Q is for Quasar

Quasars are a "very energetic and distant active galactic nucleus."  Interpret that as you will.  They are among the most luminous objects in the universe.  Aaaaand that's about as much as I understood of the Wikipedia article.

P is for Pinwheel Galaxy

PanPastel and acrylic ink.

O is for Wubbo Ockels

Why, yes, that is his real name.  First Dutch citizen in space, blah blah blah, mustache, Wubbo Ockels.

P.S.  My sincerest apologies, my lovelies, for the ridiculous delay.  I've had a lot of complaints about my "hiatus" (mostly from my brother,) so here's to me getting back on track.  

N is for Nebula

This is the Pillars of Creation nebula and the Horsehead nebula, smushed together.

P.S. This one lost a lot of detail in scanning, so I might upload a photo of it later.

M is for Mars Rover

L is for Laika

Astro dog.

K is for Klingon

J is for Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system.  It is an oblate spheroid (my favourite shape name,) same as Earth, meaning it bulges at the equator.  There is a visible storm on its surface called the Great Red Spot, known to have existed since at least the 17th century (bad ass.)  Also, it has at least 63 moons, the largest of which (Ganymede, one of the four discovered by Galileo) has a diameter greater than that of Mercury.

Pretty cool, Jupiter.  Pretty cool.

I is for Imagined Things

H is for Ham (the chimpanzee)

G is for God

Drawn maybe 1993-94.  When asked about his brooch, I explained that that's his "God" pin so that everyone would know that he's God (bit like a nametag, I suppose.)  Note the laurel branches.

F is for Fruit Flies

Fruit flies were the first animal in space (in 1946.)

E is for Earth

This reminds me of the "Don't tread on me" banner from Buffy the movie.  Hayley, you know what I'm talking about.

D is for Dehydrated Food

Fact:  Astronauts don't eat bread in space-- they use tortillas instead (fewer crumbs.)

C is for Constellation

B is for Roberta Bondar

Canada's first female astronaut and the first neurologist in space.  I've had it drilled into my head since kindergarten that she's an Important Lady, so she couldn't be left out.

Space!/A is for Asteroid

"But that did not really surprise me much. I knew very well that in addition to the great planets-- such as the Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Venus-- to which we have given names, there are also hundreds of others, some of which are so small that one has a hard time seeing them through the telescope. When an astronomer discovers one of these he does not give it a name, but only a number. He might call it, for example, 'Asteroid 325.' " (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)


Welcome to month number five: Space.  I have posts lined up so that at very least the first week is daily (so check back!)... let's see if I can maintain that pace.