Bogumil Pacak-Gamalski

I did usually hunt for Moon (many times, LOL). for Venus (typical woman, timid and tricky, LOL), as for our own Sun – more than I should have, LOL. I was able to spot Orion from the Atlantic coast hanging from it’s cosmic street light post. But Sirius always was tricky. Today I choose a perfect night – clear and bright of of all the stardust flickering as on Christmas tree.

Tripod set steady an here we go. Only 8.5 light years away. What’s a light year for a dreamer? Nothing, really. Sirius being actually a binary star is often fluctuating in light waves and it shows on some of the photos. On one or two, I think, you can see the little sister of Sirius as a bluish spot. And yes, Orion is not far away, nor the two vey angry hunting dogs: Canis Major and Canis Minor protecting Sirius from very serious hunters set to destroy our star – the twins Castor and Pollux. On the other hand – what does it matter if the huge giant-star Antares could explode any day now. And I mean it is a huuuuge red giant. And it will collapse any second, and the show will be visible from Earth. Unlike another star that visited Vancouver recently – for that Antares show tickets will be free, LOL. Grab you folding chair and get ready. Really – anytime. Anytime between tomorrow and a … milion years from now. You see, the stars are extremely finicky, their concept of time is very much not in line with ours. But that I can’t fix. Not even with my old camera. Goodnight now.