#squad312

[vodkavaccum]

@golden-boy-extraordinaire can you stop banging Saedii....I can hear you through my dorm walls

[finians-average-experiences]

Space study #1: The Moon

In honour of today's full Moon (I'm a little late btw!), this first study of mine will be about the Moon! This study will go into our Moon, what is the cycle of our Moon, what even is a moon! :) Let's have some Moon Joy! <3

Please note this is written through the perspective of a fictional character, and will include "inside" jokes, and some words you may not understand. Please do ask whatever you may not understand! This is meant to be entirely and genuinely educational information, completely for beginners, NOT child friendly sometimes.

(a lot of photos!)

Almost exactly two months ago, on April 1st of 2026, NASA started a mission to send first humans ever to orbit around the Moon (no one has ever done that before!) and simultaneously has set the record for the furthest distance a human has gone away from the Earth! (how cool is that! very jelly right now - btw I am pretending to be a human and not a Betraskan from the year 2380 right now. Doing the hard work of getting the Terrans to accept and love Betraskans.)

So first, what is a moon? What is the Moon?

-> A general definition of a moon is that is a natural satellite - an astronomical body that orbits a planet. So what does that mean?

First, let's explain what a satellite is. Everyone has heard of satellites; they are the reason why we have GPS and many forms of telecommunication. These satellites affect our everyday lives, one way or another. What is important here when we mention satellites is that they orbit the Earth in order to achieve what they need to do. Are satellites Earth's moons? Well, not really. A moon is not a man-made object, while a satellite is. We use the term moon to describe what is basically a "planet" orbiting another planet.

Now, if the Moon is a planet orbiting another planet, why is it then called a moon and not simply a planet? It's very simple: Planets are masses orbiting suns (stars, if you will, burning planets), and moons are masses orbiting planets! That being said, it is absolutely fair and acceptable to call Earth Sun's natural satellite! And the Moon is Earth's natural satellite! Very cool!

Here's what it looks like when the Moon orbits the Earth (image not to scale):

The Moon rotates around its axis, the same way the Earth rotates. What is interesting, we only ever see "the front side" of the Moon. This happens because the time needed for the Moon to go around the Earth is the same amount of time the Moon takes in order to spin around its own axis. How cool is that?! :D

Here's is what it looks like as the Earth spins around the Sun:

(Mind you, the Earth is supposed to be spinning around its own axis, the axis is depicted as the line going almost vertically across the Earth. Image is not to scale.)

And here is what it looks like when we put it all together: (Important to note that this image is not to scale, as the Sun is definitely not that small!)

As you can see, the Moon got caught by the Earth's charms and can't leave now. I think it is important to say: The Moon needs approximately 27 days to go around the Earth! It's easy to get bamboozled by seemingly fine logic, thinking that the Moon needs 24h to go around the Earth - but if it did that, only one side of the Earth would be able to see the Moon and no one else. It would 100% be a tourist attraction. I'm not even sure the sea tides would exist. Some physics would happen for sure, and I am not sure whether it would be good or bad. Let's not find out.

One other thing that wouldn't happen if the Moon needed 24 hours instead of 27 days is that we wouldn't have Moon phases! You have for sure seen the Moon in all of its different phases (the same thing Kal went through living with us [squad 312], poor buddy @61gilwraethk. still can't believe he agreed to be lead on a leash, kinky, man)

But back to the explanation. The phases of the Moon aren't really phases as if the Moon is going through some physical or personality changes ( @61gilwraethk ). These phases are not something permanent or physically applicable to its structure in any way. The Moon is simply being lit up on different sides of itself by the Sun! Within its 27 day course around the world, depending on its position in relation to the Sun, different sides of the Moon are being lit. (I believe Cat @vodkavaccum was responsible for the ban on partying on the Moon, I heard it was both lit and lit.)

As depicted in the photo above, these phases always follow an exact order. We start, let's say, with the Moon not being lit (by Cat) - the New Moon. The next phase is a waxing phase, the phase where the illumination of the Moon is growing. The Moon goes from being completely in the darkness on the side we can see of it, towards the Full Moon. From the Full Moon back towards the New Moon, it goes through the waning phase. The waning phase is where the illumination of the Moon goes down until there is no light! This cycle repeats and repeats forever.

You can see the words gibbous and crescent appear twice each in the total Moon cycle. Gibbous phases are where the Moon is lit from 50% up to 100%, regardless of whether the Moon is gaining or losing light, not including the Full Moon and the Quarters, as they have names of their own.

Crescent phases are where the Moon is lit from 0% up to 50%, regardless of whether the Moon is gaining or losing light, once again, not including the Quarters or the New Moon.

The New Moon is when the Moon has no light on its Earth facing side.

The Full Moon is when the Moon is completely engulfed in light on its Earth facing side.

Okay, that's it for today, enough of studying. I need to take my exosuit off and wind down.

Good night Terrans.

Yours truly,

Betraskan Finian de Karran de Seel

[multiverselibrarian]

just saying that if you weren’t picturing time-skip-space-pirate-dad-Captain Tyler Jones like this you’re missing out

[funnymusician888]

I fear that I might be alone on this, but one thing that annoyed me about the books (which, mind you I read years ago, when I was a impressionable 14 year old) is the fact that sexuality is wayyyy too polished and perfect. So are the characters too imo.

Like.

Scarlett is sooo perfect and sexy and alluring and charming, that it almost feels as if the narrative is more so sexualising her, than that she is doing so. She is not in full control of her agency when it comes to being sexualized (I mean duh characters are plot tools but still) and in no way does she explore that on her own. Which I feel like. Would have been wayyyy way better. And empowering. For a young adult book yknow. A girl on the brink of womanhood exploring what being sexy means to her. Or why she even feels the need to be sexy and charming, and that also in regard to how she views relationships and sex. Why can’t she commit? What is she scared of? Why does having many surface level relationships excite her? This way she’d be less of a stereotype and more of a well rounded character.

I see the same issue with Tyler and Cat’s one night stand. It could have been more impactful by emphasizing that both have sex for the first time. The first time!!!!!

And idk maybe I’m naive but in my eyes that’s like. Suuuuch a huge intimate thing!! Especially when you’ve never done it before and don’t know how it works or what to expect!!

The fact they do it with each other (even if so drunk) speaks volumes for the trust they share. To show yourself to someone at your most vulnerable and believe they’ll hold you with care. Combine that with both of em having issues with vulnerability and boom. Higher stakes for their friendship and way more complex and realistic. This way her dying would have been more gut-wrenching. The one person he felt vulnerable and weird and awkward around is gone. That he allowed himself to only ever be fully human with her.

Sex is awkward and sweet and intimate and absurd. Especially when it’s your first time and you don’t really know what to do or how to properly love the other person and their body. You don’t know what to do but you want to do right for the other person (isn’t he a huge perfectionist too?? would make him more human instead of just focusing on his dimples ughhh) I would have liked it more if that awkwardness showed. Like. Nervous shared laughter. Kisses that are sloppy and messy. Underneath all that unspoken tenderness reserved only for the other. But like I said my view on sex is a bit well. Idealistic. So yea. Take that with a grain of salt.

Generally all the characters are imo too perfect. Like. I don’t think banter should always be the case. If anything it should be used to highlight how some characters share a special connection and can understand each other deeply and know that “dance of banter”? cause idk. Let someone else join in and mess up and say something that’s awkward. Let characters be real and human and messy I beg!!!!

[booktineus]

QOTD: How many of you have read Kristoff's Lotus War trilogy? For a popular author, I swear barely anyone has read his debut series. I loved the characters and the lore in it, plus Endsinger B R O K E me. I was a sobbing mess at the end. //CHALLENGES// #AmpersandDec20 - Highest-rated books #LMSDecember2020 - Found family #WonderlandBookChallenge - Scrooge: Character redemptions #BookNerdsAndFriends - Holiday Ham: Funny characters #BestReadsof2020 - Best character development //HASHTAGS// #jaykristoff #loveozya #bookstack #bookspiral #aussieauthor #lotuswar #nevernight #illuminae #aurorarising #squad312 #nevernightchronicle #theilluminaefiles #ausyabloggers #ausbookishfeatures #bibliophilebuzz #aussiebookworm #booklover #authorstack https://www.instagram.com/p/CJIxBqfAlrm/?igshid=1webedjwqutbr

[squad312texts]

saedii is new to this social media thing,,,

[ceceism]

I know we all like to get mad at Squad 312 for being mean to Kal when they found out about his dad, but we really should start thinking about how they'll react to Tyler and Scarlett's mum.

Imagine:

Scarlett: *horrified screaming*(probably actually very traumatic. I don't think she'll react well to the news)

Auri: *confused screaming*

Fin: doesn't scream but definitely faints/falls over

Zila: *internal screaming*

Kal: is 99.99999998% sure he's hallucinating. Tasers himself to wake up. It obviously doesn't work.

[ventureswithbooks]

“Who am I to deny gravity, Aurora? When you shine brighter than any constellation in the sky?” - Aurora Rising . . 🌟QOTD: have you ever seen your name in a book? If yes, which book?? . . Hello friends and happy Tuesday! When @misterkristoff and @amiekaufmanauthor offer you a chance to get your name in one of their books you 100% take the chance!! I’ve seen my name in one series (The Queen of the Tearling) but it’s a unique name/spelling so I’m not surprised. I am so so excited for this wonderful book and to see all the amazing colors these edges will be sprayed!! Only a couple more months till we get some answers!! To help promote this awesome opportunity I’m tagging my two friends @bookishelflife and @alexinaribooks . . #tumblesoverbooks - Series finale: rule of wolves #CourtofReading - March book haul #Darklibrariansread - Nymph: march haul . . #auroracycle #aurorasend #squad312 #jaykristoff #amiekaufman #getunderlined #librariesofig #bookishcommunity #bibliophilelife #youngadultbooks #readersofig #lovetoreadbooks #booksofinsta #readingforfun #bookloversofinstagram #bookstagrammers #bookstagramcommunity #bibliophiles #bookwormlife #bookbloggersofinstagram #bookstagrammademedoit #bookreader #rainbowbookshelves https://www.instagram.com/p/CNDIAeFLJ2n/?igshid=vh9epd6l1pc3