hello you!
=0)

the realm of this
between the ether
spirits whisper
hello, and hello
visits amongst
the meeting places
universal We
some sent back
more teachings there
some stay awhile
visiting love places
love hearts, and touch
others soar! newer levels
yet, sweep to visit
when we need a hand
upon shoulders steady
between all-where
All are everywhere...

Janus and Epimetheus are "co-orbital". Janus' orbital radius from Saturn
is currently only 50 km less than that of Epimetheus. Since closer
orbits have higher velocities the two moons must inevitably approach
each other, and since Epimetheus' diameter is 115 km and Janus' is 178
km it would seem at first glance that a collision is also inevitable.
But as the inner moon catches up with the outer moon their mutual
gravitational attraction boosts the inner moon's momentum and raises its
orbit, causing it to slow down. The outer moon, in turn, loses an equal
amount of momentum and drops into a lower orbit at the same time,
effectively speeding it up. The moons thus "trade" orbits and begin
moving apart again, without completely overtaking each other and without
even approaching each other closely (no closer than about 10,000 km).
The exchange takes place about once every four years; the last close
approach was on 21 January 2006 [1], the next will be in 2010. At that
time, Janus' orbital radius will increase by ~20 km, while Epimetheus'
decreases by ~80 km (Janus' orbit is less affected because it is 4 times
more massive than Epimetheus). This arrangement is unique in the solar
system, as far as is currently known.

Maybe we won't crash.

lol!

another big boom, huh?

The Dancing Moons
May 3, 2006

In their orbital ballet, Janus and Epimetheus swap positions every four
years -- one moon moving closer to Saturn, the other moving farther
away. The two recently changed positions (the swap occurring on Jan. 21,
2006), and Janus will remain the innermost of the pair until 2010, when
they will switch positions again.
Although the moons appear to be close in the image, they are not. Janus
(181 kilometers, or 113 miles across at right) is about 40,000
kilometers (25,000 miles) farther away from Cassini than Epimetheus (116
kilometers, or 72 miles across, at left) in this view. In fact, even
when they are at their closest, tugging at each other and swapping
orbital positions, they are never closer than about 15,000 kilometers
(9,000 miles).

The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft
narrow-angle camera on March 20, 2006 at a distance of approximately
452,000 kilometers (281,000 miles) from Epimetheus and 492,000
kilometers (306,000 miles) from Janus. The image scale is 3 kilometers
(2 miles) per pixel on both moons.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the
European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in
Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate,
Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were
designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center
is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo.


This is so cool. I have never even imagined that moons dance.

oh, yesss....

headed out in a sec.

good to see you, roy.

I remember when...and, then again
I forget the time went by
not so long ago...
Honor my past, carry it with me
it is stamped on my skin
like life's tattoo
all things happen
play out from within
only hold onto that which we wake up for

nene

winding clocks against
time
spinning stars made new
again
braided threads strong
many
united hearts glow
far

Nene

Fell into a footprint on this day
Tried to see the way out
Peered at the sky, far above.WTF!?
Pondered what this was all about

Circled the rim, again, and again
Measuring distance to climb
No way I'd make it in just one leap
As I felt along walls like a mime

"Who the hell made this print!?" I exclaimed
WHAT could have? Just perplexed
And, how did I miss such an awesome event?
Oooh, another "moment!" Yup, so vexed

To think what a mighty big thing must have left it
And to fall such a distance unharmed
Then, I heard,"WTF!? not too far away
Someone else, like me, sounds alarmed

"Hey you!" I yelled "Did you see what all happened?!"
"You ought to know", the reply came from the other
Stood there, mouth open, could not believe
What pure nonsense, just, just...can a thought stutter?

Looking around for route of escape
I turned, seeking ways out
Just as I saw some, relief, this I felt
another WTF!? heard, one more shout

Frozen in mid-step, and peering straight down
Was I seeing this right, not mistaken?
For every print that my step had made
Some poor tiny soul just fell in!


nene