Star Trails Tutorial

Star Trails Tutorial

I had mentioned in my about me section that I am a communications graduate but emphasized in photojournalism. I love taking photographs of the night sky. Star trails are beautiful and an easier way to start an amateur photographer into astrophotography. What are star trails? They are a compilation of photographs (a lot of photographs) put together in an photo editing software to show the movement of Earth relative to the stars. 

Photograph by Asia Sansalone

Things you need for your star trails:

1. DSLR Camera

2. Wide Angle lens/lens that will get you a large portion of sky

3. Tripod 

4. Remote timer

5. Very Dark Sky

6. Photo Editing Software

7. Clear Weather

8. Time

Tutorial For Awesome Star Trail Photos:

1. Get your camera set up.  Set up your camera on a sturdy tripod in a very dark place outside pointed into a composed picture ( you can add trees/rocks/houses in the fore ground to give it some depth)

2. Focus your shot. For this you must turn your camera to manual focus. Point you camera at a very bright star and focus your lens until the star becomes sharp and clear. Try hard not to bump you lens from this point on. (This can be kind of hard especially if the moon is in the sky) 

3. Find your exposure. When it comes to photographing the stars, exposure time is probably the most important. Usually it falls with in the 15sec-30sec range depending if the moon is out or you are in a more light polluted area (next to a city). Exposure is determined by your shutter speed and ISO settings. My ISO is usually around 1600 when I am shooting star trails. 

4. Connect your remote timer. The remote timer allows you to be able to hook up your camera and chill out for a few hours while your camera is doing all of the work. Set your timer for as many pictures is can take possible at an interval of 0 seconds and the exposure time for about 30 secs ( I say about because where you are located and if there is a moon in the sky can change the exposure length any where from 15 secs to 30 seconds)

5. Leave your camera. After you have your shot set up and remote timer ready to go, you can leave your camera where it is for a few hours. Watch a favorite movie, read a book, or have a picnic outside. The longer you have the camera out shooting the more star trails there will be. The shot above took about 4 hours and consisted of compiling about 346 pictures.

6. Pick your photo editing software. I have two ways of compiling my star trail pictures. One way is I use photoshop (it takes a little longer) and the other is free star trail software called StarStax. StarStax is rather self explanatory but photoshop has a number of ways you can achieve the stair trail photograph. 

7. Photoshop Startrails (made easy)

You can also do this in Photoshop by going to File -> Script -> Load Files Into Stack and then click OK. Wait for all the images to load, and then select all the layers and change the blending mode to Lighten. Try experimenting with different blending modes to get the desired effect. 

There is also a photoshop action you can use to do the same thing but I feel like you don't have as much control but you can download that here

Photo by Asia Sansalone

You can play around with exposure and shutter speed to change how your star trails will look. I would love to help you all if you have any questions. PS. you can also point your camera at the north star to get circular star trail patterns!

Please ask questions if you need anything clarified! I would love to see some of your examples of star trails!

10 Geeky Crochet Projects You Need In Your Life

10 Geeky Crochet Projects To Get Started On Right Now!!!

As I said in my introduction I am fascinated with a multitude of geeky habits/interests. Since it is starting to get colder my crocheting will be in full swing. Homemade gifts are great for Christmas time so how about making some crochet projects for the geek in all of us.


1. A Storm Trooper Granny Square Blanket

This is a relatively easy pattern! If you know how to make granny squares then you are set! Make this for the Star Wars geek in your life.

2. Legend of Zelda Heart 

Once again if you know how to granny square it up then you are made for this geeky project! I've also found if you look at perler bead patterns you can also make each square on the pattern a granny square! Projects Galore!

3. An awesome Viking Helm and Beard or Dwarven Helm Whatever You're Into

This is just magic when it comes to crochet! Who doesn't want to have a magnificent beard for a day. This pattern makes it possible to become a burly viking or dwarf.

4. Transformer Hat

With the new transformer movie this would be an awesome action packed gift for your friends. You can transform into a transformer how cool is that!

5. Batman Hat

Seriously, who doesn't want to be the dark knight of vengeance. This is perfect for the superhero in you! Gotham would be proud!

6. Ewok Scoodie

What is a scoodie? Its a scarf and a hoodie of course! Show off your StarWars mania with this awesome pattern.

7. Totoro Hat

Totoro; the lovable forest spirit made possible by Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki. Sport this lovable creature on your head!

8. Amigurumi Galore

This really could be a whole separate post on its own. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. There are many patterns of this sort just type in what you are looking for and I guarantee you will find an anigurumi creation. 

9. Link's Hat

It's dangerous to go alone so take this crochet pattern to keep that Zelda fan in you warm.

10. Dr. Who Blanket

For all of you Dr. Who fans here is a pattern you can totally make into a granny square blanket! Remember that perler bead thing I was talking about? YES it applies to granny squares too. 

There you have it! Your geeky universe has now been fed a plethora of crochet awesomeness! I will update and post pictures of my crochet projects if I ever get around to finishing them!

Have you completed any geeky crochet projects? Please share!

10 Best Dragon Movies

10 Best Dragon Movies

I love reptiles and I was a huge dinosuar fanatic when I was younger. I had mentioned how much of a dinosaur lover I am in my into to the love of nerd post. I have always have had a strong infatuation with dragons. Although they are not real they are still an amazing fantasy creature with a lot of history to go a long with them. I have watched many dragon movies, some down right terrible, but others have had a hold on my heart. They fly, breath fire, and are scary (most of the time) here is a list of movies that I believe portray dragons in a very good fashion.

10 Best Dragon Movies

1.The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

This movie captured the very essence of a dragon. The chiefest and greatest calamity of our age as  the dwarves say. If you have ever read The Hobbit, the producers/CGI/Benedict Cumberbatch did an amazing job bringing Smaug to life. Even little details such as the eye lid that slides horizontally was amazingly realistic. However, this movie has an edge over most others because of the technology available verses the other movies I will list down the line. 

2. Dragonheart

This movie was released in 1996 and for the technology available the dragon (Draco) was magnificently presented not only because he was voiced by Sean Connery, but proved that dragons could be excellent human companions as well.  I was overly fond of this movie when I was younger and is still part of my movie collection today. It has a pretty great story if you're into the medieval/fantasy type thing with knights, dragon slaying, and an evil king. Click here for some of Draco's funny moments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLG6Xmq2GzQ

3. How to Train Your Dragon

My love for vikings and dragons were mixed in this movie; how could I not like it? I am more of a realist fan when it comes to dragons, but this movie was "cute." I'm a bit of a toothless fan and I can appreciate the adaptation and original ideas it came to when creating the beasts for this movie.

4. Eragon

A delightful movie with a dragon that fills the hearts of children. I remember wishing I could fly on a dragon. It also shows the mystical powers that dragons can hold such as Telepathy! 

5. Spirited Away

Japanese/Chinese type dragons aren't always my favorite, but Haku from spirited away shows some awesome power that these spirits held. Instead of scales there was fur and a hound like face. It is a great spin on what the "traditional" dragon is usually portrayed as.

6. Reign of Fire

The male in the "Reign of Fire," looks pretty fantastic and if I had a crew with Gerard Butler, Christian Bale, and Mathew Mcconaughey, I would be threatened of my life being taken away as well. This is a realistic dragon with a lot of attitude.

7. Dragonslayer

This movie did what was considered the impossible at the time and produced some pretty great screen effects for this time era. Vermithrax Pejorative moved the bar up for other upcoming dragon lords and pushed the boundaries for what a dragon could really do.

8. The Last Dragon

This was a fantasy made real. In a documentary type film producers were able to use CGI to act as if dragons really existed in our reality and if they did: how would they behave, reproduce, hunt, ect... all of the aspects that documentaries usually cover. They didn't have a huge budget, but it was nice to see what a real dragon might actually be like.

9. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

As for most wizardly movies there always has to be a dragon to accompany it, and the Hungarian Horntail does not play around when it comes to showing the fierce qualities a dragon can posses. It has great animation and has spikes and teeth you would not want to become acquainted with. Although there are many dragons in the Harry Potter movies the Hungarian Horntail stands out the most. 

10. Maleficent 

I believe this is one of the most menacing looking cartoon dragons I have ever seen. I never really liked the story of sleeping beauty much, but I would watch it just for the end when Maleficent transforms herself into an ominous dragon. I still remember being awed at the magnificent power she held by becoming a medieval beast.

From fire breathing to eating sheep in their spare time, dragons have always mystified the human race. I hope this list helps all of you dragon lovers out there!

What are some of your favorite dragon movies?
Please Comment!!!

If I Could Live In a Fictional World....

If I could Live In a Fictional World

Today I was having a hard time figuring out what I was going to write a about. I was searching around my room and realized that I have a lot of Tolkien books. I have at least ten copies of the trilogy ( Lord Of The Rings), two copies of the Silmarillion, one Tom Bombadil, numerous copies of the Hobbit, and other Tolkien books sprinkled here and there. After thinking for a while I decided to write about why I would live in Tolkien's fictional worlds.

5 Reasons Why I would Live In Tolkien's Fictional World

1. I love anything to do with ancient times, from Egypt to Rome, fiction or non fiction.

If you haven't read my earlier posts, you can see I am a sucker for ancient cultures (especially the Viking Era). To me Tolkien encompasses that type of era in his novels, and the way people were back then really intrigues me. They seemed more in tune with the world and had a certain faith in things that might be more than lost now. People also took pride in lore and the stories of where they originated from. 

2. It has an eloquent culture

Tolkien actually studied Anglo Saxon language and culture and taught at Oxford University, during this time he created the Trilogy and The Hobbit. Tolkien had created such a world that I believe if we did not know better, or were beings from some other worldly place we would not know if this was a fiction or rather an account of history. I believe this is why his novels had stood the test of time and are still with us today. The amount of detail is unbelievable. He created his own language for the elves, dwarves, etc, and a complex culture intertwined with their very own stories of creation and other types of lore. This makes me want to be part of the stories and songs even more.

All that is gold does not glitter,Not all those who wander are lost;The old that is strong does not wither,Deep roots are not reached by the frost.From the ashes a fire shall be woken,A light from the shadows shall spring;Renewed shall be blade that was broken,The crownless again shall be king--J.R.R. Tolkien - Fellowship of the Ring

3. It has well developed characters

As I said before the amount of detail Tolkien puts into his characters is absolutely astounding. Even thought there are villains in this fantasy world I still wouldn't mind being around the characters that are full of hope, inspiration, determinism, loyalty, courage, ect. They say you pick up characteristics from the people you are around the most, so why not Frodo or Aragorn? 

4. For the music

Ok, I admit this is mostly a film thing, but honestly Howard Shore did such an amazing job at composing this music to fit the energy and attitudes of all the scenes. I believe that if brings you to Frodo's world in the shire or helps make you feel the ominous power the ring holds over the people of middle earth. It's not just the soundtrack though. I would love to be a part of the music the people of middle earth would create. Music isn't just entertainment it is a way to tell stories as well. If you have read any of Tolkien's books you will see it is full of  lore and it is to be told in a musical fashion. I would absolutely be delighted to hear what he had in mind and what these verses would sound like. 

5. For the Elves

Tolkien was particularly fond of the Elves. He has a book just on the history of the Elves called the "Silmarillion." They have such a eloquent quality about them and I've never been able to picture them just right. Even with the help of the movies, I still think there is something more "god-like" about them. I guess that is when you get stuck in language because there are not really words to describe them as they should be. I would love to be able to meet this race of beings and to be enlightened on their lore and culture. It seems everyone in the Tolkien novels have a fascination with them. I would like to see their power and might!

All in all I believe I would love to be a part of Tolkien's fantasy world with the good and the bad. The story of middle earth is such a powerful one that it has stuck with us even till now. 

Which Fictional World Would You Like To Live In???

I would love to hear from any of you. Feel free to comment!!!

Vikings on History

Vikings on the History Channel

Ragnar Lothbrok Design by Asia Sansalone

Here we are talking about vikings again. This is one of the television shows that I actually look forward too. As I said before, I'm pretty much a viking fanatic and the above is my contribution to the plethora of fan art. (I have Lagartha and Bjorn as well). I am particularly fascinated with this show because the produces/directors/actors/etc strive for authenticity. The dress is pretty close to what they would have wore in that time period as well as their customs and cultural practices they have presented in the show. 

It can be a bit risque at times but what television show doesn't add that to their checklist. I really am in love with this show but it takes watching all of the episodes to gather what is going on. 

A lot of viking mythology is thrown into the script too as well as some Icelandic language (The actors take a fair amount of time perfecting their dialog as well as their accents). 

There are now two seasons and a third season coming out in 2015. To hold you over until then here are 10 interesting facts about vikings thanks to the History channel:

1. Vikings didn’t wear horned helmets.Forget almost every Viking warrior costume you’ve ever seen. Sure, the pugnacious Norsemen probably sported headgear, but that whole horn-festooned helmet look? Depictions dating from the Viking age don’t show it, and the only authentic Viking helmet ever discovered is decidedly horn-free. Painters seem to have fabricated the trend during the 19th century, perhaps inspired by descriptions of northern Europeans by ancient Greek and Roman chroniclers. Long before the Vikings’ time, Norse and Germanic priests did indeed wear horned helmets for ceremonial purposes.

2. Vikings were known for their excellent hygiene.Between rowing boats and decapitating enemies, Viking men must have stunk to high Valhalla, right? Quite the opposite. Excavations of Viking sites have turned up tweezers, razors, combs and ear cleaners made from animal bones and antlers. Vikings also bathed at least once a week—much more frequently than other Europeans of their day—and enjoyed dips in natural hot springs.

Viking Antler Combs

3. Vikings used a unique liquid to start fires.Clean freaks though they were, the Vikings had no qualms about harnessing the power of one human waste product. They would collect a fungus called touchwood from tree bark and boil it for several days in urine before pounding it into something akin to felt. The sodium nitrate found in urine would allow the material to smolder rather than burn, so Vikings could take fire with them on the go.

4. Vikings buried their dead in boats.There’s no denying Vikings loved their boats—so much that it was a great honor to be interred in one. In the Norse religion, valiant warriors entered festive and glorious realms after death, and it was thought that the vessels that served them well in life would help them reach their final destinations. Distinguished raiders and prominent women were often laid to rest in ships, surrounded by weapons, valuable goods and sometimes even sacrificed slaves.

5. Vikings were active in the slave trade.Many Vikings got rich off human trafficking. They would capture and enslave women and young men while pillaging Anglo-Saxon, Celtic and Slavic settlements. These “thralls,” as they were known, were then sold in giant slave markets across Europe and the Middle East.

6. Viking women enjoyed some basic rights.Viking girls got hitched as young as 12 and had to mind the household while their husbands sailed off on adventures. Still, they had more freedom than other women of their era. As long as they weren’t thralls, Viking women could inherit property, request a divorce and reclaim their dowries if their marriages ended.

Reconstructed Viking Farm

7. Viking men spent most of their time farming.This may come as a disappointment, but most Viking men brandished scythes, not swords. True, some were callous pirates who only stepped off their boats to burn villages, but the vast majority peacefully sowed barley, rye and oats—at least for part of the year. They also raised cattle, goats, pigs and sheep on their small farms, which typically yielded just enough food to support a family.

8. Vikings skied for fun.Scandinavians developed primitive skis at least 6,000 years ago, though ancient Russians may have invented them even earlier. By the Viking Age, Norsemen regarded skiing as an efficient way to get around and a popular form of recreation. They even worshipped a god of skiing, Ullr.

9. Viking gentlemen preferred being blond.To conform to their culture’s beauty ideals, brunette Vikings—usually men—would use a strong soap with a high lye content to bleach their hair. In some regions, beards were lightened as well. It’s likely these treatments also helped Vikings with a problem far more prickly and rampant than mousy manes: head lice.

10. Vikings were never part of a unified group.Vikings didn’t recognize fellow Vikings. In fact, they probably didn’t even call themselves Vikings: The term simply referred to all Scandinavians who took part in overseas expeditions. During the Viking Age, the land that now makes up Denmark, Norway and Sweden was a patchwork of chieftain-led tribes that often fought against each other—when they weren’t busy wreaking havoc on foreign shores, that is.

(http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-vikings)

Spirited Away

Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli

Design by: Asia Sansalone

"Spirited Away," is one of my all time favorite Miyazaki films. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi?, "Sen and Chihiro's Spiriting Away") is a 2001 Japanese animatedfantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli.]The film stars Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takeshi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tsunehiko Kamijō, Takehiko Ono and Bunta Sugawara, and tells the story of Chihiro Ogino (Hiiragi), a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood, enters the spirit world. After her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba (Natsuki), Chihiro takes a job working in Yubaba's bathhouse to find a way to free herself and her parents and return to the human world. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirited_Away)


Hayao Miyazaki was born January 5, 1941 is a Japanese film director, animator, manga artist,  illustrator, producer, and screenwriter. Through a career that has spanned six decades, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and as a maker of anime feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli, a film and animation studio. The success of Miyazaki's films has invited comparisons with American animator Walt Disney, British animator Nick Park, and American director Steven Spielberg. He is considered one of the most popular and influential animators in cinema (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayao_Miyazaki)
 

I have a strong love for Japanese anime. Although I started watching anime when I was in my toddler days I have recently just started watching it religiously. When I was little another Miyazaki/Ghibli film took my heart. It was called "Totoro." Back then the movie didn't have English dubbing and I wasn't that great at reading too fast either ( I was around 3-4 when i first found this movie) but I loved it anyway. I went years with out watching that movie until I joined Pinterest in 2011 and saw a picture of Totoro, Immediately a childhood long lost returned to me and I was obsessed with obtaining a copy of the movie.

Being older I was able to do more research on other related films and discovered that there was a plethora of movies waiting for my eyes to behold. My second movie from the Ghibli collection was "Spirited Away." However, when I was viewing the movie I realized that I also watched that movie in my childhood as well! (Yubaba, the witch is kind of a hard character to forget)

After falling in love with two of my favorite movies all over again, my husband went on a man hunt to add more of the Ghibli/Miyazaki films to my collection. I believe I own all of the movies besides the most recent movie "The Wind Rises."

My Ghibli Movie Collection

If you haven't checked out any of the Ghibli films it would be a great introduction to this genre of film and maybe even open your door to more types of anime. I know it did for me. I honestly sit for hours watching all sorts of anime on Netflix, but I will make another post on that. This is for Miyazaki! One of the greatest animators/illustrators/directors that this industry has ever seen!!!

1,000 Year Old Viking Fortress

A Viking Fortress Unearthed 

Nanna Holm and fellow archaeologist Søren Sindbæk pose with what is believed to be the burned remains of one of the fortress' gates.

I am a little obsessed when it comes to viking anything. I love their mythology and their culture they shared. People have a strong misconception when it comes to these "barbarians". They had laws and actually had a numerous amount of tools they used for personal hygiene. They simply weren't recognized as a civilized culture by the countries they raided (England, etc). Apparently they were not just skilled warriors but they were pretty amazing architects as well. 

A 1,000 year old circular fortress, about 475 feet in diameter was unearthed in Denmark. 

This fortress which is unique to the Danish country has a gate at each direction on the compass. I found this particular information to be especially intriguing. 

I recently re-read "Eater's of the Dead," by Michael Crichton, and when I read this description of the fortress recently unearthed,  I immediately thought of the passage when the main narrator, Ibn Fadlan was describing in his events with the North Men. 

Ibn Fadlan's description of the encampment of Trelburg

"Trelburg lies at the joining point of two wyks, which then run to the sea. The main part of the town is encircled by a round earthwork wall, as tall as five men standing one atop the other. Above this earthen ring there stands a wooden fence for greater protection. Outside the earthen ring there is a ditch filled with water, the depth I do not know. These earthworks are excellently made, of a symmetry and quality to rival anything we know. And there is this further: on the landward side of the town, a second semicircle of high wall, and a second ditch beyond. The town itself lies within the inner ring, which is broken by four gates, facing the four corners of the earth." --- Ibn Fadlan

Eaters of the Dead is Michael Crichton’s 1976 version of a translation of Ibn Fadlan’s account of his experiences with the Vikings. Although the book is a work of fiction it is based on translations of Ibn Fadlan’s account. The  first three chapters are completely based on these scholarly works, and the entire book is uniformly littered with anthropological explanations. (http://www.factbehindfiction.com/index_files/eatersofthedead.htm)

Crichton then puts incorporates the manuscripts with a modern day "Beowulf" vibe. 

I found this incredibly interesting that an actual fortress uncovered in Denmark, matches that observation of Ibn Fadlans account with the Northmen and one of the viking villages he arrives at. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves viking mythology and perhaps some truth behind the matter. 

Crichton later produced/directed the movie "The 13th Warrior," starring Antonio Banderas, which was based upon his book eaters of the dead. I will say it does leave out quite a bit of the details and stories told in his book. However; I believe it is an excellent interpretation of "Beowulf." 

Jaws of Death; The Venus Fly Trap

Jaws of Death;

The Venus Fly Trap

In my undergraduate studies, I was responsible for coming up with a documentary of some sort. It could be over any topic what so ever. That being said, I was really fascinated with Venus Fly Traps. They are interesting little plants but to make an 8 minute documentary over a plant was rather challenging. However; I think it ended up having a great Nat Geo vibe to it. Well here it is and hopefully this will inspire some other plant enthusiasts! 

Some interesting facts about the Venus Fly Trap:

1. They are only indigenous to one place on Earth, and that is on the coast of North and South Carolina

2. Nutrient rich soil and water will kill them

3. The traps are the way these plants gather the necessary nutrients they need

4. These plants are carnivorous

5. They are not tropical plants

Happy Birthday Roald Dahl!

Happy Birthday Roald Dahl!

(September 13, 1916- November 23, 1990)

1. He was born on 13 September 1916, in Llandaff, Cardiff. His parents were Norwegian
2. He loved chocolate, but not chocolate cake or chocolate ice cream
3. He did not start writing for children until he had children of his own
4. Dahl’s first book for children was The Gremlins, published in 1943
5. His teachers didn’t think he was very good at writing when he was at school, but Roald Dahl excelled at sport.

6. In 1939, Roald Dahl became a lieutenant in the King’s African Rifles (an East African regiment of the British Army). Later that year, he joined the Royal Air Force as a fighter pilot.
7. He often carried a camera with him and he loved taking photographs
8. Roald Dahl wrote seventeen children’s stories, and he also produced many works for adults, as well as children’s poetry and film scripts
9. The first draft of the Magic Finger was titled The Almost Ducks, and James and the Giant Peach was going to be called James and the Giant Cherry
10. He was friends with the American writer, Ernest Hemingway

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” 

― Roald Dahl

A list of Roal Dahl's Works:

Children's Fiction

1. The Gremlins
2. James and the Giant Peach
3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
4. The Magic Finger
5. Fantastic Mr Fox
6. Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
7. Danny, the Champion of the World
8. The Enormous Crocodile
9. The Twits
10. George’s Marvellous Medicine
11. The BFG
12. The Witches
13. The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me
14. Matilda
15. Esio Trot
16. The Vicar of Nibbleswicke
17. The Minpins (published in 1991, after Roald Dahl's Death)

Children's Poetry

1. Revolting Rhymes
2. Dirty Beasts
3. Rhyme Stew

Novel's for Adults

1. Sometime Never: A Fable for Supermen
2. My Uncle Oswald

Short Stories 

1. Over to You: Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying
2. Someone Like You
3. Lamb to the Slaughter
4. Kiss Kiss
5. Twenty-Nine Kisses from Roald Dahl
6. Switch Bitch
7. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More
8. The Best of Roald Dahl
9. Tales of the Unexpected
10. More Tales of the Unexpected
11. Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories
12. The Roald Dahl Omnibus
13. Two Fables
14. Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life: The Country Stories of Roald Dahl
15. The Collected Short Stories of Roald Dahl
16. The Roald Dahl Treasury
17. The Great Automatic Grammatizator
18. Skin and Other Stories
19. Roald Dahl Collected Stories
20. Non-Fiction by Roald Dahl
21. The Mildenhall Treasure
22. Boy: Tales of Childhood
23. Going Solo
24. Measles, a Dangerous Illness
25. Memories with Food at Gipsy House
26. Roald Dahl’s Guide to Railway Safety
27. My Year

information from:  http://primaryfacts.com/1814/how-many-books-did-roald-dahl-write/

SUPER MOON!

NASA

This last Tuesday, September 9th 2014, a phenomena known as the super moon took place. What exactly is a super moon? According to Wiki, A supermoon is the coincidence of a full moon or a new moon with the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth on its elliptical orbit, resulting in the largest apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth. The technical name is the perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system.

As I was driving from my University I was surprised to witness this marvel. It peeked above the eastern horizon taking the shape of a giant pink red circle. I was confused at first. It looked as if the sun was setting in the East. However as the trees parted, they gave view to a beautiful harvest moon. 

Some other interesting facts about the moon.

1. It is the fifth largest moon in the Solar System

2.The average distance from the Moon to the Earth is 221,567 miles

3. The USA’s NASA Apollo 11 mission in 1969 was the first manned Moon landing

4. The Moon is very hot during the day but very cold at night. The average surface temperature of the Moon is 107 degrees Celsius during the day and -153 degrees Celsius at night