LMAC 68: Looking Back and Looking Forward at the Moon

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(Edited)

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Do Zombies disco dance? Maybe. When I first saw @shaka's template photo this week, it seemed to me the snow was covering a graveyard. The two protrusions in the lower left hand corner looked like the tips of gravestones. And then I noted the long shadows. The idea of ghouls rising from the grave on a moonlit night became irresistible.

My challenge was to make the ghouls interesting. Early on in my thinking, the moon became an essential part of the collage. Since there isn't a lot of verifiable information on ghouls, I decided to write about the moon today.

@shaka's Amazing Picture
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The Moon

The moon is about 4.5 billion years old, not much younger than the earth. That's because, according to the prevailing theory, the moon is the spawn of the earth. It was born of a dramatic collision. A small planet crashed into the earth and disintegrated. The debris from that planet and fragments shaved off earth combined in space and eventually formed our progeny, the moon. This theory is known among astronomers as the Big Splash, or the Theia Impact.

An Artist's Impression of the Big Splash
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NASA/JPL-Caltech. Public domain.

Within about 100 million years, the molten moon solidified and formed a crust. It is this crust upon which Neil Armstrong placed his well-shod feet in 1969.

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Lunar Surface
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Image credit: NASA. Public domain

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Parent Earth and Offspring Moon Grow Apart

As time passes, the moon gets farther away from the earth. This is said to happen because energy from the earth's tides pushes toward the moon. This energy forces the moon into a higher orbit.

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Tidal Bulges on Earth Exert Force on the Moon
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Credit: Jip 26. Used under CC 3.0 license.

As the moon is pushed higher, its orbit slows. The speed of the moon's orbit has a profound effect on earth. The slower the orbit, the longer becomes the length of an earth day. According to an article published in BBC News, Science, in earth's early life, a day was five hours long. Today, of course a day is 24 hours long. Scientists estimate (by examining changes in fossils) that days will grow longer in the future at a rate of about 19 hours every 14.5 billions years (!)

For all those people (me) who say there aren't enough hours in the day, this might seem to be good news. It's not. As the day grows longer, the rotation of the earth slows. The speed of earth's rotation is directly related to its stability. A wobbling planet would have a devastating effect on the seasons.

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Libration: The Moon Wobbling on Its Axis
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Image credit: Tomruen. Released into the public domain.

According to NASA, "...the orbiting motion of the Moon is not steady--at some times it advances faster than average, some times it is slower". This irregular movement allows astronomers to "peak over the poles", and get a broader view of the moon than they would be able to if the orbit were stable.

Buzz Aldrin, Moonwalking
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Image credit: NASA. Public domain

Most of us know that ambulating on the moon is not a cakewalk. It takes practice--and a 'moon boot', designed especially to enhance traction on the crumbly moon crust. One of the reasons it takes practice to walk on the moon is because gravity there is 1/6 the gravity of the earth. This lower gravitational pull reflects the moon's smaller size and weight: gravitational pull is directly related to size and mass.

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The Demise of the Moon
Once again, as with the moon's beginnings, there is uncertainty about the ultimate fate of earth's natural satellite. There are different scenarios. One favored scenario has the moon pulling farther and farther away from the earth and closer to the sun. As the sun morphs (theoretically) into a red giant, it engulfs the moon and splinters it. In this scenario, the moon ends as it began: as dust and debris.

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My Collage

I've explained the genesis of the ghoul/graveyard/moon theme. However, it is difficult to grasp how I arrived at Disco Ghouls, unless one sees the ideas that didn't make the final cut.

My Favorite Also Ran
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A Runner Up
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The Ghost Phase
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There were a few stills I liked. Here's one:
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There were actually more drafts of stills and GIFs, but these four offer a pretty good idea of the way I approached the collage.

The elements in the collages were simple:

I started of course with @shaka's photo.
Ghouls were from EriktheGreat on Pixabay
Headstones were from Parker_West on Pixabay
The disco ball/moon was from Paint 3D.

All of the accents and modification were made by using Paint 3D, GIMP, and Paint.

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Thank you @shaka for creating and maintaining a vibrant community where anybody can feel like an artist. Readers of my blog, I invite you to join in. It's great fun, it's good for the brain, and there are prizes! Rules for entry may be found at @shaka's blog. LMAC has a Discord channel, where you can stop in, ask questions, and meet members of the community. And, we have a school, where technical aspects of making a collage are addressed. Talented and generous @quantumg has written the lessons.

Please check out the other collages in this week's round. You'll be surprised at the skill and artistry on display.

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Thank you for reading my blog

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Hive on



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Terrific collage A.G. I knew you would have something unique in your collage. I recognize the disco ball..memories from the 80s. 😉 I think I saw Zombies dancing then :)
Love seeing the Celtic cross among the gravestones.

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Thank you, my friend. I didn't realize it was a Celtic cross. Of course! It looked medieval and spooky to me. That's why. It's not a serious collage, but I had fun dancing with the ghouls :))

I'm holding off upvoting comments until later. But am offering tips instead, because my VP is low. I know you don't care, but I do :))

Have a peaceful day. I love that your homeless cat has found refuge in your igloo.

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Oh yes @agmoore, I feel at home here, lovely, let's dance! 🤣

I wish you good luck.😎

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(Edited)

Ha Ha Ha !!!
Hello @muelli,
You should know I thought of you when I made this collage :)) Glad you saw the connection. I love that irreverent dog spoiling the skier's run. When I saw the collage on LMAC I knew it was yours before I saw your name.

Have fun, my friend, as always. Thank you for visiting and commenting. I offer a tip instead of a vote because I'm recharging now.

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Un baile contagioso, suerte en el concurso!

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Thank you, my dear friend @kismeri! A charming pair of zombies :)))

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(Edited)

Never seen zombies dance, not even In movies. They really walk in funny ways so I can't imagine them dancing. Beautiful collage you have and goodluck

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Thank you dear @onyechi for your visit. I remember the song from 1962 (yes, I'm that old!), Monster Mash. Here's the YouTube link.

Haven't thought about that song in years. Thanks for the kind words, and the memories. Good luck to you, also!

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I understand you. I like zombies. And I like it best of all when there's a humorous treatment of them.
The moon is also a subject I hold in high regard, especially when I associate it with cats.
I'll tell you a little story from my childhood about the moon:
I was born in the year 1969. When I was six years old, I played with cubes next to the TV. I remember I didn't pay much attention to it, because my grandfather was watching the news and I didn't think it was funny, but my ear caught something, an amazing news: man had landed on the moon. Amazing! To me it was hot news. Man was on the Moon.
I ran to tell the good news to my mom, my aunt and uncle, and even a visiting priest.
I spent a long time not understanding why they didn't jump with euphoria. Until I was a little older and knew a little more history.After learnig more abaut of dates of History,
I remember I also spent a long time telling my classmates and anyone who wanted to know, that I was born the year man went to the moon, as if that chance circumstance was anointed by some personal magic.
I loved your collage.
Un abrazo enorme, querida @agmoore.

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(Edited)

as if that chance circumstance was anointed by some personal magic.

My dear @adncabrera, magic is where we see it. Some people live a lifetime and never find it. The lucky ones among us experience it all the time. I think the writers we love (especially those with Spanish literary heritage) see magic all around. Think of Cervantes, inspiration for centuries of literature and culture.

Thank you for liking my collage. I claim the right to be silly, until the end of my days. I'm glad people laugh with me.

I love the story from your youth. To remember a moment in time like that. It is a gift.

I wish both of us good luck tonight, and everyone who exercised their imagination and made a collage.

Un abrazo para ti, tambien, amiga @abncabrera.

(I leave a tip instead of a vote because I am recharging hive power)

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Very educational your publication, as your publications always are. Apart from bringing us your art you also give us some knowledge! Thank you and good luck!😉

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Thank you for visiting and for your kind comment. I think the moon is cool. I love learning about it, and writing about it.

Thank you for your good wishes, and good luck!

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One of those ghouls dances like John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever. Great pictures and history of the moon.

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Hello @pokerm,
Yes! John Travolta :)) I wonder what he would think of the comparison. Thank you for stopping by and appreciating my blog. Have a peaceful day.

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Very interesting your insight @agmoore. Besides, the publication is very entertaining.

What I like most about your artwork are the shadows coming out of the tombstones and turning into zombies.

I laughed at the zombie waving on the right side of your gif...hahahahaha Magnificent!

Best regards!

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Hello dear @marcybetancourt,
I saw your collage, a tribute to love, but was waiting for my VP to replenish. I loved the shadows but couldn't get them to do exactly what I wanted. Always the case. I see something in my head but do not have the skill to create that. (When I write, this is not true. Words are more obedient to me).

I'm glad you are amused. Time for levity :) (I'm also glad to see your story in Ink Well. Looking forward to reading that).

Thank you very much for visiting, and appreciating my silly collage and moon-based blog.

Peace and health.

AG

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I see something in my head but do not have the skill to create that. (When I write, this is not true. Words are more obedient to me).

It's the same for me! I'm not expert with drawing programs 😩

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Hola amiga @agmoore. Tu prodigiosa imaginación es una inspiración para dar lo mejor de nosotros en esta bonita Comunidad. Eres un modelo a seguir. Gracias por dedicar tu valioso tiempo para crear trabajos como este y por compartir tu noble sensibilidad con la Comunidad @LMAC.

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Hola, dear aud-perez.

Thank you so much for you very kind words. I love this community and am so happy to see new members discover the creative joy of making a collage. I am a humble member of the community and love to engage with other members like you. I hope you have a fun time here. It is a pleasure to know you.
With warm regards,
AG

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Gracias por tus bellas palabras amiga. De verdad que me siento muy a gusto en esta productiva Comunidad @LMAC. Recibe Un abrazo.

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Greetings, excellent friend, your collage that brings a theory about the origin of the moon and why the day lasts 24 hours. That is to say that in a little while a day can last more hours. There are times when you feel when you sleep at night and dawn seems to be a short time, it is as if the hours pass faster. This may because of the moon.

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Hello my friend, @cetb2008,
Thank you for your visit and for reading my moon blog. I am one of those people who does not sleep well at night and is sometimes awake when the sun rises. At those times, the night seems very long :))
We are tied to the moon and the moon to us, so I guess we should know something about it.

I wish you peace and health, dear @cetb2008

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(Edited)

Hello @agmoore ! I came to return the kindness of your visit and I had a world of fun with your dancing zombies.
I've always liked those beings, ghosts, vampires, mummies, zombies ... that move from a reality of death to another of life without any inconvenience (maybe they don't have it because they have no brains, no feelings) to become stars of the universal imaginary. Thanks for sharing.

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Thank you for your visit and your generous assessment of my light-hearted collage, @gracielaacevedo. I had a lot of fun making those guys hop :))

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