Paris Full Moon Picnic Group

Ahoy there, The next full moon picnic will be Thursday June 28 from 9 - 11 PM. Sunset will be around 9:45PM. Moonrise will be about 10:25 PM. June was known to American Indians for the Full Strawberry Moon because this is the time to pick strawberries. (I pick mine in the market.) In Europe it was known for the Rose Moon WHAT: Everyone brings food and drinks to share. WHERE: Pont des Arts. We'll gather around a bench near the middle of the bridge. Nearest metros: Pont Neuf and Louvre-Rivoli. WHEN: Thursday June 28, 9 PM - 11 PM WHY: Share one of the most memorable sights in Paris with some of the nicest people around. WHO: You and your friends. HOW to find us: Keep your eyes out for a small white telescope on tripod if the sky is clear and a group of "lunatics" gathered around a bench near the center of the bridge laughing and speaking English. THEME: Strawberries and roses! BIRTHDAYS: Are you a Cancer? If so, let me know so we can celebrate your birthday this month and blow out the world’s largest birthday candle at exactly 10:05 pm! PUZZLER I: Einstein’s general theory of relativity recently had it’s most robust test ever. How and what was the result? PUZZLER I ANSWER: Einstein is still right! Astronomers in the UK published their results yesterday, confirming with only small uncertainty that gravity behaves similarly in a far away galaxy. Using the Hubble Telescope they found a galaxy at 500 million light years acted as a gravitational lens on light from a more distant galaxy. The two galaxies were conveniently aligned close enough to produce the Einstein Ring that was predicted. https://www.space.com/40958-einstein-general-relativity-test-distant-galaxy.html PUZZLER II: Arthur C Clarke had two terrifying thoughts. One was that we are alone in the universe. What was the other one? PUZZLER II ANSWER: The other terrifying thought: We are not alone. A new model proposes a solution to the Fermi Paradox (“Where is everybody? We should have seen evidence by now.) It concludes that humanity is most likely the only intelligent species in the Milky Way Galaxy at present.” https://www.universetoday.com/139467/new-model-predicts-that-were-probably-the-only-advanced-civilization-in-the-observable-universe/ I didn’t have time to study the whole article, but I’d point out there’s a big difference between the "observable universe,” the “whole universe,” and the “Milky Way Galaxy” (not to mention the “multiverse.”) More importantly mankind has a history of thinking we were at the pinnacle of God’s creation and the center of the universe; or at least the galaxy; well for sure the sun revolved around the earth as you can plainly see. Gradually mankind has been pushed kicking and dragging its feet further and further from the center stage. So I remain skeptical about our exalted status. As Monty Python said, “Pray that there’s intelligent life somewhere up in space, ‘Cause there’s bugger all down here on Earth!" ciao for niao, Captain Bob