Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797–1858). New Year's Eve Foxfires at the Changing Tree, Oji, No. 118 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 9th month of 1857. Woodblock print, sheet: 14 3/16 x 9 1/4 in. (36.0 x 23.5 cm); image: 13 3/8 x 8 3/4 in. (34.0 x 22.2 cm), this impression in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum. #arthistory #asianart #woodblock #woodblockprint #printmaking

From the museum: “In the late 1850s, while Japanese color prints were dominated by themes of the fantastic, Hiroshige emphasized the realities of the observed world in his work. However, here he has ventured into the world of spirits. It was believed that on New Year's Eve all the foxes of the surrounding provinces would gather at a particular tree near Oji Inari Shrine, the headquarters of the regional cult of the god Inari. There the foxes would change their dress for a visit to the shrine, where they would be given orders for the coming year. On the way, the animals would emit distinctive flames by which local farmers were able to predict the crops of the coming year.”

CFHT Astronomy Image Of The Month - July 2025

Angel Nebula (NGC 2170)

Credits: © 2025 CFHT; Data obtained using the MegaCam camera on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope; Image by Jean-Charles Cuillandre (CFHT) & Giovanni Anselmi (Coelum)

https://www.cfht.hawaii.edu/HawaiianStarlight/HawaiianStarlight.html

#CFHT #HawaiianStarlight #AngelNebula #nebula #nebulae #Megacam #JeanCharlesCuillandre #NGC2170 #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrodon #Science #STEM #scicomm #Maunakea #Hawaii #photography #astrophotography

"As global population ages and dementia rates climb, scientists may have found an unexpected ally in the fight against cognitive decline.

Cats and dogs may be exercising more than just your patience: they could be keeping parts of your brain ticking over too. In a potential breakthrough for preventive health, researchers have found that owning a four-pawed friend is linked to slower cognitive decline by potentially preserving specific brain functions as we grow older."

Science explains why cat ladies live longer! 😏😻

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/jul/05/dog-cat-ownership-could-preserve-specific-brain-functions-as-we-age-cognitive-decline

#News #DontPayTheGuardian

Rigging an intro-level cave for our SRT students. Even though the cave and rope work may be introductory level, deploying the ropes is a bit more advanced.

#caving #GrotteDesEymards #vercors