It’s all relative.

Behold: two very contrasting star clusters in a single field of view. To wit:

 M35, on the lower left, is relatively nearby at 2800 light years distant, relatively young at 150 million years old, and relatively diffuse, with about 2500 stars spread out over a volume 30 light years across. Bright blue stars frequently distinguish younger open clusters like M35. Contrastingly, NGC 2158, on the upper right, is four times more distant than M35, over 10 times older, and much more compact. NGC 2158’s bright blue stars have self-destructed, leaving cluster light to be dominated by older and yellower stars. In general, open star clusters are found in the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy, and contain anywhere from 100 to 10,000 stars — all of which formed at nearly the same time. Both open clusters M35 and NGC 2158 can be found together with a small telescope toward the constellation of the Twins (Gemini).

(Image: CFHT, Coelum, MegaCam, J.-C. Cuillandre (CFHT) & G. A. Anselmi (Coelum)

apod

From top: Alan McLoughlin; part of David Squires’ cartoon tribute in The Guardian today

This morning.

Guardian cartoonist David Squires pays a finely drawn tribute to beloved former Republic of Ireland midfielder Alan McLoughin, who died on May 4 at 54. Full cartoon at link below.

David Squires on … Alan McLoughlin, my first football hero (The Guardian)

Thanks Scottser

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly at Dublin Castle earlier

This afternoon.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said 34.5% of the adult population have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 12.8% are fully vaccinated.

From today, people aged 52 years can register with the HSE for a Covid-19 vaccination.

Meanwhile…

The advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) on the use of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) and AstraZeneca vaccines in people under 50 is expected later this week, Minister Donnelly said.

Meanwhile…

Um.

Anyone?

Also: after you, etc.

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Take a parachute.

An intriguing, unnerving short produced by Jacob Jonas (one of 15 pieces for the pandemic choreography project Films Dance) featuring a glitching, freezing, cloned performance by dancer Emma Rosenzweig-Bock.

Watch the other shorts here.

colossal

From top: Television presenter Aisling O’Loughlin (right); The Journal website; Aisling’s latest Instagram

‘….unlike many conspiracy theorists who have come to the fore in Ireland, O’Loughlin’s method of communication is somewhat novel here.

Rather than posting angry diatribes against global elites, she speaks in a calm, personal tone, advocating choice and understanding for those who are vaccine hesitant.

The opinions of those in favour of vaccines are sometimes sought, which presents an illusion of balance.

She uses phrases like “my body, my choice” – a slogan previously associated with the abortion referendum in 2018.

Her video messages also reference her status as a parent, framing her views as those of a concerned mother rather than a conspiracy theorist. And false and misleading claims are posed as questions, a subtle move that allows misinformation to be shared without being an outright lie.’

Later…

Although O’Loughlin is not an outward advocate for any specific alternative remedies, many of those who follow her and agree with her views are.

The Journal monitored dozens of Instagram pages which shared O’Loughlin’s videos in recent weeks and analysed accounts which liked her posts and posted supportive messages on her feed.

Supporters of her message included people who described themselves as holistic nutrition coaches, wellness advocates, energy healers, acupuncturists, homeopaths and massage therapists.

Later…

For now, O’Loughlin’s account remains active and despite being de-prioritised by Facebook, is easily accessible. She did not return requests for an interview or comment on her use of Instagram. In a recent post, she said she did not align herself with any political movement or tactics but aligns herself to “love” and “the question of truth and justice”

‘My body, my choice’: How some Irish wellness Instagram accounts became a hotbed of Covid-19 misinformation (The Journal)

KN writes:

…a really vicious article on Aisling O’Loughlin in The Journal. Regardless of where you stand [on Covid] this is pretty disgraceful…and probably why she seems to be the only Irish celebrity to openly question what is going on.

That’ll learn her.

Aisling O Loughlin (Instagram)

Aisling O Loughlin?

From top: At the Coombe, partners may attend the 20-22-week scan but for all other routine scans, a pregnant woman must attend alone; Social Democrat TD Holly Cairns

This morning.

Further to Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan’s assertion yesterday that there was “no good reason in public terms” that mothers should endure their births alone….

…Maternity hospitals and units are beginning to ease restrictions, including the Coombe and the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street – but some hospitals  are doing this more slowly.

Social Democrat TD Holly Cairns said:

“It is incomprehensible that women are still being denied the support of a partner as they attend scans and, in many cases, even during birth.

“This morning we heard that the numbers of covid patients in hospitals around the country had fallen to just 104. Meanwhile, there are just two hospitals with ten or more patients who have the virus.

Despite this, women are still being told that their partners are some kind of optional extra when it comes to attending at hospitals for scans and labour.

“It is increasingly looking like pregnant women are just expected, by some within hospital management teams, to endure stressful appointments, like anomaly scans, alone.

“Even going through labour alone is not deemed too high a price for women to pay – despite there being no public health rationale for the infliction of that trauma.

“The HSE has been stating for weeks that visitor restrictions at maternity hospitals should be lifted. The CMO has now publicly stated there is no public health grounds for their continued existence.

“Despite this, hospitals continue to deny women the support of their partners throughout their pregnancy and during birth.”

Ms Cairns added:

“It’s hard to avoid characterising this apparent determination to make women needlessly suffer as anything other than misogynistic and cruel. Having a baby should be a joyful experience and instead it is being turned into something distressing and stressful by these intransigent rules.

“In December, the HSE reclassified birthing partners as an “essential accompanying person” for the 20 week-scan. They now need to urgently reclassify them as an essential accompanying person for the entire maternity journey.”

Yesterday: ‘It was like being released from prison’ – mother tells of heartache of being without her husband after giving birth (Independent.ie)

RollingNews

Update…

Protests at maternity hospitals over restrictions (RTÉ)

Broadsheet.ie