NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
June 19, 2023
The Busy Center of the Lagoon Nebula
The center of the Lagoon Nebula is a whirlwind of spectacular star formation. Visible near the image center, at least two long funnel-shaped clouds, each roughly half a light-year long, have been formed by extreme stellar winds and intense energetic starlight. A tremendously bright nearby star, Herschel 36, lights the area. Vast walls of dust hide and redden other hot young stars. As energy from these stars pours into the cool dust and gas, large temperature differences in adjoining regions can be created generating shearing winds which may cause the funnels. This picture, spanning about 15 light years, combines images taken in four colors by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. The Lagoon Nebula, also known as M8, lies about 5000 light years distant toward the constellation of the Archer (Sagittarius).
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?
US Coast Guard seizes 14K pounds of cocaine worth $186M in international waters
June 17, 2023
The United States Coast Guard offloaded thousands of pounds of cocaine worth more than $186 million in Miami Friday, authorities said.
Over 14,000 pounds of illicit narcotics had been intercepted by guardsmen in nine separate operations, according to the Coast Guard.
The missions took place in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
In addition to confiscating the drugs, authorities arrested 12 suspected drug smugglers on various charges. They will face prosecution in US federal courts.
“The contraband offloaded today represents the professional expertise and dedication of US defense and law enforcement agencies working together to combat the flow of illicit drugs through the Caribbean Region into the United States,” said Coast Guard Lt. Peter Hutchison.
“This teamwork is imperative to the identification, interception, and seizure of vessels engaged in illicit trafficking and a testament to the hard work of these crews.”
https://nypost.com/2023/06/17/us-coast-guard-seizes-186m-worth-of-cocaine/