I really enjoy poetry in pictures, but I have to admit, I’m usually bad at spotting it on my own.  This week’s Picture of the Week was so obvious, however, that even I saw it!  🙂  Now, I realize that if you’re not a star nerd, you probably don’t get it, so allow me to explain. I was really hoping to capture the blooming dogwood trees along Sparks Lane in Cades Cove with the Milky Way this year, but the composition I had in my head just wasn’t working for a number of reasons.  I took a step back (literally in this case) and saw this sign on the fence post, which always makes me chuckle – that’s when it hit me.  One of the more prominent features of the summer Milky Way is the dark horse nebula.  It’s the dark, sort of C shape in the sky with the long finger that reaches out to the collection of colorful stars (you have to tilt your head way to the left to see the prancing horse with one leg pulled up). When I saw the “Horses May Bite” sign, and realized the dark horse nebula would be just above it, and I couldn’t help but laugh again.  The universe (or rather life in general), does indeed bite, which after the last 16 months or so, I’m guessing I need to remind exactly no one of this!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this night sky series!  We’ll move back into the colorful light of day next week!

–Dan Thompson