21 player Jack Grealish (top) will earn his first ever England cap after a surprise call up.

It extinguishes any lingering hope he might return to the Coybig fold.

FIGHT!

Grea Lions On His Shirt (The Sun)

Meanwhile…

An RAF Typhoon fighter is pictured yesterday being refuelled by an RAF Voyager after intercepting the Ryanair flight

This afternoon.

Via MailOnline:

Police have released two Kuwaiti and Italian men without charge and said no terror incident took place on board the diverted flight after a ‘suspicious item’ in a toilet turned out to be a mobile phone.

RAF jets were scrambled to intercept the Lauda jet before armed police surrounded it on the runway when it landed at Stansted from Vienna at around 7.20pm yesterday.

The crew had alerted police to a potential ‘security threat’ on board, and after landing two men aged 24 and 48 were arrested by anti-terror police and taken into custody. They have now been released and the investigation closed….

Everyone stay cool.

Dramatic moment RAF Typhoon jet escorted Ryanair plane after terror alert (MailOnline)

Pics: PA/ RAF

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