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cjdraper.bsky.social
CJ
@cjdraper.bsky.social
610 followers 2.1K following 38 posts
Chemist, Biologist, Diver, Dancer, Photographer, Poet, Nerd
Posts Replies Media Videos
cjdraper.bsky.social
Letting Go of Limiting Stories

This meditation is about the self-limiting, internal stories we tell ourselves, especially during the holidays. Many of these stories originate from our childhood by family, friends and later colleagues.

Youtube Link:
youtu.be/DN_kJxER_jQ
Letting Go of Limiting Stories
YouTube video by Packrat Poet
youtu.be
December 24, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by CJ
starcatcherjohn.bsky.social
🧵(2/2) As always, here is are a starless version and a zoomed-in view of the comet to enjoy the sheer beauty of the object.

#Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Comet #Astronomy
Starless version of C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), a non-periodic comet discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey in images obtained on 3 January 2025. It has an inbound orbital period of about 1,350 years and will pass perihelion on 8 November 2025 when it will be 0.53 AU (79 million km; 49 million mi) from the Sun. This perihelion passage will reduce the orbital period to about 1,150 years. It makes its closest approach to Earth on 21 October 2025 and may be visible to the naked eye 42 degrees from the Sun after sunset. As of 12 October 2025, the comet is about apparent magnitude 5.6,[6] and is visible in binoculars about 15 degrees (approximately one and a half fists) below the cup of the Big Dipper. It is currently about 2 degrees southwest of the star Psi Ursae Majoris. A zoomed in view of Starless version of C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), a non-periodic comet discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey in images obtained on 3 January 2025. It has an inbound orbital period of about 1,350 years and will pass perihelion on 8 November 2025 when it will be 0.53 AU (79 million km; 49 million mi) from the Sun. This perihelion passage will reduce the orbital period to about 1,150 years. It makes its closest approach to Earth on 21 October 2025 and may be visible to the naked eye 42 degrees from the Sun after sunset. As of 12 October 2025, the comet is about apparent magnitude 5.6,[6] and is visible in binoculars about 15 degrees (approximately one and a half fists) below the cup of the Big Dipper. It is currently about 2 degrees southwest of the star Psi Ursae Majoris.
October 12, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by CJ
starcatcherjohn.bsky.social
🧵(1/2) Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon is a non-periodic comet discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey on 3 January 2025.

Shot taken on 2025-10-11 from my backyard.

🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111
📷 ZWO ASI 2600
Total exposure: 31 x 30s (15m30s)

#Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Comet #Astronomy
C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is a non-periodic comet discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey in images obtained on 3 January 2025. It has an inbound orbital period of about 1,350 years and will pass perihelion on 8 November 2025 when it will be 0.53 AU (79 million km; 49 million mi) from the Sun. This perihelion passage will reduce the orbital period to about 1,150 years. It makes its closest approach to Earth on 21 October 2025 and may be visible to the naked eye 42 degrees from the Sun after sunset. As of 12 October 2025, the comet is about apparent magnitude 5.6,[6] and is visible in binoculars about 15 degrees (approximately one and a half fists) below the cup of the Big Dipper. It is currently about 2 degrees southwest of the star Psi Ursae Majoris.
October 12, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by CJ
starcatcherjohn.bsky.social
The Pleiades (M45) AKA the Seven Sisters, in the northwest constellation Taurus. It is also the inspiration for the Subaru logo.

Shot taken on 2025-10-11 from my backyard.

🔭 William Optics Pleiades 111
📷 ZWO ASI 2600
Total exposure: 45 x 120s (1h30)

#Astrophotography #Space #DeepSpace #Astronomy
The Pleiades also known as Seven Sisters and Messier 45 (M45), is an asterism of an open star cluster containing young B-type stars in the northwest of the constellation Taurus. At a distance of about 444 light-years, it is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and the nearest Messier object to Earth, being the most obvious star cluster to the naked eye in the night sky. It contains the reflection nebulae NGC 1432, an HII region, and NGC 1435, known as the Merope Nebula. Around 2330 BC the Pleiades marked the vernal point. Due to the brightness of its stars, the Pleiades is viewable from most areas on Earth, even in locations with significant light pollution. The cluster is dominated by hot blue luminous stars that have formed within the last 100 million years. Reflection nebulae around the brightest stars were once thought to be leftover material from their formation, but are now considered likely to be an unrelated dust cloud in the interstellar medium through which the stars are currently passing. This dust cloud is estimated to be moving at a speed of approximately 18 km/s relative to the stars in the cluster. Computer simulations have shown that the Pleiades were probably formed from a compact configuration that once resembled the Orion Nebula. Astronomers estimate that the cluster will survive for approximately another 250 million years, after which the clustering will be lost due to gravitational interactions with the galactic neighbourhood. Together with the open star cluster of the Hyades, the Pleiades form the Golden Gate of the Ecliptic. The Pleiades have been said to "resemble a tiny dipper," and should not be confused with the "Little Dipper," or Ursa Minor.
October 13, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by CJ
jostephen.bsky.social
Sycamore leaves in a local wood
October 13, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Reposted by CJ
jostephen.bsky.social
The pond a mile up the lane from my house.
October 7, 2025 at 7:39 PM
cjdraper.bsky.social
This meditation and challenge is to take those little thing that annoy you about a loved one, someone or a being you care about and using it as a trigger to illicit those fond memories and love. Let it bring appreciation and gratitude for those you love.
#mindfulmeditaion

youtu.be/G9hAvUfoaYw
Gratitude of Others
YouTube video by Packrat Poet
youtu.be
September 21, 2025 at 10:32 PM
cjdraper.bsky.social
Marmot Zen

Golden days shorten
On the lookout for Autumn’s
Dry whispering winds

#haiku #autumn #marmot
September 14, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Reposted by CJ
gettoknownature.bsky.social
It’s officially summer! Here are some fledgling birds, bugs and blooms to celebrate 🎉

#birds #herps 🌿 🧪
Summer at the Marsh
YouTube video by Get To Know Nature
m.youtube.com
June 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by CJ
meats.bsky.social
We are beautiful, strange and fascinating!
Love the misunderstood, odd, and the undiscovered!
#art #deepsea #pride
June 20, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reposted by CJ
thatphotoguy.bsky.social
A few old photos from the Scottish Highlands. Who can see the Andromeda galaxy in the last pic?

1. A selfie showing my best side
2. The Milky Way over Spey dam loch
3. Loch Morlich at ‘blue hour’
4. The Milky Way over a frozen loch in Laggan.

#bluesky #photography #travel #Scotland #nightsky
A selfie showing my best side 😁 Our home galaxy over Spey dam loch at Laggan, in the stunning Scottish Highlands Loch Morlich at ‘blue hour’
June 14, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Reposted by CJ
inkybat.bsky.social
Having some fun
June 13, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Reposted by CJ
inkybat.bsky.social
Thinking about David Lynch this morning.
June 13, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by CJ
inkybat.bsky.social
Sketchbook
June 13, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Reposted by CJ
inkybat.bsky.social
New Lock Screen.
June 13, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by CJ
inkybat.bsky.social
Morning! I thought I was just penciling my comic from my sketches but it took a weird left turn and it’s spooky because it’s like fairy tales have a life of their own. Also I’m out of coffee somehow.
June 14, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Reposted by CJ
racheldeering.bsky.social
Morning.
The Great Blue Heron, Newell Convers Wyeth.
Heron on rivermist and reeds, painting.
June 14, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Reposted by CJ
tishamark.com
Sharing for today’s #BlueSkyArtShow theme, #Vibrant

Tisha Mark ©2024, Sunset on Opening Day, oil on linen, 20”x20”

Available with maple frame:
tishamark.com/shop

#art #painting #bsnm #ArtShop #ArtCollector
Original seascape oil painting by Tisha Mark, "Sunset on Opening Day" 20"x20" oil on linen (2024). A seascape painting with dramatic blue clouds in orange-toned sunset sky over a rocky seashore. Flecks of orange light appear in the sky, and colors from the sky are reflecting in water below.
June 7, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Reposted by CJ
nearbirdstudios.bsky.social
Thank you for keeping the ants out of my mailbox, sir 🌿
A large Bold Jumping Spider looks at the camera. He's black with a few white spots on his abdomen, and has iridescent green chelicerae. He looks nervous and polite.
June 5, 2025 at 11:42 PM
cjdraper.bsky.social
Body Scan with Liquid Sunlight

This meditation uses liquid sunlight as a visualization for warming and clarifying the mind and body.
If you would like to hear this full meditation or other meditation offerings, please go to:
YouTube Link:
youtu.be/nx-kVTOzKJY
#meditation, #mindfulmoment
Body Scan with Liquid Sunlight
YouTube video by Packrat Poet
youtu.be
May 19, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Reposted by CJ
packratpoet.bsky.social
Body Scan with Liquid Sunlight

This meditation uses liquid sunlight as a visualization for warming and clarifying the mind and body.
If you would like to hear this full meditation or other meditation offerings, please go to:
YouTube Link:
youtu.be/nx-kVTOzKJY
#meditation, #mindfulmoment
Body Scan with Liquid Sunlight
YouTube video by Packrat Poet
youtu.be
May 18, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Reposted by CJ
saskajanet.bsky.social
Angel? Spent some time with Forster’s terns last weekend. Incredible aerial acrobats #birds
White tern in the sky, head pointed down and wings and tail feathers spread. Background is blank sky.
May 17, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Reposted by CJ
shinjutnt.bsky.social
Took this photo tonight at a Patrick Fiori concert. Is it just me or does it look like a crowd of people boarding a spaceship together? 😅
May 8, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Reposted by CJ
hankgreen.bsky.social
The Earth doesn’t “go around the Sun” the Earth goes in a straight line through an area of spacetime that bends around the Sun and I think that’s neat.
May 12, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Reposted by CJ
vincentmetayer.bsky.social
Other contenders currently:

Fleetwood Baaaac
Shear Madness
Woolen Underground
The Rolling Clones
Notorious B.L.E.A.T.
The Grateful Baa
Lamb Zeppelin
Bleat Boys
Mutton for Nothing
Goatye (with hit single -“Somebaaaady that I used to know…”)
May 8, 2025 at 11:45 AM