kengr

Solar flares are causing auroras to appear in the northern half of the continental USA.

We caught a great show here in central Illinois. :D There was a large bright green blob to the northwest, a paler green streak just south of that, a larger red area just north of it, and some pink off toward the northeast. It's the most distinctive aurora we've seen -- previous examples tended to be solid sheets and less bright.

This picture of a horse in a spacesuit snagged my attention. There are a lot of things wrong with the picture, but one in particular I wanted to talk about because it's so relevant to science fiction. That horse would be almost blind.  Humans see mostly forward with binocular vision.  Horses see mostly sideways with monocular vision; they have a narrow blind spot in back, another right in front of them, and a little wedge of binocular vision.  This is why you always approach a horse from the side, where they can see you easily, and why they often turn their head to look at you sideways if you are in front of them.

So a spacesuit helmet for a prey species with eyes to the side should have its reinforcement as a strip from front to back, with a faceplate on either side, rather than a small window only in the front.  When you design spacesuits for aliens, keep in mind how their sensory organs work, and try to avoid just mimicking equipment designed for humans.

Today is cloudy and cold.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 11/11/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/11/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I've seen a young fox squirrel at the hopper feeder

EDIT 11/11/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.