#accretion

[quasarlasar]

A MILLISECOND ROTATION PERIOD IS A RED FLAG

Recently, a paper I wrote about an accreting neutron star got accepted for publication in a scientific journal, and in the process of working on it, I was forced to think about something: how exactly should I interpret accreting neutron stars in the context of the galaxy of Antiocheka? (the fictional galaxy most of my astronomy cartoons/stories with the living celestial bodies are set in)

Black hole accretion is them eating the material; that is obvious. But when neutron stars accrete, they don't absorb the gas inside their bodies. It strikes and spreads across their surface. So an eating metaphor doesn't really work for them. I've seen some people compare accreting neutron stars to vampires, given they are "undead" stars and are sucking the plasma off of other stars. But since they don't absorb the star's "blood" they're not really like vampires. They're honestly more like the legend of Elizabeth Bathory, who bathed in the blood of her victims in order to look more youthful. Accretion increases the neutron stars' spin rates (which normally slow down due to their magnetic fields) and temperatures (which normally decrease due to cooling). The accretion therefore makes them seem more "youthful" in a way.

I have previously stated that the black holes of Antiocheka need to constantly accrete matter to remain conscious, which puts them in conflict with the stars, who are nuclear fusion powered. I don't imagine the neutron stars have it quite so dire. But Antiochekan star society uses an energy currency, and so as a neutron star loses its magnetic field, temperature, and rotation, they start running out of ways to generate energy and maintain their status in stellar society. In that case, maybe it's not surprising some would turn to more brutal methods of generating energy...stripping material from other stars...

More science & character notes below the break:

-X-ray binaries are binary star systems where a black hole or neutron star is accreting matter from a star. They emit tons of X-rays, hence the name.

-The pulsar Chandra here is specifically a millisecond pulsar. Millisecond pulsars are thought to be formed when a pulsar accretes material from another star, spinning itself up so it has a millisecond-long rotational period. Some pulsars, in the process of accreting material from their companion star en route to millisecond status, end up destroying the companion star with the power of their winds and jets. These are called "black widow" pulsars for obvious reasons. I imagine Chandra was one of these in the distant past out of desperation, though she doesn't remember much of the incident.

-A millisecond rotation period is therefore a "red flag" for star dating because it implies the neutron star might have once been a black widow pulsar.

-I draw Astro (a T-Tauri star) as a five-point star because he is the star equivalent of a child, so he looks like a child's conception of a star. His "headband" is really glowing red plasma he ties into his corona with his magnetic fields.

-Astro has a crush on Chandra (the neutron star/pulsar) but Chandra does not have any affection for him, so she acts weird on purpose to drive him away. The pink letters in her shouting speech bubble represent X-ray speech. I imagine that sounds very intimidating to Astro, because stars normally speak in UV-optical-infrared light.

-The stellar black hole eating the rocket in the first two panels is Schwarzschild. Chandra and him have mutual affection for each other, so Astro is kind of jealous, especially since he still is influenced by the whole "black holes are instinctual automatons" paradigm most Antiochekan stars buy into. He feels as though he is losing Chandra to literally nothing.

#webcomic #astronomy #astrophysics #neutron star #pulsar #black hole #accretion #space #physics #X-ray #star #stellar black hole

[youllallriseintheink]

Accretion, chapter 5

Accretion is a story that follows the rise and fall of Galactic Boss Cyrus and the fate of Team Galactic and the lives of those affected by it after its reformation under Saturn.

This is gonna be a sad one. I hope you all enjoy it.

---

The stars were, well, mediocre that night. There was only so much stargazing one could accomplish from the roof of the Veilstone building. And yet, Cyrus had spent a good deal of time there, sketching constellations when he was unable to sleep. It was peaceful- Veilstone might have been big enough to produce light pollution, but there was very little noise at night.

As Cyrus was connecting the stars on Orion’s Belt, a little orange spark entered his periphery and waved at him with its lightning bolt arm. A rotom. Cyrus attempted to wave it away. It was an immense coincidence that he'd come upon the same elusive species of Pokémon twice in his life, but since the world was to be destroyed in six weeks, he wasn't interested in submitting a new subject for study or introducing a new member to his team. It was useless to him and he wanted to be left alone.

The little rotom dodged his hand, grabbed onto his sleeve, and started pulling it back.

"What are you-"

It grabbed onto Cyrus' pokétch and looked him in the eyes as though desperate to communicate.

"Are you my rotom? From the abandoned garage?"

The rotom nodded.

Cyrus wasn't sure what to think. After all these years... After it had abandoned him when he needed it... "Do you... wish to possess my pokétch?" he asked.

The rotom nodded again. Cyrus got up and went back down the elevator that led to his quarters, the Pokémon following close behind. He pulled out his toolkit from one of his drawers along with the one rotom motor he'd never thrown away- the one from his now long-discarded toy robot.

"Screwdriver," Cyrus ordered the spark. Sure enough, it threw him the tool, just as it had way back then. Forty minutes and many alterations later, the brick-sized motor was ready to be attached to the pokétch, and the rotom successfully entered it.

"Why did you leave?" Cyrus asked the rotom, which was now levitating before him as the watch.

I never meant to leave! A trainer found me. He put me to sleep with one of his Pokémon's moves. By the time I woke up, I was in Snowpoint. I couldn’t get back. Trust me, I tried! I missed home. I missed you! Came the text on the device.

"I see. And why did you come back?"

Because I want to be friends again! The spark seemed to grow worried. If you do.

It took a moment for Cyrus to process that. His best friend had come home. He carefully reached out to the possessed watch and, once he determined that it was safe to touch, held it in his hands. "Yes, I suppose we could," he said.

The little face on the edge of the pokétch smiled brightly. Oh boy! We're going to have so much fun together! You've gotten a lot better at engineering, too! I'm not making static noises anymore, bzzt! Oh, there's one, but hey, nothing's perfect! So, what have you been up to, buddy?

And with that one question, Cyrus' heart sank. His rotom would be horrified by what he'd become. "I'm an engineer," he lied.

And you were okay without me?

"Yes. You leaving forced me to find my strength. After you left, I disposed of the idea of friendship entirely. I learned not to want or need anyone's company or approval, and my life was smoother for it.”

For some reason, the rotom’s smile flipped into a frown. Of course- it didn’t understand because it was an incomplete soul like all the rest. He'd have to lie about his story more than he originally thought.

"To get away from my family, I graduated a year early on scholarships and went to Canalave University. There, I met someone who was kind and accepting and treated me well. I began to wonder if there were other people like him and opened myself up to others as an experiment. There were others like him, and I came to have the friends and support I'd allowed myself to want when you were in my life. I received my degree, worked as an engineer for a few years, had an idea for an invention, received some funding from one of the only members of my family who was nice to me, and the rest is history."

That seemed to make Rotom happy. It smiled and bounced around as much as the short cord allowed it to. Text started appearing on the screen, and Cyrus had to gently hold it still to read it.

Wow! That sounds like just what you wanted way back then! I guess life really turned out for you, huh? I was sort of the same. Since I was forced to live away from home, I had to find my courage, too! The trainer released me pretty quickly, but I still got to meet so many new people and Pokémon and see so many places! It was great, bzzt! But now that I’m here, you’ll take me to the old garage sometimes, right?

"Of course,” Cyrus lied. What was he going to do with it? Have one of his subordinates release it far away from here? That seemed more humane than letting it realize what he was and what would become of the world.

Super!!! Now can you show me around your facility? It looked really big from outside!

“Yes,” Cyrus replied, scooping up the motor. He supposed this was perfect- he needed time to plan, after all.

“What’s that?” the rotom asked before they’d left the room, gesturing toward a shape hanging from a rack in the corner.

“That is...” a Pokémon he’d manipulated into evolving in order to use its strength. The only reason it was in his quarters was that it was now too attached to him to live apart without compromising its usefulness. “My pet crobat. You will be introduced to him in the morning.”

The whole tour was like that. Rotom wanted to know about everything. Thankfully, lying was second nature to Cyrus. Bombs became computer batteries. Pokémon held for experimentation in vats of green fluid became Pokémon they were trying to heal.

As the tour wore on, Cyrus reflected on his lies. The best lies were mostly truth, but his lie about his life... it sounded almost as though it could have happened. In another life, could he have been an inventor, surrounded by friends and still in contact with the few family members who'd treated him well? If he'd allowed it, would he have met more people like Saturn and seen his desire to end the world fade away? And then he wouldn't have to come up with a way to get rid of the little spark he held in his hands.

What's in there? Rotom asked, gesturing towards a door.

Cyrus stopped dead before the door. "That is..." the door to the grunts' dormitories. How many adoring grunts were in there? One hundred and fifty-three, if Cyrus was remembering correctly. And that wasn't counting the four commanders, or the numerous scientists at his disposal who had joined for funding and lack of academic red tape but who were all somewhere in the process of coming to believe in his ideals.

"I'm adored, rotom," Cyrus said, voice steely. "I'm loved, just as I wanted back then." He was useful to them. He was on a path to release the world from its pain, and even if they didn't fully understand his vision, his usefulness had made him more powerful and loved than he ever could have hoped to be otherwise.

Yes, everything he'd done- ruining his friendship with Saturn, lying to several dozen people, blowing up three lakes, torturing three Pokémon, locking himself into this lifestyle by becoming a wanted man- it hadn't been for nothing. If he'd gone down the path he'd described to rotom, allowed himself to be weak, then not only would he have suffered rejection from everyone he tried to befriend as had always been the case, he probably would have crawled back to his family and spent his life hurting others in attempt to gain love and contentment or in frustration from the lack of it. And then the universe would still have no hope for salvation. Both he and the world should be glad for the choices he'd made, and if his circumstances had led to this, he should be glad for them, too.

Cyrus felt the rotom tugging on his vest, pulling him out of his train of thought. Its screen contained several messages.

That's great! So, what's in there?

Did you hear something?

Bzzt, Yoo hoo, you okay, buddy?

What's going on?

"You may see in there in the morning. Come. I have something for you."

Yay! A surprise!

Cyrus knew now what he must do. He took Rotom to a supply closet and allowed it to select a pokéball for itself. It was only right since they were now trainer and Pokémon, he said.

Say, did you get to go on your Pokémon journey? it asked. It was more sedate now, the late night finally getting to it.

"No."

Good. That way we can go together.

"Yes. It will be perfect. Now return. Settle in," Cyrus ordered. The sleepy rotom left the watch and entered the fast ball it had chosen.

Cyrus took the ball and headed straight for Charon's quarters. Charon was always looking for new experimental subjects to extract money and glory from, and Cyrus needed his rotom kept apart from him. It was that simple. He knocked on Charon's door, and Charon answered it after a minute, looking like he'd just dragged himself out of bed. Most likely he had.

"This had better be important," Charon grumbled. "Master Cyrus," he tacked on for the sake of decorum.

"I have a new experimental subject for you. Its name is rotom," Cyrus explained. He felt the rotom bouncing around the pokéball in attempt to escape. He tightened his grip. "It is of utmost importance that you keep it comfortable. It is a new species of Pokémon, so there will be plenty of research to be done without breach of ethics. If I find out that you have gone against this, you will be terminated. And Charon?"

"Yes, sir?"

Cyrus fought to keep the tremble out of his voice. It was a good thing that rotom had come back now and not years ago, when changing his path would have easier and his willpower was less refined. "Keep it out of my sight."

The pokéball exchanged hands and Cyrus left, intent on finding some work to busy himself with until dawn. Six weeks and this would all be over. And then he would finally be at peace.

---

“Systems online,” Saturn said, pressing a button on the rather impressive control panel in the Galactic Base. The drones following the mission of the Spear Pillar came online. The giant screens that covered most of the far wall of the command center showed Cyrus as he walked through the caves of Mount Coronet with Mars and Jupiter at his side and a hand-selected fleet of grunts following behind him. Surrounding the main screens were several smaller ones showing the images from different drones. Saturn pushed a button and the large screens' image changed to show a helicopter manned by four grunts and carrying the containment chamber of the red chain. He pushed it again and it showed the outside of the Galactic Base. Saturn cycled through a few different drones before settling on the one trailing Cyrus. After that, he could sit back and wait, watching the screens and listening to the sound of twenty-odd grunts tapping away at drone control panels.

Everything was in place. The voice locks to the secret tunnels had been turned off so that a fleet of grunts, armed to the teeth with Pokémon and weapons, could flood through them in the event of a break-in. Another fleet was waiting on their second helicopter, ready for a command to give the Coronet team some backup. As Cyrus had prepared to ascend to godhood that day, Saturn had planned to be his safety net no matter what might arise.

And yet, Saturn couldn’t bring himself to relax. He felt nauseous. He’d known all along what this day would bring, but it was only days ago that it had truly sunken in: he was about to die, and the thought of what came next terrified him.

The past few weeks, Cyrus had been ready to snap at anyone who inconvenienced him. It was the worst bout of irritability Saturn had ever seen in him. Saturn had said something along the lines of “hey, at least the Spear Pillar mission is only a while away,” to try and ease him, and what he’d said back had chilled Saturn.

“Yes. Finally, all of it will end. All of it will be over.”

“...And the new world will begin?” Saturn had replied.

"Yes," Cyrus had said, sounding as though that was an afterthought to him.

That’s when it had hit Saturn: this was the man who would reform the universe. This hate-filled man, who hated humanity, hated the world, had precious few things he felt positively about, and was more inclined to destroy than create. What was perfection to him? What would be left after he destroyed everything he loathed? It was almost a comfort that Saturn, if he weren't a part of that perfect world, wouldn't be forced to see what the universe was about to become.

Saturn closed his eyes- an act that was only mildly irresponsible since there were so many grunts watching the drones- and thought back.

It was the Canalave University campus, the winter break before Cyrus had disappeared. A gentle snow was falling. Betty, who was floating by his side, levitated a long wool scarf and, using her telekinesis, wrapped it around herself from her neck to the tip of her tail.

“I can’t believe you bought Betty a present,” Saturn said. It was a good one, too- abras were too cold-sensitive to be out in this weather unclothed and too weirdly shaped to buy snow clothes off the rack for, so this would be the first winter she could follow them around outside.

“I had a theory it would work. I wanted to test it,” Cyrus explained, taking care to look uninterested. He actually looked his age back then- cheeks less hollow, eyes less baggy, generally more alive.

They were on their way to the Canalave Christmas festival. It had become an annual tradition of theirs since Saturn didn't want to see his family more than necessary and Cyrus wanted no contact at all with his. As they walked, Cyrus made what might have been a reach for Saturn's hand, but pulled back at the last second. "So... your romantic interest, the person you wanted to impress with your project..." Cyrus began, looking forward. "It was me, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Saturn replied, looking over to Cyrus and wondering what he would do with the information.

"I see," Cyrus said, making another reach for Saturn's hand and then stopping himself.

The poor idiot’s at war with himself, thought Saturn. Without thinking, Saturn took Cyrus by the shoulders and kissed him on the lips. Cyrus reciprocated. He held Saturn close and ran a hand through his hair. What am I doing? He's not capable of a relationship. Maybe I just wanted to see what would happen. The two separated, and Cyrus was looking at him like he was the most beautiful person in the world.

Eyes open. Cyrus was on the Spear Pillar, watching mirthlessly as the Gods of time and space were dragged through portals by tight, burning chains. Behind him, two preteens stormed through, throwing out their Pokémon with intent to interfere. Cyrus looked back at them for a moment, but once Mars and Jupiter initiated battle with them, he turned back to his work. They were an annoyance. A possible obstacle to his destruction. Nothing more. Why had Saturn spent the last six years helping to put the universe into those twisted hands?

Saturn knew the answer. Back in Canalave, he’d often considered talking to Cyrus about his toxic beliefs, and after Cyrus had revealed his plan, Saturn had the same thought anyone would have: to run, call the police, and cut ties. But he’d wanted to see what would happen if he let Cyrus do his thing without interference. He was impressed and curious. And even now, even as guilt-ridden as he was, Saturn knew that he wouldn’t have been the first to try and stop Cyrus and presumably wouldn't have been the first to try and help him, nor was it really his responsibility to. Saturn had plenty of reasons for shame. He had followed a hundred immoral orders to earn himself this front-row seat to the apocalypse. But Cyrus' choices were his alone, and this was probably inevitable.

A multi-coloured shroud erupted from the two Gods. The images in the video feed from every drone dimmed as it covered the sky region-wide. Even in the windowless control room, the air seemed to darken. Cheers erupted in the control room, followed by rapt, reverent silence.

In one of the video feeds, Saturn noticed a squadron of international police officers running for the Veilstone building. He pushed some buttons, opening the tunnels to their secret openings and sending the reserve grunts an alert message. They flooded in through the secret exits and began combat with the now-outnumbered police officers. It seemed as though the problem was handled. Saturn returned his attention to the feed of the Spear Pillar. The lake trio had appeared, but it seemed that they were helpless to stop Cyrus.

“Excuse me,” Saturn said, turning to leave the room. The highest-ranked grunt in the room wordlessly took his place. Saturn wasn't sure what he'd do in these last moments. Maybe he'd call his family. Contact with them had been minimal in the past years as more and more of his life had to be hidden from them, but right now he just wanted contact with someone who wasn't celebrating the end of the world.

Just as Saturn had walked the length of the room and was about to leave, one of the grunts called out, "Saturn, sir, what do we do!?" Saturn turned. A shadow the shape of a centipede and the size of a building had appeared on the Spear Pillar. There was no protocol for this.

The shadow dove on top of Cyrus and disappeared into the floor below, dragging him down with it.

#pokemon #galactic boss cyrus #commander saturn #rotom #abra #gingashipping #cyrus x saturn #my fanfiction #accretion

[thenightlymirror]

Protostar in LDN 1527 by Judy Schmidt Via Flickr: Update: Simeon Schmauß over on Twitter (@stim3on) recommended G'MIC for taking care of the horizontal noise / banding. It worked pretty great. There's a Photoshop plugin for it, too. Wanted to process my own version of this one, since nebular landscapes are some of my favorite views. Having a hard time with the linear noise pattern, especially near the top of the image. In the center of this view is a newly forming star crossed by a dark disk of dust (say that three times fast!) which is casting shadows to the left and right, and allowing cones of light out the top and bottom. Think of it like a light bulb inside of a donut with a bunch of fog. Though the infrared light can penetrate much of the dust, there are clues in the image that show some of the dust is still too thick to see through. At the lower right especially are a lot of background galaxies. On the left, the background galaxies are fewer, and what we see are dimmer, so we can tell there is more dust there. You can see the official release here. They've got a much better description than I could ever write. Orange "screen": NIRCam/F444W-F470N (not arithmetic) Red: NIRCam/F444W Green: NIRCam/F335M Blue: NIRCam/F200W, F187N, F115W North is 100° counter-clockwise from up.

#protostar #protostellar #disk #accretion #nebula #dust #gas #cones #light #shadow #emission #infrared #jwst #hourglass #protoplanetary #flickr

[spacenutspod]

The Space, Astronomy & Science Podcast. SpaceTime Series 27 Episode 26 *The Brightest and Fastest Growing Black Hole Quasar Ever Seen Astronomers have uncovered a cosmic colossus: the most luminous quasar known, powered by a black hole 17 billion times the mass of the Sun and growing at a staggering rate. The quasar J0529-4351, situated over 12 billion light-years away, is a beacon from the early universe, challenging our understanding of black hole formation and growth. *Supernova 1987A's Hidden Heart: The Neutron Star Within NASA's Webb Space Telescope has pierced through the dusty veil of Supernova 1987A, revealing emissions indicative of a neutron star's presence. This discovery resolves a long-standing debate and provides a glimpse into the violent stellar processes that forge these dense remnants. *Surviving the Cosmic Rays: Earth's First Life and the Shield of Manganese How did life's early building blocks endure Earth's intense radiation? New research suggests that cell-like structures with manganese-based antioxidants could have been life's ancient protectors, enabling the survival and evolution of the first organisms in a gamma-ray-blasted world. *Leap Year Explained: Why February Gains an Extra Day As February 29 approaches, we demystify the leap year phenomenon. Learn how this calendrical correction ensures our timekeeping stays in harmony with Earth's orbit, and discover the historical and astronomical significance behind the extra day in February. Join us on SpaceTime as we delve into the depths of black holes, witness the aftermath of stellar explosions, and explore the primordial resilience of life on our planet. Tune in for a journey through the cosmos and the intricacies of our celestial calendar. Listen to SpaceTime on your favorite podcast app with our universal listen link: https://spacetimewithstuartgary.com/listen and access show links via https://linktr.ee/biteszHQ For more SpaceTime and show links: https://linktr.ee/biteszHQ For more space and astronomy podcasts visit our HQ at https://bitesz.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/spacetime-with-stuart-gary--2458531/support.

#accretion #active #astronomy #black #disc #european #event #galactic #hole #horizon #learning #machine #nuclei #observatory #quasar #samuel #southern #speeds #superluminal #supermassive

[amrio]

there’s a que button THERES A QUE BUTTON

accretions my beloved

#fnf mod #fnf #a c void #starbreak music #fnf void #friday night funkin #fnf vs void #accretion

[poligraf]

Within the earth, wood grows : the image of pushing upward. Thus the superior man of devoted character heaps up small things in order to achieve something high and great.

— Hexagram #46 from the I Ching · Pushing Upward · via Ask The Oracle

#quote #quotes #life quotes #wisdom #i ching #hexagram #divination #oracle #book of changes #earth #wood #pushing upward #character #greatness #accretion #accumulation #devotion

[wally-b-feed]

Anthony Fineran (B 1981), Zalar Nata India, 2023

#Mario Reis #Anthony Fineran #Art #Google #Zalar #Nata #India #Deposits #Accretion

[xvocabthiamm]

Accretion

Definition: the process of growth or increase

Sentence: the ACCRETION of money in my account really was a sight to behold :)

The coins with the up arrows signify an increase - or accretion - of money

Synonym: accumulation, extension

Antonym: depress

#english vocab #accretion

[whirligig-girl]

Commission for @foxgirlchorix

"A Mysterious and Cute Foxgirl Plushie has been Found Orbiting a Black Hole"

#commission #foxgirl #plush #art #digital art #black hole #accretion disk #space #space art

[shoku-and-awe]

Complicated anxiety post!

I scheduled a fancy haircut thinking I’d be excited by the time it rolled around, and now the free cancellation window has closed but I’m still :|

I know I *need* a haircut. It’s gotten so long that I hate washing it (it clings all the way down my back and literally makes me whimper with grossness). So I wash it less often than I like, and not wanting to wash it makes me put off swimming and exercise and other things that make me feel good. It also gets super tangled and dry, and I have to braid it every night before bed, and if I wear it up/braided too often, it makes my scalp hurt. (Also, the braid falls on my dog when I pick him up and bothers him.)

I know a haircut is inevitable. Both sides are shaved and the ponytail keeps getting thinner and thinner. Also I have several inches of crunchy dead ends.

I want to keep the length because it looks cool to have shaved sides and just a big messy pile on top. (Also: sunk cost fallacy.) I also feel like it’s a compromise with Japanese beauty standards: I don’t really perform femininity, and societal pressure is so strong, and also having long hair like a pretty lady makes me less threatening as a scary foreigner; I don’t also need to look unfeminine or uncategorizable.

(The pressure here is really next level. People say “I’ve noticed you don’t wear makeup” in the tone I’d use for “I’ve noticed you don’t wear pants.” I once asked my Japanese ex why she did a full face of makeup just to run to 7-11, and she said, “It’s just basic manners.” It’s really hard to not conform! And I already don’t conform. (Should that make it easier? Sure! Does it? Fuck off with your logic—hair does not operate on logic!))

Making it harder is that my face is fatter than the last time I had short hair. (And older.) It probably won’t look good anymore! And even if it does, I don’t think I’ll be able to see it, and I will walk away shaken.

I could make a less dramatic change, but I’m not sure how viable that will actually be. Transitioning an undercut is complicated, and I’ve had hairstylists here respond to suggestions with “Yeah, that’s just not possible” (and Japan = rules do not bend). Also, pricewise, this is not a place I’d go for a trim; I went and called in the experts, and I’m not ready for them.

Also, time pressure. If I’m going back to bangs, I have to do it well before warm weather hits and we’re doing concrete jungle with 80% humidity. I’ve made that mistake before. You need a transition period. Emotionally, and to train your hair!

The one uncomplicated upside is that I have a cool silver stripe in my hair if it’s parted a certain way, so I can finally get my haircut that makes me Rogue! I’ve wanted that for years.

I plan to consult with the stylist, but I’m honestly no longer sure enough to know what to say. And I told him that it was a big haircut but I knew what I wanted!

要するに, it would be so much easier if this war was just society vs. my preferred expression/presentation. There’s other parties begging me to cut: exercise!!! hygiene!!!! scalp pain (grim!)!!! my little dog!!!

#gosh this is insufferable!!!! #but you know #hair is everything #and gender is… #gender is that one metaphor for shinto #it is a pearl and an onion and the air around us #(pearl: layers upon layers of history and society accreted around the eensiest grain of sand; #onion: layers upon layers but at the center there is nothing; #air: we breathe it. we move through it. #you get it. #it is so much a part of our lives that we can’t define it or see it.) #and self image is… … … a whole other can of tuna

[zxal]

TOP 10 MOST OUTRAGEOUS STAKES IN YUGIOH OF ALL TIME

#was looking thru screenshots from my 5ds watchthrough and got absolutely blasted by The Accretion Disc's Schwarzschild Radius #this whole duel is so tense and emotional but objectively this moment is peak yugioh #if your next card isnt a tuner you will be destroyed into particles and vanish from existence. #5ds

[youllallriseintheink]

Accretion, chapter 4

Accretion is a story that follows the rise and fall of Galactic Boss Cyrus and the fate of Team Galactic and the lives of those affected by it after its reformation under Saturn. I hope you all enjoy this.

This will be the only really long chapter for the rest of the story. Also, if you're more interested in A Road Further than this story, don't worry! The next chapter is coming out this weekend or next weekend at the latest.

---

Saturn's uneasiness did not wear off once he reached Eterna. Cyrus was oddly stiff to him from the moment they met. He gave Saturn his first job task- maintenance work on a number of old generators that clearly hadn’t been touched in years- without further explanation. A bit of research revealed to Saturn that Cyrus’ company was an old one, and that it had downsized a few years ago. That explained the unused equipment, but not why Cyrus wanted it ready for action again.

Whatever Cyrus’ bright idea was, it was taking a lot of his time. He spent most of the time he wasn’t at work cloistered in his room, stating that he was working on something important in a tone that suggested there would be no further questions on the matter. He didn’t seem annoyed with Saturn or impatient to have him move out- just distracted and tired. Some reunion this had turned out to be.

“You know,” Saturn said to him one day over dinner, “Betty learned hypnosis when she evolved. If you’re having trouble sleeping, she could help.”

“No, thank you,” Cyrus replied, “The sooner my project is finished, the better.”

“Why won’t you tell me what you’re working on?”

“You’ll see when it’s done.”

Saturn left it there. He knew how futile it was to pry answers from Cyrus when he wasn’t eager to give them. He hoped that Cyrus’ all-consuming project wasn’t simply keeping the company afloat.

It was weeks before whatever-it-was was done and Cyrus finally asked him to see it.

“Saturn, could you come with me?” Cyrus asked. “It’s about what I’ve been working on.”

“Yes,” Saturn said, not quite managing to hide his eagerness.

Cyrus led Saturn into his room, which had been strictly off-limits for Saturn since he’d moved in. They stepped between stacks of books and documents on Sinnoh myths, Sinnoh energy companies, and the criminal exploits of various evil teams. Cyrus stopped in front of the corkboard he’d been using to draft his scheme. Notes on energy companies led to plans for a terrorist organization led to document pages on legendaries led to plans for the new world, with the notes for each stage being more sparse than the last since Cyrus had removed the especially incriminating information. The corkboard hadn’t shown the entire plan to begin with, of course- that was written on his computer, protected by several layers of passwords. But this would give Saturn enough information to understand without overwhelming his mental clarity.

“Would you like to know how I acquired my company?” Cyrus asked.

“Yes,” Saturn replied. Cyrus heard the seriousness in his voice. That was no surprise- Saturn was too observant not to notice that the company was doing poorly and worry about the stability of his job because of it.

“Do you remember when we talked about the legendaries, and how they could rewrite human beings if they so chose?”

"Yes. How does that relate to this?”

Cyrus folded his arms behind his back and closed his eyes. “Months ago, I realized that it might actually be possible for a person to take that power for their own. If that were true, it would be unconscionable not to pursue it. There is little chance that there will ever be another person with my intelligence, my vision and my boldness who will come to realize that it’s possible. I’m the only chance this world has to be freed from its suffering.”

Cyrus turned to the first part of the corkboard, which was covered in notes about the various energy companies of Sinnoh. “All I needed were the resources. I begged my uncle for a chance to be a part of the family business empire. It’s true that this company is losing out to greener competitors. Under normal circumstances, it would likely be shut down within a few years. But I believe it’s my key to gathering all I’ll need for the plan. If I can gather followers, we could undermine the competing companies and make it the primary energy company in Sinnoh. Using the resulting wealth, Team Galactic can properly begin. There are details to be sorted out, but as of tonight I’m certain it’s possible.”

Silence stretched out for what felt like minutes, and Cyrus focused on the cork board, avoiding Saturn’s eyes. Had he explained himself adequately? He’d wanted to be understood. He also knew that Saturn had every reason to run from a company that would be used this way.

“Wow. That’s impressive,” Saturn said. “Why did you bother with your family before you knew this would be possible?”

“It was merely an advantageous time. Energy companies earn most in the winter, so I thought a disappointing winter would encourage my uncle to wash his hands of the company and allow someone else to take the fall for it.” Cyrus was a good liar, and anything would be preferable to the truth. “I have something to ask you. Will you join me? Will you help me to create a new and complete world?”

Saturn turned back to the board. “You know, when you talked about changing the world, I thought you’d never find something that would satisfy you. You wanted to change things that no one could. I should have known you’d find a way. And this? This looks possible. The world is messed up. It should be different. I’m in. I want to see what you’ll do.”

Cyrus smiled. “Good. Thank you for being the first member of Team Galactic.”

There were… certainly pros and cons to this. Cyrus had disappeared when he had because his time with Saturn had tempted him not to pursue this plan, to just be another person living a futile life. He’d called Saturn to move across the region because of what a good subordinate he would make. But then, why had he done it before he’d known Team Galactic would be possible? He wasn’t sure. And although Cyrus would never back away from his goals now... joy, lust, vulnerability, outright dependence... they were marginally forgivable traits in a young man without a purpose, but unacceptable in a God. He’d have to hold Saturn at an icy distance from then on to embody his ideals. He did not relish the thought.

But Saturn was more than a temptation. Saturn was diligent, responsible, trustworthy, calm, and loyal. He would be a great asset to the team.

—-

And so it began. Cyrus began speaking in various locations- first a park in Eterna City, then outside of Canalave library, and then in Oreburg. Cyrus’ voice attracted crowds, and it awed Saturn. After seeing Cyrus act and speak so robotically the past few months, seeing this passion, anger, and drive was very welcome. Saturn saw a similar angry fire in the eyes of many young people who watched him. But no one joined.

 At the end of the third day, a trio of young, rough-looking men approached Cyrus as he was preparing to leave.

“Hey, buddy,” one of the men said in a tone that made Cyrus uneasy. “We heard you were planning a team. How do we join?”

“You... wish to hear more about Team Galactic?” Cyrus said. Evil teams tended to attract rougher types. He couldn’t afford to be afraid of them.

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Um, Cyrus, I don’t think you should-” Saturn started, pulling gently at Cyrus’ arm.

“Nonsense. Everyone is welcome in Team Galactic. Let’s go.”

Cyrus left with the three men, and Saturn headed home.

It was getting late by the time Cyrus returned home, wet from the rain and intent on ducking into his room as soon as possible. Thankfully his clothes hid most of his new scrapes and bruises. He'd hate for Saturn to see him like this.

“So, how did it go?” Saturn asked.

Cyrus stopped, but kept his back turned. “Another team stole his partner. He was… not interested in joining ours,” he explained. He began to pace the room, trying futilely to hide his nosebleed with his bloody-knuckled hand.

“Um. Do you want some ice or something?” Saturn said after some hesitation.

Cyrus ignored him. “I told him that I wanted to end evil as badly as he did. He would not listen,” he growled. “I must change how I present myself. Tonight I’ll develop a list of the greatest orators in modern history, and tomorrow I will use their strategies to ensure things go differently. Who are the best speakers you can think of?”

“Well, Steven Stone for sure... Champion Diantha... give me a minute.” Saturn wracked his mind for good speakers, especially more optimistic ones.

The results of their first few days of recruitment weren’t surprising. Cyrus was good at articulating what was wrong with the world, but “Join Team Galactic and we will create a better world” didn’t cut it as a solution, especially with the word “team” hanging ominously over the enterprise. If his orator deep-dive didn’t give him the idea, Saturn would find a way to subtly give it to him later.

“Chairman Rose? And maybe you could look at how other evil teams do recruitment.”

“There are some tell-all books by ex-members I could review. But the problem remains: how to explain the new world to people incapable of understanding it?”

There was a knock at the door. Pulled from the conversation, Cyrus opened it. It was a girl who looked to be fourteen at the oldest. Wet red hair hung over her forehead and her clothes were worn out and too small for her. “You’re the one who wanted to change things, right?” she asked.

“Yes,” Cyrus replied.

The girl’s eyes lit up. “Good, I’ve been following you all night!”

There was an awkward silence.

“Sorry, that came out wrong. But please let me join your team. You want a world where people are kind and reasonable and don’t hurt each other for no reason anymore. Well, I want that, too. I think everyone does. I know about evil teams. I can help you!”

“We’ll take you into consideration,” Cyrus said, feeling as though he’d stumbled upon a miracle. This girl had given him a clear-as-day description of the new world that others would appreciate, and she might have some valuable knowledge. “What’s your name?”

The girl hesitated and curled her fists. “Copper. But don’t tell anyone else. My old team might be after me.”

“What do they want with you?” Cyrus asked coolly. The last thing they needed was an altercation with an evil team before theirs had even begun.

“They...um... Nothing. I left because I didn’t want to live off of other people’s greed and nastiness anymore. That’s all.”

“I see. Wait in the hallway while I discuss something with my subordinate,” Cyrus instructed.

Copper nodded and stepped out. Cyrus turned to Saturn.

“We’re not actually going to use a kid like this, are we?” Saturn asked.

“You think it would be kinder to put her back on the streets?”

“We have other options than that. We could call the police, get her in contact with her family...”

“I doubt she would allow it, if she’s who I think she is.” Cyrus brought up a photo on his Pokétch. It was of the backs of a family of four out for a walk and holding hands, seemingly taken by paparazzi. There was a short, dark-haired man, a tall, red-haired woman, and on either side of them was a red-haired young child- one boy and one girl.

“Is that Giovanni?”

“Yes. And an insider to the most successful evil team in the world would be very useful to us. She wants an idealist to follow and a more comfortable life than she’s been living. We will provide it for her. It’s that simple.”

Cyrus opened the door, where Copper was waiting. She looked up at Cyrus with big, nervous eyes.

“You may join us,” Cyrus said. “You will need a new name so that your old team doesn’t find you. Your name will be Mars, after the God of war, because you’ve been strong for too long. You won’t have to be strong much longer. I promise.”

Mars’ red eyes filled with adoration and tears. She dove in and hugged Cyrus, catching him off guard. Cyrus gave her an awkward pat on the back.

“You’ll sleep on our couch tonight,” Cyrus explained. “We’ll figure out more permanent arrangements tomorrow.”

“Thank you, thank you, I won’t let you down!” Mars insisted, head still firmly against Cyrus’ chest.

The next day, the trio went to their next speaking location. Mars had suggested a seedy area of Eterna, so they could target those who would be most eager for a change.

Mars was first to speak, and she described Cyrus as though he was a saviour. That made sense to him. That was what he was. As she spoke, he absorbed every bit of hope that she’d received from him. What she’d taken was what he would sell the masses.

Soon, their ranks filled, the old generators came back into use, and money multiplied.

---

Officer Jenny pulled up to the Eterna City office building. Two rapidash and a vespiquen in pokéballs hung from her belt, along with a radio to call for backup and a handgun to use as a last resort. She knew her mission: arrest the man who had been suspected by their detective team to be behind several recent attacks on energy companies throughout Sinnoh.

The building was unassuming, and its inside was no different- the first floor held an unoccupied lobby area that Jenny walked through uncontested aside from some odd looks from the receptionists. The next floor contained a largely young but otherwise unremarkable workforce typing at computers or fiddling with equipment. She wondered whether she was in the right place.

Jenny was about to slink up to the next floor before a man caught her arm. Jenny took her rapidash’s pokéball, preparing for another fight.

“Hey,” the man whispered, “Are you here to see the boss?”

“Yes,” Jenny replied, keeping her hand around the ball just in case.

“I’ll take you. He’s gone too far.”

It was several floors to the top, each stranger than the last. Computers gave way to strange equipment Jenny couldn’t identify. Carpets and bland wallpaper gave way to metal, chrome, and space-themed decor, like she’d stepped into a futuristic military base. Finally, they got to the boss’ office.

On the other side of the door, Cyrus and Jupiter were having their weekly meeting, which as per usual had gone into the subject of military equipment and its possible uses.

“And what is the explosion radius?” Cyrus asked, stone-faced but with rapt attention.

“twenty-five whole feet,” Jupiter explained, “which doesn’t sound like much, but trust me, it is.”

“I see. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to put some of our weaponry budget towards it. Of course, that depends on whether you think you could lead Saturn and the grunts in constructing one, given the right parts.”

“I’d love to,” Jupiter replied.

“Tell me more about their construction.”

Jupiter smiled. She got the sense that Cyrus liked these meetings more than he let on. Why else have them so often, and last thing in the day so they could go late, as they so often did? Jupiter couldn’t complain either- she was getting paid to explain her passion to an interested audience. As Jupiter was about to launch into an explanation, the door slammed open.

Officer Jenny stood in the doorway, a handgun in her grip. Oh, Jupiter had known this day would come. Her good day was about to get even better.

“Cyrus Akagi, you are under arrest for multiple counts of inciting terrorism. Put your hands above your head.”

“Very well,” Cyrus replied coolly. He got up from behind his desk, put up his hands, and slowly came towards officer Jenny. The officer grew increasingly tense as her eyes moved from the untouched pokéballs on the desk to Cyrus’ unreadable face to Jupiter, who gave her a frosty sneer.

“Before you take me in, let me ask you a question: have you checked the forecast for Snowpoint today?”

Jenny grit her teeth and adjusted her grip on the gun.

“My company powers much of Sinnoh,” Cyrus continued, stopping right in front of the officer. “That includes its coldest areas. Every one of my subordinates are on strict orders to shut down energy production if I am arrested.” He took Jenny’s wrists and raised her gun to aim at his head. “Go ahead. I’m sure that the people of Snowpoint will be glad you stood against corruption when they’re contracting frostbite in their own homes. It’s been a chilly Fall. I imagine that several other towns are three, maybe four weeks away from their fate.”

The officer trembled. Behind her, the “traitorous” grunt was grinning like a maniac. Saturn appeared as well, similarly enjoying her pain. He touched her shoulder, causing her to jump.

“Would you like an escort out, miss Jenny?” Saturn asked. Defeated, the officer hung her head, put away her gun, and turned away. The three of them left, leaving Jupiter and Cyrus alone. They knew that this moment would happen. That it had happened once the company was powerful enough to leverage threats was sheer luck. And now, after two years of hiding in the shadows, the police now knew of the nature of their organization, but the response to their crimes would be slow or nonexistent so long as no one knew that Cyrus’ objective was taking over the world and not just the energy sector.

Everything changed rapidly over the next few days. Most of the Team Galactic personnel, including the commanders and Cyrus himself, moved into the Veilstone City building, which would now be not only their workplace but their home. Pokémon that had once stayed with individuals were moved to the menagerie, where they would stay when off-duty. Mars in particular had her hands full giving dozens of grunts teal bowl cuts to match their new uniforms- a space-age design that Mars had had a heavy hand in designing. The excitement helped her push past fatigue. Everything was finally coming to life around her.

Once the last grunt was finally cut, Mars ran off to see Cyrus. She’d somehow managed to convince him to wait until she was around to try on his new uniform.

"Well? What do you think?” Mars asked after he’d put it on for the first time.

Cyrus looked into the mirror. The uniform looked like something that the commander of a science fiction space vessel would wear. He folded his arms behind his back and walked back and forth in front of the mirror, giving it his best stern, hard looks.

Yes, this was perfect. He looked like a solid, uncompromising wall. And wasn’t that what everyone wanted him to be? So many fools, their lives fallen apart due to their own vice, had put their lives and decisions into his hands because they wanted someone sturdy and rational to handle them. It was arguably the smartest choice they’d ever made. Cyrus looked back to Mars, seeing the adoration on her face- adoration he was becoming more and more accustomed to.

“Well done,” he said to Mars, turning back to the mirror. Mars lit up from the validation.

Everyone rose to attention when Cyrus entered the auditorium, clearing the way to give him space as he made his way to the stage, where his commanders were lined up to the side. There was much chatter amongst the crowd, but Cyrus didn’t mind. Even if noise still had power over him, which it did not, he could stop it in an instant with a command. After taking his place on the stage, he stared at the crowd, put a finger to his lips and watched as they fell silent.

“Fellow members of Team Galactic, hear me!” Cyrus spoke into the microphone. “Each one of you here has agreed to be a part of our great mission to leave this world of strife and suffering behind us and enter a new era of peace. We would not be here today without your collective efforts.

We have now entered our second phase of operations. In this new era, the world will be aware of our ill-doings. However, they will not be aware of our cause, as it is a cause only we can understand.

There will be new rules to follow to ensure our success. Firstly, no one is allowed to leave the compound without at least one issued Pokémon. As public enemies, we must be prepared to defend our interests. Secondly, do not speak of our true mission to anyone. The longer the authorities think of my capture as more trouble than it’s worth, the fewer obstacles they will put in our path. 

Finally, there is no place among us for doubt. You will all pledge to me today. Swear to relinquish all your hope for this world and put it instead in Team Galactic. Together, we will triumph!”

The crowd cheered wildly. The commanders lined up and one by one to swear to him. The grunts followed, excited to receive his approval.

—-

“Zubat, return. Sneasel, out,” Cyrus commanded, tossing the new pokéball into the arena. The sneasel absorbed Betty’s psychic without a scratch.

“Nice switch-in,” Saturn admitted, readying a different pokéball himself. “Crogunk, your turn!” he said, throwing it.

“Pursuit,” Cyrus ordered, and his sneasel ran in and jabbed the kadabra before it had a chance to return.

Betty fell to the ground, defeated. Saturn’s crogunk was swiftly taken out shortly after with air slash.

“Well, that’s all I got,” Saturn said. He jogged over to his fainted Pokémon and used revives on them. Once Betty was up, she was cuddling into Saturn. She was nearly the height of a person now, but some things never changed. Saturn petted her but returned her as Cyrus approached- no need for her to seek affection from someone who wouldn’t give it anymore.

“You’re getting pretty good at this,” Saturn said, putting away the pokéball.

“Yes.” And with this, Cyrus had shed the last of his weakness. Learning to battle had been low on his long list of priorities, but it was a skill that every crime boss needed. The two left the arena, stepped out into the chilly night together, and headed back.

“So, Cyrus, about that new rule about Team Galactic’s Pokémon being left in the menagerie when off duty... I know you want them to be loyal to the team instead of one person, but…”

“Commanders are exempt. For now, at least.” The last thing he wanted was to reduce his best recruiter’s morale by separating her from her beloved Purugly. “However, I have a new order for you. Never speak of how you once knew me as anyone other than I am now. Do you understand?”

“I understand, Master Cyrus,” Saturn replied.

“Excellent. Good night,” Cyrus said, and they parted ways.

#pokemon #galactic boss cyrus #commander saturn #commander mars #commander jupiter #officer jenny #my fanfiction #accretion

[mindblowingscience]

The experiment more accurately models what happens in these plasma disks, which could help researchers discover how black holes grow and how collapsing matter forms stars.

As matter approaches black holes it heats up, becoming plasma—a fourth state of matter consisting of charged ions and free electrons. It also begins to rotate, in a structure called an accretion disk. The rotation causes a centrifugal force pushing the plasma outwards, which is balanced by the gravity of the black hole pulling it in.

These glowing rings of orbiting plasma pose a problem—how does a black hole grow if the material is stuck in orbit rather than falling into the hole? The leading theory is that instabilities in magnetic fields in the plasma cause friction, causing it to lose energy and fall into the black hole.

The primary way of testing this has been using liquid metals that can be spun, and seeing what happens when magnetic fields are applied. However, as the metals must be contained within pipes, they are not a true representation of free-flowing plasma.

Now, researchers at Imperial have used their Mega Ampere Generator for Plasma Implosion Experiments machine (MAGPIE) to spin plasma in a more accurate representation of accretion disks. Details of the experiment are published May 12 in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Continue Reading

#science #stem #black holes #accretion disks #physics #plasma

[spacenutspod]

Prepare to illuminate the shadowy frontiers of space in SpaceTime Series 27 Episode 47. We begin by shedding light on new findings that reveal brown dwarfs, those celestial enigmas straddling the line between the largest planets and the smallest stars, are far more star-like than we ever imagined. Born from the same intricate dance of gas and dust that gives rise to stars, these failed stars have a story more intertwined with their luminous kin than previously thought.  Next, we peer into the future, where the clock is ticking down to an explosive cosmic event. Astronomers eagerly anticipate a nova eruption within a binary star system, set to dazzle the skies sometime before year's end. This stellar spectacle, a cyclical detonation on the surface of a white dwarf, promises to be a beacon in the night, echoing observations that date back over a century. We then voyage to the extreme starburst galaxy M82, a crucible of creation churning out new stars at a rate tenfold that of our own Milky Way. With the James Webb Space Telescope piercing through the cosmic dust, we get a front-row seat to the galactic winds and star-forming frenzy defining this compact powerhouse of a galaxy. And in the Science Report, we delve into the role of homosexual behavior in mammalian social bonding, the alarming rise in simultaneous heatwaves and sea level extremes on global coastlines, the potential psychological effects of teenage screen time, and the latest in home entertainment and security tech that's shaping our digital lives. For the full cosmic journey, visit our website at https://spacetimewithstuartgary.com and support the show at https://www.spreaker.com/show/spacetime. Discover the universe's wonders with us on SpaceTime. This week's episode is brought to you by NordPass. Navigate the digital universe with confidence using a password manager you can trust. Secure your cosmic exploration at www.bitesz.com/nordpass. Listen to SpaceTime on your favorite podcast app and follow us on Twitter @stuartgary, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

#16 #accretion #alma #binary #brown #collapse #cords #cosmic #dwarf #dwarfs #event #formation #gravitational #nova #observatory #serem #star #systems #umbilical #white

[pundus]

"O' Radiant Black"

The USS Radiant, sister ship to the progenitor of the USS Stargazers in service to the Federation Starfleet. It rides across the top of a black hole's chaotic shimmering accretion disk.

#fanart #star trek #3d render #blender #blender render #spaceship #starship #3d art #artwork #star trek picard #star trek picard fanart #radiant-class #stargazer #black hole #accretion disk

[corntort]

they dont wear ties for a reason <3

#vs void #void fnf #accretions fnf #doodle #miiirart