From above the Blue Whale almost looks like a submarine...........
💙deep blue💙
Neptune, the eighth and farthest planet from the sun, has the strongest winds in the solar system. At high altitudes speeds can exceed 1,100 mph. That is 1.5 times faster than the speed of sound. In 1989, NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft made the first and only close-up observations of Neptune. Detailed images taken by the spacecraft revealed bright, white clouds and two colossal storms whipping around the planet's atmosphere. Neptune is a gas giant composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. Methane gas makes up only one or two percent of the atmosphere but absorbs longer wavelengths of sunlight in the red part of the spectrum, giving the planet its brilliant blue color.
Credit: NASA
NGC 4567 & NGC 4568 - Butterfly Galaxies
In 5 billion years from now, a species located 60 Million light years away from our galaxy, may record a similar image of our own galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy colliding or at least in the process of starting to.
Galaxy collisions are dramatic, but they are so in slow motion, the whole thing could take 500 million to 1 billion years to complete, and when it does, the new galaxy will likely begin to form an elliptical galaxy, as all the hydrogen is heated up and stripped out by the new supermassive black hole at the centre, that too will take time to settle.
The image was recently taken by the Gemini Observatory and posted on their Twitter account @GeminiObs, it's of NGC 4567 and NGC 4568 merging galaxies, just under 60 million light years from Earth in the constellation of Virgo.
10 Ways to Start your Novel
Here is a collective list of 10 ways to consider starting your story. Merge a couple, use none or just take inspiration:
1) Start in media res or in the middle of an action. This doesn’t have to be an epic battle scene, but instead just means to start with your protagonist in the midst of doing something.
2) Use your unique setting as a hook. If you have a lush fantasy world, a dark dystopian, or even a beautiful contemporary setting, consider opening with some unique descriptions of the location.
3) Begin with a secret or question that your readers want to solve. “Tomorrow, the Serving occurs for the first time in twenty years. I’ll be lucky to survive.” What’s the Serving? Why does it occur once every twenty years? How come the protagonist will barely survive it?
4) Have your antagonist affect the protagonist/plot from the very start. This doesn’t have to be directly, but can be. Think: a step-daughter being excluded at a ball by her evil step-mother. A detective is misled by false clues from the infamous crime lord. A warrior fighting off the henchmen of the main villain.
5) Internal conflict. Readers get to hear your protagonist’s inner thoughts and struggles at the start of the book. Your protagonist might be unsatisfied with life and makes choices that change the story based on their internal struggles.
6) External conflict. Your protagonist is forced to act because of a physical conflict. Whether they cause it, or it’s caused to them.
7) Start with an interesting point of view. If your story has multiple viewpoints, consider starting with a perspective that will really intrigue your audience. Maybe an unreliable, sinister, crazy, or overly anxious character.
8) Create mystery around your characters. Introduce the protagonist, antagonist, or side characters with the intrigue surrounding them. Why does he walk with a limp? Why is her nickname “The Last Resort.”? Harry Potter is the “boy who lived” and Voldemort is “he who must not be named.” These phrases and nicknames create anticipation for the reader to figure out more.
9) Begin with interesting dialogue. In my opinion, opening with typical conversations can be lackluster. Consider starting with the character conversing about a secret, problem, or something unique to your world. Katniss and Gale discuss the Reaping and the Capitol.
10) Create an immersive mood. For example, if you’re writing a dark novel, plunge your reader into an eerie and spine-chilling atmosphere. This tells them exactly what they’re getting into and should expect for the rest of the novel.
Extra Tip) Start with a compelling voice. Show the narrator or protagonist’s unique attitude towards things. Is your narration sassy, dark, romantic, comedic, or something else?
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