Perfect timing, thanks
Get off your ass DOJ!
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
May 10, 2023
Milky Way over Egyptian Desert
For ten years the stargazer dreamed of taking a picture like this. The dreamer knew that the White Desert National Park in Egypt's Western Desert is a picturesque place hosting numerous chalk formations sculpted into surreal structures by a sandy wind. The dreamer knew that the sky above could be impressively dark on a clear moonless night, showing highlights such as the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy in impressive color and detail. So the dreamer invited an even more experienced astrophotographer to spend three weeks together in the desert and plan the composite images that needed to be taken and processed to create the dream image. Over three days in mid-March, the base images were taken, all with the same camera and from the same location. The impressive result is featured here, with the dreamer proudly wearing a traditional Bedouin galabyia pictured in the foreground.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?
Jewellery worn by Princess Diana to her final official engagement before her death - after being gifted to her by Dodi Fayed - is expected to sell for £11 million at auction
06:28 EDT, 10 May 2023 | UPDATED: 08:00 EDT, 10 May 2023
A stunning jewellery set made for Princess Diana and reputed to have been a gift by Dodi Al-Fayed is going up for sale next month.
The diamond and pearl necklace was famously worn by Diana at the gala evening for Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall in June 1997 - her last official engagement before her death.
The necklace, which was made from 178 diamonds totalling 51 carats and five matching 12mm South Sea pearls, was returned to Crown jewellers Gerrard so they could make a matching pair of earrings for her.
But before the complete set could be given to Diana, she and her lover Dodi Al-Fayed were killed in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.
The jewels will now be auctioned off in New York next month, and are expected to reach a sale price of £4m to £11m ($5-$15m.)
The magnificent gems - known as the Swan Lake Suite - have belonged to a prominent Ukrainian family since 2008.
But the owners' ability to maintain their business in the war-torn country has led to them to put them up for auction.
When she was part of the Royal family the jewellery Diana wore was mostly loaned to her by the Crown.
So the Swan Lake Suite is thought to be the only fine jewellery owned by Diana ever to be sold publicly.
It will be auctioned off next month in New York after first being displayed in London.
Experts at Guernsey's Auctioneers of New York have given the jewels a pre-sale estimate of anywhere between £4m to £11m ($5-$15m.) It is likely the unique gems will be sold to a high net-worth individual.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale will be dedicated to the re-building of Ukraine.
Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey's Auctioneers, said: 'While many accomplished figures fade from view, Princess Diana is as vibrant today as when she was indeed the most admired woman on the planet.
'The jewellery Princess Diana wore when she was part of the Royal family was loaned to her by the Crown.
'The Swan Lake Suite was especially made for her. She was part of the design process.
'It is thought to be her only jewellery to have ever been sold, making it extraordinarily important.
'There are many people who have described it as priceless but we have given it a very broad estimate.
'Extraordinary items like these and works of art have expediently increased in recent times.
'The suite was reputed to have been a gift to her from Dodi Al-Fayed who was in her life at the time.
'The necklace was given to her to wear at the Royal Albert Hall for the gala opening of the UK's ballet season.
'After the evening the jeweller requested the necklace back in order to create the earrings to match. They needed the necklace in hand so the stones in the earrings would match perfectly with the stones in the necklace.
'She returned the necklace to Gerrard and over the next two months they made the earrings. But before they could give them to Diana was she tragically killed.'
Nothing happened to the jewellery for months when Diana's family gave permission for the necklace and earrings to be sold, with some of the proceeds going to UNICEF.
There is a letter of authenticity from Diana's butler, Paul Burrell. Dated April 1998, he explained how he approached Diana's older sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, who consented for Gerrard to sell the set.
It was purchased in 1999 by American businessman, Jim McIngvale, for just under a million dollars.
He sold it on during the financial downturn of 2008 when it was acquired by the current owners, who are big fans of the British royal family.
Mt Ettinger added: 'The war in Ukraine has been a motivating factor in them deciding to sell the Swan Lake Suite now.
'They have had them for 14 years but given what is going on over, their thoughts are now very much on rebuilding their country.
'The suite is here in our office.'
The Swan Lake Suite will be sold on June 27.
https://truthsocial.com/@dailymail/posts/110344314114743910
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12067583/Diamond-pearl-necklace-worn-Diana-final-engagement-goes-sale.html
chekt