Stephan’s Quintet

Stephan's Quintet as imaged by the Gemini Observatory using the Multi-Object Spectrograph on Gemini North. The interacting members of the cluster are almost 300 million light years away. The galaxy NGC 7320 (top–center) is thought by most astronomers to be in the foreground (about 8 times closer) and is distinguished in this image by multiple red blobs indicating hydrogen clouds where stars are forming. Orientation: North–bottom, East–right.
Galactic Contortionists Captured by Gemini

From the image gallery at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory.

New Pillow from Japan

TOKYO - A new product on the Japanese market has been designed for the single girl in need of some manly comfort while she sleeps.

The “Boyfriend Arm’s Pillow” is shaped like a giant arm which will hold you all night without the need for the real thing.

The almost life-size boyfriend pillow is the product of the Japanese bed linen maker, Kameo Corp., located in the Japanese city of Fukuoka. The company already sold more than 1,000 pillows since its launch last year. It costs $80 dollars (8,500 yen) and is currently only sold in Japan on the Internet.
Kameo is now planning to upgrade the pillow by producing different models, including a muscular one. And the company is also working on the prototype for a fake female lap shaped pillow targeting male users.

The company says the shape of the pillow does not just provide the illusion of having someone sleeping next to you. Tomoki Kakehashi of Kameo says the unique structure keeps the human body balanced by supporting the sleeper from both sides.

“My grandmother used to say that there is nothing more comfortable pillow than human,” says Kakehashi. “I always thought someone’s lap is the best pillow for me. So, I thought that maybe women want to sleep on the arm shaped pillow. As a fact, my kids always like to sleep on my arm. Human pillow seems to be warm and healing. This is why I made this arm shaped pillow.”