Tuesday, September 2, 2025

September 2025 IWSG and September Astronomy Fun Stuff



Hello everyone and as always thanks for stopping by. These are the co-hosts for September 2025’s Insecure Writers Support Group brought to you by AlexJCanavaugh, Nancy Gideon, Natalie Aguirre and Diedre Knight. Be sure to stop by their sites and give them some love for all their hard work! 

September 3 Question What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, storybible, or creating outlines\beats? 



Yes and no. 

Pros I see immense potential using AI for quality images and b-roll video clips. It’s also useful for those who have a YouTube channel and post self help videos. You can ask AI for exact quotes, general follow up statements and b-roll clips for the cost of one AI subscription. iStock isn’t nearly as wallet-friendly as it once was. 

Cons The general statements generated by AI are just that, general statements, often with the same content similar to Wikipedia. You get a mixture of a lot of good content with some poor content mixed in. 

So I would not use AI for research, blogging, writing and such. Although I might use it for a list of Top 10 topics and select a few for research. But I look forward to the amazing advancements while sleeping with one eye open. 



Kibbles and Bits 
Monday Sept 1 Aurigid meteor shower 2025 
Every year in late August, our Earth passes through the debris of ice and dust left behind by the comet C/1911 N1(Kiess) creating the Aurigid, a modest meteor shower. 

Friday Sept 5 The Moon at aphelion 
Our Moon’s monthly orbit will carry it to its furthest distance from the Sun, or its aphelion. This is about 1.0104 Astronomical Units the distance of the sun to the Earth about 93 million miles. 

Saturday Sept 5Uranus Enters Retrograde Motion 
(100 Bonus Points for jokes in the comments) Our seventh planet from the sun will enter retrograde motion. This will halt its usual eastward movement rather than westward through the constellations. 

This reversal is a phenomenon our solar system's outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune sorry Pluto) periodically undergo soon before they reach opposition. 

Sunday Sept 7 Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse 
What more needs to be said? It’s a total lunar eclipse!!! Unfortunately, this amazing event not be visible in the U.S. 

Sat Sept 20 Saturn at Opposition 
The planet with the largest rings will be brightest, reaching its opposition (closest point to Earth) and rising in the east and will be visible all night. Mon Sept 22 September Southward Equinox 

There are two equinoxes one in September and the other in March. In September, the Sun crosses the equator from north to south. Here is a quick video: 

Tues Sept 23 Neptune at Opposition 
Same as Saturn only this time it’s Neptune! 

Sat Sept 27 Daytime Sextantid Meteor Shower 2025 
Peak Just like night-time meteor showers only in the day! Did You Know There are stars we will never be able to see. Since the Big Bang objects in space have been moving away from one another. In fact, they’re accelerating. 






In 1929 Edwin Powell Hubble confirmed this discovery with the Mount Wilson Observatory above the lights of Los Angeles. In theory, if humans are still alive the day will come when space is total darkness in every direction. No stars or lights whatsoever. 

Hubble is also credited what was thought to be nebulae or clouds of dust and gas in the scientific community were indeed individual galaxies. 

Countless galaxies. 

With endless stars and planets. 

Oh, and a space telescope named after Hubble, or the Hubble Telescope, bright celestial delight to millions for years until giving way to the new James Web Telescope.

Fun Facts 
But fear not. Astronomers can theoretically identify stars indirectly looking for energetic bursts of radiation they emit at the end of their lives. So we have that going for us. 

Did You Know

There are stars we will never be able to see.

Since the Big Bang objects in space have been moving away from one another. In fact, they’re accelerating. In 1929 Edwin Powell Hubble confirmed this discovery with the Mount Wilson Observatory above the lights of Los Angeles. 

In theory, if humans are still alive the day will come when space is total darkness in every direction. No stars or lights whatsoever.

Hubble is also credited what was thought to be nebulae or clouds of dust and gas in the scientific community were indeed individual galaxies. 

Countless galaxies.

With endless stars and planets.

Fun Facts

But fear not. Astronomers can theoretically identify stars indirectly looking for energetic bursts of radiation they emit at the end of their lives. So we have that going for us.


Question I need QR codes are they still free? The sites I looked at require login and sometimes not all is free. Do you use QR Codes? If so can you recommend a good one thanks.








Tuesday, January 7, 2025

IWSG January 2025 and Meteoroids, Meteorites and Meteors

 



Hey everyone, welcome back and hope you all had a safe and happy Holiday! And what better way to kick off the New Year than with a post with the Insecure Writers Support Group, brought to you by Alex Cavanaugh and his awesome co-hosts Rebecca Douglass, Beth Camp, Liza @ Middle Passages, and Natalie @ Literary Rambles. Be sure to stop by and give them some love as being a co-host for IWSG is a lot of work. 


Kibbles and Bits (January's celestial events)

Jan 3/4: Quadrantid Meteor Shower

The Quadrantid meteor shower occurs as Earth passes through the debris, ice or dust left behind by asteroid 2003 EH1. Astronomers believe this is likely an extinct comet.

 It’s the first major meteor shower of 2025.

Jan 10: Venus at Greatest Elongation East

Since August 2024 Venus has been shining as the evening star. On January 10, 2025, Venus reaches its farthest distance from the Sun in the evening sky.

Jan 13: Wolf Moon

This is the first Full Moon of 2025 and known as the Wolf Moon named after active wolves during the early parts of the year.

Jan 16: Mars at Opposition


Mars reaches opposition when it lies directly opposite the Sun. It’s visible all night.

Jan 29: New Moon

A New Moon in the sky means no moonlight to hinder your view of stars and planets. It’s a great time to view what planets are visible.

Did You Know the difference between a meteor, meteoroid or a meteorite?

According to NASA Meteoroids These rocks still are in space. Meteoroids range in size from dust grains to small asteroids. 

Meteors When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere (or that of another planet, like Mars) at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or “shooting stars” are called meteors.

Meteorites When a meteoroid survives a trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it’s called a meteorite. Sometimes meteors can even appear brighter than Venus – that’s when we call them “fireballs.”


A Professional Meteorite Hunter
Bonus Points

Most meteoroids are pieces of other,  larger bodies that have been broken or blasted off. Some come from comets, others from asteroids, and some even come from the Moon and other planets. Some meteoroids are rocky, while others are metallic, or combinations of rock and metal.

Fun Facts

Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons (44,000 kilograms) of meteoritic material falls on Earth each day.

Who Am I My name is Stephen Tremp and I write speculative fiction. My fourth novel, Salem’s Daughters. For a full synopsis and to download a copy of Salem’s Daughters for $0.99 Click Here. And as always, thanks for your support. 


Short Blurb Is a supernatural thriller where a four hundred year old evil is unleashed when souls of the daughters of those killed during the Salem Witch Trials find a new generation of people to murder at a popular modern-day bed and breakfast. 


Question Do you find tis topic interesting or like me fascinating?


Have a healthy and prosperous 2025!!