Messier 43 is a large star forming region and the companion of the famous Orion Nebula about 1,500 light-years away. This close-up of it was made while testing one of the twin 6.5 meter Magellan telescopes at Las Campanas Observatory in the Chilean Andes. The composite image shifts the otherwise invisible infrared wavelengths to blue, green, and red colors.

Here are some details:

they are these wonderful tiny predatory birds

With great camouflage for multiple environments

And lovely plumage dependent on their species

BUT BEST OF ALL IS THEIR MOUTHS, which look small then their beaks are closed (they’ve even got cute lil’ whiskers!)

BUT ARE ACTUALLY HUUUUGE

Pulse Corals are unique in that they’re constantly in motion!

Their polyps are long and thin and topped by eight tentacles which rhythmically open and close all day and all night.

It has nothing to do with capturing prey, for these corals get almost all their food from symbiotic, photosynthesising zooxanthellae.

It seems the pulsing actually assists those same photosynthetic microbes. It helps the coral get rid of oxygen so that their guests can better get to work turning sunlight into food.

It also happens to be rather mesmerising!