By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Pluto, moon come into view with 1st clear pictures
9e1d359578e7bafdbdd851db8c6719eb14e112ba3c3700a78e21ed0506b39087
This is the same image of Pluto and Charon from July 8, 2015; color information obtained earlier in the mission from the Ralph instrument has been added. - photo by Natalie Crofts
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. The beloved dwarf planet Plutos appearance is dazzling in its long-awaited photo shoot.

The first clear photos of the dwarf planet and its largest moon, Charon, were released by NASA Thursday. The space agencys New Horizons spacecraft is closing in on the two icy objects, with its nearest encounter scheduled for Tuesday morning.

The images of the duo were captured by the spacecraft late Wednesday from a distance of about 3.7 million miles, according to NASA. While Pluto appears to be a reddish color, Charon is gray.

These two objects have been together for billions of years, in the same orbit, but they are totally different, said Southwest Research Institute principal investigator Alan Stern in a statement. The two objects are composed of different materials, and Pluto has an atmosphere while Charon does not.
Sign up for our E-Newsletters
Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
638421_Screenshot_1.png
Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
Latest Obituaries