Cold, Curdled Milky Way

Poul Anderson, "Escape From Orbit," see here.

Wister has his moment of realization but I mentioned that here.

Another old friend immediately follows:

"The satellite drifted nearer, an ungainly spindle, tiny across the miles, against the cold, curdled Milky Way." (p. 96)

OK. That's two posts over breakfast this morning but other activities call. Back here later for the successful rescue and the resolution of the story.