The Remnant Online

Study => Lessons From Nature => Topic started by: JimB on June 20, 2005, 10:21:00 AM

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on June 20, 2005, 10:21:00 AM
Here is something new for the sky watchers out there to keep an eye open for. Maybe some of you have seen them and not even realized it.

 

quote:
Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) are a mystery. They hover near the edge of space, far above ordinary clouds. Some researchers believe they're seeded by space dust. Others say they're a sign of global warming. Whatever they are, they're beautiful, and last week's sightings in Europe mark the beginning of the 2005 noctilucent cloud season. Northern summer is the best time to spot them.
Spaceweather.com
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on June 20, 2005, 10:24:00 AM
Summer Moon Illusion

The lowest-hanging full moon in 18 years is going to play tricks on you this week.

Step outside any evening at sunset and look around. You'll see a giant moon rising in the east. It looks like Earth's moon, round and cratered; the Man in the Moon is in his usual place. But something's wrong. This full moon is strangely inflated. It's huge!

You've just experienced the Moon Illusion.

Sky watchers have known this for thousands of years: moons hanging low in the sky look unnaturally big. Cameras don't see it, but our eyes do. It's a real illusion.  

Full story at science.nasa.gov

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on June 22, 2005, 05:59:00 AM
Spectacular Conjunction

Mercury, Venus and Saturn are converging for a spectacular close encounter this weekend.

June 22, 2005: Stick up your thumb and hold it at arm's length. It doesn't seem very big, does it? But it is, big enough to hide three planets.

This weekend Mercury, Venus and Saturn are going to crowd together in a patch of sky no bigger than your thumb. Astronomers call it a "conjunction" and it's going to be spectacular.

The show begins on Saturday evening, June 25th. Step outside and look west toward the glow of the setting sun. Venus appears first, a bright point of light not far above the horizon. As the sky darkens, Saturn and Mercury pop into view. The three planets form a eye-catching triangle about 1.5o long, easily hidden by your thumb. Full Story

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on June 22, 2005, 01:42:00 PM
I often wondered why the moon appears so large when rising. Now I think I know?   :)  Thanks for the note, Brother Jim. We will be watching tonight and tomorrow.  

It is also interesting to note that the change in moonrise is so great each nite. I never knew this until reading the link. A lot different than than the sunrise.  :)

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on July 15, 2005, 07:00:00 AM
If you live in the northern US or in Canada and happen to be up late at night, you might want to look north for the possibility of northern lights.  
quote:
Space Weather News for July 14, 2005
http://spaceweather.com

Solar activity has suddenly increased with a series of strong explosions from sunspot 786, including an X-category flare this morning. Because the sunspot is near the sun's western limb, none of the blasts was squarely Earth-directed. Nevertheless, coronal mass ejections hurled into space by these explosions could deliver glancing blows to Earth's magnetic field as early as tonight (July 14-15) and continuing through the weekend, possibly sparking geomagnetic storms and auroras.


Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on July 22, 2005, 02:37:00 PM
July 22, 2005: Got a calendar? Circle this date: Friday, August 12th. Next to the circle write "before sunrise" and "Meteors!" Attach all of the above to your refrigerator in plain view so you won't miss the 2005 Perseid meteor shower.

The Perseids come every year, beginning in late July and stretching into August. Sky watchers outdoors at the right time can see colorful fireballs, occasional outbursts and, almost always, long hours of gracefully streaking meteors. Among the many nights of the shower, there is always one night that is best. This year: August 12th.

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/22jul_perseids2005.htm?list100606

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Marie on July 22, 2005, 04:26:00 PM
tHANK you Brother Jim.  :)

------------------
With Christian Love,
Sister Marie

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 05, 2005, 06:04:00 AM
August 4, 2005: If you live in south Florida, central Texas or near the Mississippi River Delta, you're in for a treat. This weekend the space shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station (ISS) are going to orbit over your part of the country. Shining like very bright stars, the two ships will glide in tandem across the sky--a lovely sight.

That's the good news. The bad news is that you have to wake up before dawn to see them, but they're worth waking up for.

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/04aug_sightings.htm?list100606

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 05, 2005, 01:53:00 PM
Space Weather News for 5 August 2005
http://spaceweather.com

PERSEID METEORS: Don't forget, the Perseid meteor shower peaks on Friday morning, August 12th. No matter where you live, the best time to look will be during the hours before local dawn when the constellation Perseus is high in the sky. While August 12th is best, the nights before and after the 12th can be good, too. Even now, sky watchers are seeing occasional bright Perseids before dawn.  

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on August 06, 2005, 01:29:00 PM
Thanks, Brother Jim, I am going to look!  :)
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 11, 2005, 10:13:00 AM
Just another reminder for those who find themselves up a littler later than normal.

Space Weather News for August 11, 2005
http://spaceweather.com

The Perseid meteor shower is underway.  The shower's broad peak extends from August 11th through 13th, with August 12th being best.  If you get away from bright city lights and watch the sky between local midnight and dawn on Friday morning, August 12th, you can expect to see dozens to hundreds of meteors.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on September 14, 2005, 08:47:00 AM
Space Weather News for Sept. 14, 2004
http://spaceweather.com

Sunspot 798/808 flared twice more yesterday, and at least one of the X-class explosions propelled a coronal mass ejection (CME) toward Earth.  NOAA forecasters estimate a 70% chance of severe geomagnetic activity when the CME arrives--perhaps tonight, Sept. 14-15.  Sky watchers at all latitudes should be alert for auroras.

Observing tips:  Although auroras are sometimes bright enough to shine through city lights, you'll see more from a dark-sky site in the countryside.  The best time to look is usually during the hours around local midnight.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 05, 2005, 12:59:00 PM
The Da Vinci Glow

October 4, 2005:
Little-known to most, one of Leonardo's finest works is not a painting or an invention, but rather something from astronomy: He solved the ancient riddle of Earthshine.

You can see Earthshine whenever there's a crescent Moon on the horizon at sunset. Thursday, Oct. 6, is a good night: sky map. Look between the horns of the crescent for a ghostly image of the full Moon. That's Earthshine.

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/04oct_leonardo.htm?list100606

[This message has been edited by JimB (edited 10-05-2005).]

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 24, 2005, 10:39:00 AM
Space Weather News for Oct. 24, 2005
http://spaceweather.com

HERE COMES MARS: Mark your calendar: On Oct. 30th, Mars makes its closest approach to Earth for the next 13 years.  The view of Mars through backyard telescopes is already spectacular and getting better.  Amateur astronomers are monitoring a big dust storm that is "rewriting the map of Mars" from night to night.  You can see Mars with the unaided eye, too.  It looks like a brilliant orange star rising in the east after sunset.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for pictures and sky maps.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on November 15, 2005, 10:11:00 AM
Space Weather News for Nov. 13, 2005
http://spaceweather.com

THE LEONIDS: The most famous of all meteor showers, the Leonids, peaks on Thursday, Nov. 17th. A few years ago, the Leonids were storming, filling the skies with bright meteors. But not this year. The 2005 Leonids are expected to be few (less than 20 per hour) and hard to see because of the glaring full Moon.

Nevertheless, if you're an enthusiast, you might want to go outside before sunrise on Nov. 17th and look up. The sparkling stars of northern winter will be on full display, along with Saturn and the full Moon, and you might spot a few meteors, too.

THE MOON & MARS: This is good: The Moon and Mars are getting together for a beautiful close encounter. You can see them rising in the east, side-by-side, at sundown on Monday, Nov. 14th.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on January 11, 2006, 12:51:00 PM
FIREBALL ALERT: On Sunday morning, Jan. 15th, between approximately
1:56 and 1:59 a.m. PST (0956 - 0959 UT), a brilliant fireball will streak
over northern California and Nevada. It's NASA's Stardust capsule,
returning to Earth with samples of dust from Comet Wild 2. Observers along
the flight path should have a marvelous view of this rare man-made
meteor.  Radio signals reflected from the capsule's ionized tail may be
heard from a much wider area--hundreds to thousands of miles away.  Visit
http://spaceweather.com for maps and observing tips.
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on March 13, 2006, 07:38:00 AM
Space Weather News for March 12, 2006
http://spaceweather.com

LUNAR ECLIPSE:  When the full moon rises on Tuesday evening, March 14th, you might notice something odd--a pale shadow darkening the moon's southern hemisphere. That is the shadow of Earth, and if you can see it,
you've spotted a "penumbral" lunar eclipse.  Weather permitting, the eclipse will be visible from eastern parts of the USA and Canada, all of Europe and Africa, most of Asia and South America, and western
Australia. The eclipse will *not* be visible from California and other far western US states.

BLUE SUN:  Lately, the sun over Egypt has been turning a strange color--blue!  This is a side-effect of very fine particles in the air kicked up by seasonal dust storms. Where there are blue suns, there could be blue moons, too, and maybe even a blue lunar eclipse.  Observers in and around Egypt should keep an eye on the sky in the nights ahead.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on March 24, 2006, 11:40:00 AM
NASA Science News for March 24, 2006

A cometary "string-of-pearls" will fly past Earth in May 2006 giving astronomers a fantastic view of a comet in its death throes.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/24mar_73p.htm?list845061

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on April 20, 2006, 12:17:00 PM
Space Weather News for April 20, 2006
http://spaceweather.com

Earth is about to pass through the dusty tail of Comet Thatcher, and
this will cause the annual Lyrid meteor shower. Forecasters expect the
shower to peak on April 22nd, producing about 10 meteors per
hour--modest, but pretty.  The best time to look is during the hours before sunrise
on Saturday morning.  Go to a dark site away from city lights, if
possible.

The Moon will also encounter the comet's tail on April 22nd, which
raises an interesting possibility: Amateur astronomers may be able to spot
flashes of light on the Moon when comet debris hits the lunar surface
and explodes. All that's required is a backyard telescope and lots of
patience.

Visit Spaceweather.com for details, sky maps and observing tips.

Note: This is a Northern Hemisphere shower.  South of the equator,
observers will see very few Lyrids.  Southerners are, however, in an
excellent position to observe Lyrid impacts on the Moon.  The Moon rises high
in southern skies on April 22nd, in plain view of backyard telescopes.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on May 10, 2006, 06:39:00 AM
HERE THEY COME:

More than 60 fragments of dying comet
73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 are racing toward Earth. There's no danger of a collision. At
closest approach on May 12th through 16th, the mini-comets will be 6
million miles away.

That is close enough, however, for a marvelous view through backyard
telescopes.  Many of the fragments are themselves crumbling, producing
clouds of gas and dust mixed with boulder-sized debris. As some fragments
fade, others brighten, surprising onlookers. It's an amazing display.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on November 14, 2006, 10:17:00 AM
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/14nov_leonids.htm?list100606

Return of the Leonids

"We expect an outburst of more than 100 Leonids per hour," says Bill Cooke, the head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office in Huntsville, AL. This pales in comparison to the Leonid storms of 2001 and 2002, when sky watchers saw thousands of meteors. Even so, a hundred per hour would make the Leonids one of the best showers of 2006.

Earth's encounter with the comet dust is going to be brief—"possibly no more than a few hours long," says Cooke. Forecasters differ on when the outburst will occur. Estimates range from 0445 UT to 0630 UT on Nov. 19th (11:45 p.m. on Nov. 18th to 1:30 am EST on Nov. 19th). The timing favors western Europe, Africa, Brazil and eastern parts of North America: map.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Liane H on November 18, 2006, 10:31:00 AM
Current news has said Europe will have full view still for Saturday and Sunday nights, but that New England may have to contend with clouds and miss them.

As for us in California it is said we can see them in the pre-dawn morning a few every hour if we are brave enough to stand the cold for a few metors to see.

Maybe I will.

------------------
Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on December 13, 2006, 04:35:00 AM
GEMINID METEORS:  The Geminid meteor shower peaks tonight. Start watching around 9 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Dec. 13th. The display will start small but grow in intensity as the night wears on. By Thursday
morning, Dec. 14th, people in dark, rural areas could see one or two Geminids every minute.

Visit http://SpaceWeather.com for meteor observing tips, sky maps, and updates about solar activity.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Marie on December 13, 2006, 08:24:00 PM
Sounds interesting. But it is all clouded over here. We have had rain for days. Too bad.  :(

------------------
With Christian Love,
Sister Marie

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Sherwin on December 14, 2006, 08:43:00 PM
Wow what a night to be outside. As I was walking between my shop and the house I noticed Orion coming up in the East and then my attention was drawn to a luminescent glow to the North. It was the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. They had a little bit of the curtain like presence rarely seen around here plus the glow that extended overhead and to the South of our old homestead. And then to top it off there was the occasional meteorite streaking across the glow, especially one that started out the usual white and turned red before it met it's end.

What an awesome Creator that put in our skies a light show like that, and it didn't cost a dime, just a bit of time and cold ears.

Brother Sherwin

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on December 14, 2006, 09:28:00 PM
Amen!
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Liane H on December 15, 2006, 04:32:00 AM
No rain but very cloudy days with specks of sun and cloudy nights, but was unable to see anything.

There is beauty everywhere if we desire to take the time to look. This is nothing compared to what we will see and have in Heaven and the New Earth.

Thanks Brother Sherwin for the beautiful discription of what you saw.

------------------
Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on December 15, 2006, 04:56:00 AM
Brother Sherwin, can I ask what time that was? I was out on purpose to watch for those very things but things clouded up a little so I gave up about 11pm.

In the midst of setting up my binoculars on the tripod I discovered that my binoculars are broken!  :(  When looking through them the eyes never line up together and I can hear a lens that is loose inside. Time to start saving my pennies again I guess.

I'm that the northern lights should be visible again tonight. Keep your eyes peeled.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Sherwin on December 15, 2006, 12:47:00 PM
It was around 8PM, maybe a bit before and it lasted for about an hour.

Cloudy here in the central MI at the moment, maybe it will clear up before tonight. Of course I'll be at the GLAA Christmas concert...

Brother Sherwin

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Sherwin on December 15, 2006, 05:18:00 PM
Jim there was a great picture in the GR Press of the lights last night, one area was really red and right next to it was the usual greenish glow. It was really great I know here. Sorry you missed it ;D

Brother "rubbing it in" Sherwin

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Marie on December 15, 2006, 06:45:00 PM
I would have loved to see that. Today was the first day in many days that I seen any sun. Very cold tonight....down to 30 it says. and no higher than 31 at night all week. Rain again for two days. Maybe someday I will see these beautiful things. Is there any website that shows what happened??

------------------
With Christian Love,
Sister Marie

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on December 15, 2006, 07:58:00 PM
Brother "rubbing it in-Sherwin".... well I guess I should not have waited. I could have been outside at 8pm but I thought I read that it wouldn't start till after 9:30pm. That is what I get for listening to the experts!  :)

Sister Glass, try... wwww.spaceweather.com

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Liane H on December 16, 2006, 03:13:00 AM
Though we have had the clouds for rain and snow we have received none and also missing out on the great experience. Thanks for the website link.

------------------
Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on March 01, 2007, 11:26:00 AM
Space Weather News for March 1, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE:  Set aside some time this weekend for sky
watching.  On Saturday night, March 3rd, there's going to be a total eclipse of
the Moon.  This means the Moon will glide through the heart of Earth's
shadow and turn a beautiful shade of sunset red.  Totality can be seen
from parts of all seven continents including all of Europe and Africa
and the eastern half of North America.  

----------------------------
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/12feb_lunareclipse.htm

In the USA, the eclipse will already be underway when the moon rises on Saturday evening. Observing tip: Find a place with a clear view of the eastern horizon and station yourself there at sunset. As the sun goes down behind you, a red moon will rise before your eyes.

Rising moons are often reddened by clouds or pollution, but this moon will be the deep, extraordinary red only seen during a lunar eclipse. As you watch it ascend into the night, imagine what it would be like to stand by Shackleton Crater watching from the opposite direction.

[This message has been edited by Jim B (edited 03-01-2007).]

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on March 01, 2007, 12:42:00 PM
Hey! You are quick on the draw, Jim - I was going to post a reminder - there is already a topic for this for Moon to turn Red on March 3, or something like that! Great minds ...  ???   ;D !!! Thanks!
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on March 07, 2007, 09:05:00 AM
Did anyone get to see this? It was snowing out here so I couldn't.
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Marie on March 07, 2007, 09:51:00 AM
I was watching with friends and it was really beautiful coming up, but from here it did not show red. My son seen it, I think from Redding, and he seen it red there. They are much higher and would have a better eye shot of it. I would think they may be able to see it sooner than we, when it was red. I was disappointed. But my son said it was something else.

------------------
With Christian Love,
Sister Marie

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on March 07, 2007, 12:36:00 PM
I missed it ... heard it was beautiful!
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on July 13, 2007, 05:32:00 AM
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/11jul_greatperseids.htm?list100606

Got a calendar? Circle this date: Sunday, August 12th. Next to the circle write "all night" and "Meteors!" Attach the above to your refrigerator in plain view so you won't miss the 2007 Perseid meteor shower.

"It's going to be a great show," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center. "The Moon is new on August 12th--which means no moonlight, dark skies and plenty of meteors." How many? Cooke estimates one or two Perseids per minute at the shower's peak.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 07, 2007, 11:09:00 AM
Bringing current - August 12 is in a few days!
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 09, 2007, 05:05:00 PM
Space Weather News for August 9, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

The Perseid meteor shower has begun.  Although the display will not peak until August 12th and 13th, sky watchers are already counting as many as a dozen meteors per hour (including some nice fireballs) during the darkest hours before dawn.  Rates could increase 5- to 10-fold when the shower reaches maximum on Sunday night and Monday morning. Advice: Get away from city lights. While many Perseids will be bright enough to see from light-polluted urban areas, the shower's full grandeur is reserved for places with dark and starry skies. This is a good weekend to go camping.

Visit http://Spaceweather.com for photos, observing tips and a sky map.  Full coverage of the shower begins today and will continue until Perseid activity subsides.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 27, 2007, 10:24:00 AM
Space Weather News for Aug. 27, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

LUNAR ECLIPSE--FULL COVERAGE: On Tuesday, Aug. 28th, the full Moon will
enter Earth's shadow for a 90-minute total eclipse. People on the
Pacific side of Earth will have the best view as the Moon turns a dreamy
shade of sunset red. Favored areas include the Americas (especially
western North America), Hawaii, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, east Asia and
Antarctica.  The show begins Tuesday morning around 2 a.m. Pacific
Daylight Time (0900 UT).

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Sherwin on August 28, 2007, 08:46:00 PM
It was awesome here in Mid Michigan.

Br. S


quote:
Originally posted by Jim B:
Space Weather News for Aug. 27, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

LUNAR ECLIPSE--FULL COVERAGE: On Tuesday, Aug. 28th, the full Moon will
enter Earth's shadow for a 90-minute total eclipse. People on the
Pacific side of Earth will have the best view as the Moon turns a dreamy
shade of sunset red. Favored areas include the Americas (especially
western North America), Hawaii, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, east Asia and
Antarctica.  The show begins Tuesday morning around 2 a.m. Pacific
Daylight Time (0900 UT).


Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Liane H on August 31, 2007, 11:44:00 AM
My first week up at the new property has been very interesting. We had hoped for sunshine each day so that we could see how the solar panels would do with me being added to the usage, but

Low and behold we got cloud, clouds and more clouds and yesterday it rained, rained and very little sunshine and the generator had to be used instead to keep up with the electrical need for us.

Solar is a very different world. Still trying to understand how it works, but getting better each day. It feels good though to have solar here and it helps the environment and that is good. We check each morning and evening what has been used and what is left in store. It is part of the routine of each day.

We still have clouds, but a lot more sunshine than yesterday.  

------------------
Liane, the Zoo Mama
Romans 8:19   For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 15, 2007, 12:19:00 PM

Space Weather News for Oct. 15, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

In recent nights, sky watchers have noticed meteors shooting out of the
constellation Orion.  This signals the beginning of the annual Orionid
meteor shower caused by space dust from Halley's Comet.  The shower is
feeble now, producing only a few bright meteors per hour, but the show
will improve as we approach the shower's peak on Oct. 21st.  Last
year, observers counted as many as 50 Orionids per hour when Earth passed
through the thick of Halley's dust trail and another good display may be
in the offing.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for pictures, sky maps
and updates.

Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 15, 2007, 03:07:00 PM
This is great! Thanks for the reminder, Jim! Am excited about this one!
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 20, 2007, 12:48:00 PM
Just a reminder that tonight is the peak for this set of meteors.
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 20, 2007, 05:24:00 PM
I hope we have clear skies tonight! I want to see this one!
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 20, 2007, 05:30:00 PM
According to the note on Space News, very early Sunday morning will be the best time ...
Title: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 22, 2007, 05:50:00 AM
I got up at 4:30am Sunday morning to see what I could see. I sat there for a few minutes and was getting ready to go back in when I saw a meteor. Then another, and another. I was outside for about 30 minutes I guess I saw about 15 to 20 of them. One of them must have come a little closer as it light up the sky and you could see a tail of fire on it before it disappeared.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 22, 2007, 03:36:15 PM
The Lord blest us with a little snow, so I could not see it!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Marie on October 22, 2007, 08:34:26 PM
It is really cool out tonight here in Michigan. Raining that kind of rain that almost looks and feels like the fore-runner of snow.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 24, 2007, 01:43:58 PM

Space Weather News for Oct. 24, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

ERUPTING COMET:  Astronomers in Japan and Europe report that Comet
 17P/Holmes is undergoing a spectacular eruption.  The 17th-magnitude comet
 has brightened by a factor of five hundred thousand or more during the
 past 24 hours becoming a naked eye object in the evening sky. This may
 signify a breakup of the comet's core or a rich vein of ice suddenly
 exposed to sunlight--no one knows. Look for a yellow 2.5th-magnitude
 fuzzball in the constellation Perseus after sunset. ("2.5th magnitude"
 means a little dimmer than the stars of the Big Dipper.) At present the
 comet looks more like a star than a comet; it does not have a discernable
 tail, but it might grow one as the outburst continues.  Visit
 http://spaceweather.com for a sky map, photos and updates.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Marie on October 25, 2007, 04:22:35 AM
Thank you for this information brother Jim. :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 26, 2007, 11:47:49 AM
Sudden Naked-Eye Comet Shocks the Astronomy World

A distant comet that was as faint as magnitude 18 on October 20th has suddenly brightened by about a millionfold, altering the naked-eye appearance of the constellation Perseus with a new orange-yellow "star."

This startling outburst of Comet Holmes (17P) is even stronger than the one that occurred 115 years ago, in November 1892, when the comet was first spotted by English amateur Edwin Holmes.

Source (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/10775326.html)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on July 22, 2008, 12:32:36 PM
The 2008 Perseid Meteor Shower

July 22, 2008: Mark your calendar: The 2008 Perseid meteor shower peaks on August 12th and it should be a good show.

"The time to look is during the dark hours before dawn on Tuesday, August 12th," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center. "There should be plenty of meteors--perhaps one or two every minute."

The source of the shower is Comet Swift-Tuttle. Although the comet is far away, currently located beyond the orbit of Uranus, a trail of debris from the comet stretches all the way back to Earth. Crossing the trail in August, Earth will be pelted by specks of comet dust hitting the atmosphere at 132,000 mph. At that speed, even a flimsy speck of dust makes a vivid streak of light when it disintegrates--a meteor! Because, Swift-Tuttle's meteors streak out of the constellation Perseus, they are called "Perseids."

Serious meteor hunters will begin their watch early, on Monday evening, August 11th, around 9 pm when Perseus first rises in the northeast. This is the time to look for Perseid Earthgrazers--meteors that approach from the horizon and skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond.

Full Article Here[/quote]

 (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/22jul_perseiddawn.htm?list845061)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on July 22, 2008, 01:37:38 PM
Ever wondered about space junk? Well it's real and you can see it. Last year astronauts tossed over board from the International Space Station a refrigerator-sized ammonia reservoir. Well now it's orbit has decayed so far you can see it. Just punch in your zip code and it will tell when you can see it. Just look for "Early Ammonia Servicer" on the list. It will tell when and where to look for it.      


http://spaceweather.com/flybys/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 06, 2008, 05:19:44 PM
Space Weather News for Oct. 6, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

ASTEROID 2008 TC3:  A small, newly-discovered asteroid named 2008 TC3 is approaching Earth and chances are good that it will hit. Measuring only a few meters across, the space rock poses no threat to people or structures on the ground, but it should create a spectacular fireball, releasing about a kiloton of energy as it disintegrates and explodes in the high atmosphere.  At least one expert estimates that atmospheric entry will occur on Oct 7th at 0246 UTC over northern Sudan.  Stay tuned to http://spaceweather.com for more information and updates to this developing story.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 20, 2008, 01:36:08 PM
Space Weather News for Oct. 20, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

ORIONID METEOR WATCH: If you wake up before sunrise on Tuesday, Oct. 21st, set aside 15 minutes or so to watch the sky around Orion.  You might see some meteors.  The annual Orionid meteor shower, caused by dusty debris from Halley's Comet, is peaking today and tomorrow.  Little was expected of this year's display because a bright Moon is hanging in the pre-dawn sky, causing an interfering glare.  Surprisingly, however, sky watchers on Oct. 20th witnessed 15 or more Orionids per hour, many of them brighter than first magnitude stars.  If this stronger-than-expected display spills into Tuesday, you might be glad to wake up early.  Check http://spaceweather.com for updates and a sky map.

Sign up for free Space Weather News bulletins:
http://spaceweather.com/services/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 07, 2008, 07:17:31 AM
Space Weather News for Nov. 6, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

TAURID METEOR SHOWER: The annual Taurid meteor shower is underway and it could be a good show. 2008 is a "swarm year" for the Taurids. Between Nov. 5th and 12th, Earth is due to pass through an unusually dense swarm of gritty debris from parent comet 2P/Encke. When a similar encounter happened in 2005, sky watchers observed a slow drizzle of midnight fireballs for nearly two weeks.  Whether 2008 will be as good as 2005, however, remains to be seen. In 2005, the swarm encounter was more central; Earth passed through the middle of the cloud.  In 2008, forecasters believe we are closer to the outskirts.  How much this will affect the shower, no one knows. The best time to look is during the hours around midnight when the constellation Taurus is high in the sky.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and photos of the ongoing shower.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on November 07, 2008, 09:35:04 AM
Space Weather News for Nov. 6, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

TAURID METEOR SHOWER: The annual Taurid meteor shower is underway and it could be a good show. 2008 is a "swarm year" for the Taurids. Between Nov. 5th and 12th, Earth is due to pass through an unusually dense swarm of gritty debris from parent comet 2P/Encke. When a similar encounter happened in 2005, sky watchers observed a slow drizzle of midnight fireballs for nearly two weeks.  Whether 2008 will be as good as 2005, however, remains to be seen. In 2005, the swarm encounter was more central; Earth passed through the middle of the cloud.  In 2008, forecasters believe we are closer to the outskirts.  How much this will affect the shower, no one knows. The best time to look is during the hours around midnight when the constellation Taurus is high in the sky.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and photos of the ongoing shower.


These displays always seem to be at their best when I'm sleeping.  We did manage to get the kids up early for a better than usual Leonid meteor shower a few years a go.  As I recall that one was good at a reasonable hour of around 5 a.m.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 07, 2008, 09:40:14 AM
 :D And I missed the latest fireballs for the same reason!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 24, 2008, 04:39:30 PM
NASA Science News for November 24, 2008

Venus and Jupiter are converging for a spectacular three-way conjunction with the crescent Moon, a rare gathering some astronomers are calling 'the sky show of the year.' Today's story tells when and where to look.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/24nov_skyshow.htm?list984649
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on December 09, 2008, 06:57:38 PM
NASA Science News for December 9, 2008

Not all full Moons are the same. This Friday's is the biggest and brightest full Moon of the year.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/09dec_fullmoon.htm?list984649
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on December 12, 2008, 11:10:37 AM
Space Weather News for Dec. 12, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

WEEKEND METEORS: Earth is entering a stream of debris from extinct comet 3200 Phaethon, and this is causing the annual Geminid meteor shower.  The shower is expected to peak on Dec. 13th and 14th.  Normally, as many as 100 meteors per hour shoot out of the constellation Gemini, but this year a bright Moon will interfere with the display, reducing hourly counts to only 20 or so. That's could still be a nice show.  For best results, watch the sky from 10 pm local time on Saturday night (Dec 13th) until dawn on Sunday morning (Dec. 14th).

BIGGEST FULL MOON OF THE YEAR:  The Moon that's causing trouble for the Geminid display happens to be biggest full Moon of 2008, as much as 14% wider and 30% brighter than lesser Moons we've seen earlier this year. An astronomer would say this is a "perigee Moon" because it occurs at perigee, the side of the Moon's elliptical orbit closest to Earth. Go outside tonight and take a look.  The meteor rate may be low, but the lunar beauty index is off the charts.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on February 05, 2009, 03:14:20 PM
Space Weather News for Feb. 5, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

COMET TAIL: Comet Lulin (C/2007 N3) is approaching Earth and putting on a good show for amateur astronomers.  Yesterday, Feb. 4th, observers witnessed a "disconnection event." A gust of solar wind tore off part of the comet's tail in plain view of backyard telescopes. Photos of the event are featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com. Activity in the comet's tail and atmosphere will become even easier to see in the weeks ahead as Lulin nears closest approach on Feb. 24th.   At that time the comet will lie only 38 million miles from Earth and it should be visible to the naked eye.  In the meantime, please note that Feb. 5th-7th, is an especially good time to find Comet Lulin in the pre-dawn sky. The comet is gliding beautifully close to the naked-eye double star Zubenelgenubi.  Just point your binoculars at the double star and the comet will materialize right beside it. Visit http://spaceweather.com for photos, sky maps and more information.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on February 08, 2009, 06:38:14 AM
Space Weather News for Feb. 8, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

DUSKY LUNAR ECLIPSE: On Monday, Feb. 9th, the full Moon will pass through the outskirts of Earth's shadow, producing a penumbral lunar eclipse. The event will be visible to the naked eye as a dusky shading of the northern half of the Moon. Maximum eclipse occurs between the hours of 1400 and 1520 UT (6:00 am - 7:20 am PST). The timing favors observers in east Asia, Australia, Hawaii and western parts of North America. Visit http://spaceweather.com for a visibility map, animations, and more information.

COMET LULIN UPDATE: The plasma tail of Comet Lulin, torn off by a solar wind gust on Feb. 4th, has already grown back.  Also, observers in dark-sky locations report that the comet is now visible to the naked eye as a pale "fuzzy patch" in the constellation Libra before dawn. The comet is brightening as it approaches Earth for a 38-million-mile close encounter on Feb. 24th. See the latest images in the Comet Lulin Photo Gallery: http://spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_lulin_page7.htm
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on February 16, 2009, 02:40:34 PM
Quote
Space Weather News for Feb. 16, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

WEEKEND FIREBALLS:  A daylight fireball over Texas on Sunday, Feb. 15th, triggered widespread reports that debris from a recent satellite collision was falling to Earth. Those reports were premature. Researchers have studied video of the event and concluded that the object was more likely a natural meteoroid about one meter wide traveling more than 20 km/s--much faster than orbital debris.  Meteoroids hit Earth every day, and the Texas fireball was apparently one of them. 

There's more: On Friday, Feb. 13th, people in central Kentucky heard loud booms, felt their houses shake, and saw a fireball streaking through the sky. This occurred scant hours after another fireball at least 10 times brighter than a full Moon lit up the sky over Italy.  Although it is tempting to attribute these events to debris from the Feb. 10th collision of the Iridium 33 and Kosmos 2251 satellites, the Kentucky and Italy fireballs also seem to be meteoroids, not manmade objects. Italian scientists are studying the ground track of their fireball, which was recorded by multiple cameras, and they will soon begin to hunt for meteorites.

Videos, eye-witness reports and more information about these events may be found at http://spaceweather.com.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on February 16, 2009, 05:11:14 PM
Interesting that there are so many all of a sudden.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Lewis on February 16, 2009, 05:39:49 PM
Interesting that there are so many all of a sudden.

That is the exact same thing I was thinking.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Lewis on March 30, 2009, 08:29:03 AM
Lights In Sky Prompt Flood Of Calls In Md., Va., N.C.

Callers from Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina described brilliant, streaking lights followed by an explosion-like sound around 9:45 p.m. Sunday.

One 11 News viewer in Carroll County e-mailed to say she "spotted a large fireball in the western sky. It started out being about star brightness, then increasingly got brighter and greener. As it got green, it had an orange sparkling tail...We saw it go almost all the way to the ground before losing sight of it in the trees."

Source (http://www.wbaltv.com/news/19044505/detail.html)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: LindaRS on March 30, 2009, 11:15:51 AM
That's a bit far from Groom Lake (Area 51) but could still be government experimental aircraft.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on March 30, 2009, 02:48:28 PM
Speaking of lights in the sky, as we were out listening for Woodcock a few evenings ago, an object the size of Venus or Jupiter moved across the sky from west to east.  I suspected it was the International Space Station, because it was larger than any satellite I had ever seen.  My son verified it later when he went to the NASA website where you can track its movements, and found that the location and timing was right on.  We had looked for it before unsuccesfully, so this was an unexpected bonus to our successful Woodcock venture.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 20, 2009, 06:55:17 AM
October 19, 2009: The Orionid meteor shower peaks this week and it could be a very good show.

"Earth is passing through a stream of debris from Halley's Comet, the source of the Orionids," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "Flakes of comet dust hitting the atmosphere should give us dozens of meteors per hour."

The best time to look is before sunrise on Wednesday, Oct. 21st. That's when Earth encounters the densest part of Halley's debris stream. Observing is easy: Wake up a few hours before dawn, brew some hot chocolate, go outside and look up. No telescope is required to see Orionids shooting across the sky.

Source (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/19oct_orionids.htm?list100606)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on October 20, 2009, 04:10:06 PM
Wouldn't you know, it's suppose to drop into the thirties starting tonight.  :( But, we're up for the challenge - with peppermint tea instead of hot chocolate.  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on October 21, 2009, 08:34:10 AM
We did it, and son & I loved it! (Not sure about husband's feelings, but he was a trooper and sat with us for awhile.) We dressed in our warmest clothes, wrapped up in 2 heavy blankets on the garden swing and stared at the eastern sky (as suggested) for 40 minutes starting at 5am - determined to see 20 before we went inside.

Orion was high in the sky and in the south, so I wonder how many we missed but I wasn't about to lay on the cold ground to see the whole sky. We read that they were called Orionids because if you traced the tail across the sky they would appear to have Orion as their originating point, but only about half of them did. Some weren't even close, which puzzles me. Anyway, it was fun and inspiring. Thanks for the heads up! (pun intended :))

Bonus: A pack of coyotes were yipping about a half mile from us.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 21, 2009, 07:42:06 PM
If I knew that tonight was gonna be cloudy I would have done the same thing last evening. The article said that tonight was best. However, clouds and rain are moving here :(   I'm glad you got to enjoy them.

I was able to see the peresids in August camped out underneath the stars on an island 14 miles from shore. I got in on the tail end of them but wow they kept showing up long enough that I couldn't stay up any longer and had to get back to bed.

When watching meteors I often think of what happened in 1833.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on October 22, 2009, 06:21:54 AM
Camped out under the stars on an island ... can't get much better than that! Throw in a meteor shower and that must have been spectacular! (I'm guessing that is what the Peresids are? I've not heard of that.)

We are new to star gazing. We started about 5 years ago when son was 3 - he was allowed to sit in the garden swing and star gaze until there were 3 stars in the evening sky.  ;)  Now he anxiously waits for earlier nights in the winter so he can use his telescope on the moon, and can see the stars before bed time. We have a few books on constellations so we are learning.

I was up with son at 4ish this morning and peaked out at the bright starry sky on my way back to bed hoping to see one streak of light but not tempted to linger in the cold. Sorry we couldn't share our view. We have tried over the past several years to catch night happenings only to be disappointed by clouds.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 16, 2009, 07:28:32 AM
Space Weather News for Nov. 16, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

LEONID METEOR SHOWER:  The Leonid meteor shower peaks on Tuesday, Nov. 17th, with a new Moon providing ideally-dark viewing conditions.  Forecasters expect a relatively mild display (20 to 30 meteors per hour) over North America followed by a much stronger outburst (100 to 300 per hour) over Asia.  No matter where you live, the best time to look is during the dark hours before sunrise on Tuesday morning.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for full coverage of the Leonids, including live audio from a meteor radar, a live chat with a NASA meteor scientist, sky maps, photos and more.



1833 Meteor Shower in the news:

http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_S_meteor16.431f9a3.html

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on November 16, 2009, 07:43:34 AM
There is nothing like stepping your backdoor to do a real check of the weather and sky conditions. However, if you're ever anticipating an event that needs clear skies to view you might consider this clear sky forecaster. It takes a bit of figuring out at first but it does come in handy...

http://cleardarksky.com/csk/ (http://cleardarksky.com/csk/)
Title: Leonid Meteor Shower
Post by: colporteur on November 16, 2009, 06:30:51 PM
Tonight, Nov. 17 th promises to be one of the best meteor showers ever with approx. 20-30 meteors per hour in the US and ten times that in Asia. 4:00 a.m. - 5:30 EST. is said to be the best time here in North America. Due to dark night skies and the position of Mars the meteors will look like they are coming out of Mars and promises to be worth getting up for.

Sorry, I didn't know this was already posted.
Title: Re: Leonid Meteor Shower
Post by: LindaRS on November 16, 2009, 07:09:49 PM
So it's been clear for 3 weeks, and what does it do this evening? Clouds up and starts raining. There go the Leonids for this year.  :-\
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 16, 2009, 07:12:45 PM
We have purposed to get up very early to watch the beautiful show Tuesday morning! Give us your early reports from the east coast!  ;)
Title: Re: Leonid Meteor Shower
Post by: Mimi on November 16, 2009, 07:43:07 PM
Rats!  :(
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on November 17, 2009, 03:27:05 AM
We have purposed to get up very early to watch the beautiful show Tuesday morning! Give us your early reports from the east coast!  ;)

I sort of forgot about it.  :-[  After reading that it was only goint to be about 20-30 per hour, the thought of standing out in the cold (before I built a fire) to see one every 2 or 3 minutes didn't appeal that much to me.  About 10 years ago we got up on a cold morning to watch a meteor shower (can't remember which one) that produced several per minute, and some of them were large.  Pretty spectacular, but nothing like 1833.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 17, 2009, 05:04:58 AM
 :D  We did that in 2000 and it was quite fantastic; however, this morning ... well, my body didn't awaken at 2 in the morning to see it but there were a few here and there. The skies were stunning, none the less!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Dee on November 17, 2009, 06:11:40 AM
I should have gone out to see if there was anything to look at.  My son woke me up at 3:00 because he thought his sister was crying and needed me.  She was fine.  Then I couldn't go back to sleep.  I considered going outside, but decided it was too cold.  So, I wimped out!   ::)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on November 17, 2009, 08:53:50 AM
I went outside about 2am... but it was too cloudy :(
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on November 17, 2009, 09:56:30 AM
Sleep and warmth won out over meteor showers this morning.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 18, 2009, 02:47:24 PM
Space Weather News for Nov. 18, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

FIREBALLS AND METEORS:  As forecasters predicted, the Leonid meteor shower peaked during the late hours of Nov. 17th, favoring sky watchers in Asia with an outburst of 100+ meteors per hour.  Just as the outburst was dying down, an even bigger event took place over the western USA. Something hit Earth's atmosphere and exploded with an energy equivalent of 0.5 to 1 kiloton of TNT.  Witnesses in Colorado, Utah, Idaho and elsewhere say the fireball "turned night into day" and "shook the ground" when it exploded just after midnight Mountain Standard Time. Researchers who are analyzing infrasound recordings of the blast say the fireball was not a Leonid.  It was probably a small asteroid, now scattered in fragments across the countryside.  Efforts are underway to measure the trajectory of the asteroid and guide meteorite recovery efforts.  

Please visit http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=8714738
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on December 08, 2009, 03:21:26 PM
The 2009 Geminid Meteor Shower
NASA Science News for December 8, 2009

The annual Geminid meteor shower has been intensifying, and researchers say 2009 could be the best year yet. This year's display peaks on Dec. 13th and 14th.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/08dec_geminids.htm?list984649
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on December 12, 2009, 06:52:03 AM
Space Weather News for Dec. 12, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

GEMINID METEOR SHOWER: This weekend, Earth will pass through a stream of debris from extinct comet 3200 Phaethon, source of the annual Geminid meteor shower.  Forecasters expect more than 100 meteors per hour to fly out of the constellation Gemini when the shower peaks on Dec. 13th and 14th.  For most observers, the best time to look will be from 10 pm local time on Sunday night to dawn on Monday morning.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for photos, a sky map, and live audio from a meteor radar. 

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on December 17, 2009, 12:05:35 PM
NASA Science News for December 17, 2009

A continent-wide network of all-sky cameras has photographed a never-before-seen phenomenon: colliding auroras that produce explosions of light. The must-see images have solved a long-standing mystery of Northern Lights.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/17dec_whenaurorascollide.htm?list984649

Check out our RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on December 17, 2009, 02:17:33 PM
Very nice!!! God works on a larger scale than we do!!  And smaller ones!!  :) 

Now, let the scientists ask, "Who moves the light and were does it come from?"  And then, let them ask "Who keeps the heart beating?"  :)

And then "Why do not the planets collide with each other?" And lastly, "Who raised Jesus from the grave?" Silly men, who say they came from monkeys!  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on January 28, 2010, 05:20:58 PM
Space Weather News for Jan. 28, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

FULL MOON AND MARS:  Friday night's full Moon is the biggest and brightest full Moon of the year.  It's a "perigee Moon," as much as 14% wider and 30% brighter than other full Moons you'll see later in 2010.  But that's not all.  Mars is having a close encounter with Earth, and on Friday night, Jan. 29th, it will join the Moon for an all-night-long conjunction. Don't miss it! Sky maps and images may be found at http://spaceweather.com.

FLYBY ALERT:  NASA is preparing to launch space shuttle Endeavour on Feb. 7th.  It's the last night launch of the shuttle program and it kicks off a 13-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). You can follow the ISS and Endeavour as they streak across the night sky using our new Satellite Flybys app for the iPhone or iPod Touch.  Details at http://simpleflybys.com.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Dee on January 28, 2010, 06:07:59 PM
Cool! Hopefully the sky will be clear enough to see it tomorrow night. 
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on January 29, 2010, 06:53:56 PM
We are clear up here and who would have thought it after all of the storms! Will drag grandson out on the roof (into the cold) to observe!

Here is something else:


NASA Science News for January 29, 2010

There's a mystery in the skies of Earth: Something is producing bright flashes of gamma radiation in the upper atmosphere of our own planet. A spacecraft called 'Firefly' is going to investigate.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2010/29jan_firefly.htm?list984649


Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on June 08, 2010, 02:41:07 PM
COMET McNAUGHT: A fresh comet is swinging through the inner solar system, and it is brightening rapidly as it approaches the sun. Presenting, Comet McNaught (C/2009 R1)... It is brightening as it approaches Earth for a 1.13 AU close encounter on June 15th and 16th. Currently, the comet is at the threshold of naked eye visibility (5th to 6th magnitude) and could become as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper (2nd magnitude) before the end of the month.

http://spaceweather.com/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on June 25, 2010, 12:04:51 PM
From SpaceWeather.com

June 24, 2010:  This Saturday morning, June 26th, there's going to be a lunar eclipse—and for many residents of the USA, it's going to be a big one.

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/24jun_lunareclipse/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on July 14, 2010, 07:16:36 PM
Deep space photos from Rosetta's lens:

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/14jul_rosetta/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on July 22, 2010, 11:24:34 AM
Three sources are better than one on this story.

Space News:  Most Massive Star Discovered: Over 300 Suns at Birth!

http://www.universetoday.com/2010/07/22/most-massive-star-discovered-over-300-suns-at-birth/

Often, writing about astronomy tends to mirror the job of those writing for the Guiness Book of World Records – just when you think a record is practically unbeatable, somebody else appears to show up the previous record-holder. This is surely the case with the stellar heavyweight (er, "heavymass") R 136a1, which has been shown by data taken using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope to tip the stellar scales at 265 times the mass of our Sun. What's even more impressive is that R 136a1 has lost mass over the course of its lifetime, and likely was about 320 solar masses at birth. That deserves a "Yikes!"

R 136a1 lies in a cluster of young, massive stars with hot surface temperatures that is located inside the Tarantula Nebula. The Tarantula Nebula is nested inside the Large Magellanic Cloud, one of the Milky Way's closest galactic neighbors, 165,000 light-years away. The cluster is called RMC 136a (or more commonly referred to as R136), and in addition to the whopper that is R 136a1, there are three other stars with masses at birth in the 150 solar mass range.



Heftiest star discovery shatters cosmic record msnbc.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38343216/ns/technology_and_science-space/)
At 300 times the mass of our sun, it's double the size scientists thought possible

 Astronomers have discovered the most massive stars known, including one at more than 300 times the mass of our sun — double the size that scientists thought heavyweight stars could reach.

These colossal stars are millions of times brighter than the sun and shed mass through very powerful winds.

The stellar discovery, which represents the first time that these hulking stars were individually identified, could help astronomers understand the behavior of massive stars, and how large they can be at birth.

A European research team led by Paul Crowther, professor of astrophysics at the University of Sheffield in England, discovered the massive stars inside two young clusters of stars NGC 3603 and RMC 136a. They used a combination of instruments on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, in addition to archival data from the Hubble Space Telescope, to study the stellar nurseries.



Astronomers identify star 10 million times brighter than the Sun Telegraph.co.uk (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/7903215/Astronomers-identify-star-10-million-times-brighter-than-the-Sun.html)

Experts identified it among a group of "monster" stars – whose size and brightness exceed what many scientists thought was possible

Found within two young star clusters, NGC 3603 and RMC 136a, the stars weigh up to 300 times the mass of the Sun, a figure which doubles the previously accepted limit of solar mass.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on July 23, 2010, 03:29:22 PM
Mind boggling.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 12, 2010, 05:47:51 AM
Space Weather News for August 12, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

PERSEID METEOR SHOWER:  The annual Perseid meteor shower is underway. Earth is passing through a wide stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, and each time a fleck of comet dust hits Earth's atmosphere--flash!--there is a meteor.  Forecasters say the shower will peak on Thursday, August 12th, and Friday, August 13th.  You can see Perseids flitting across the sky at any time between about 10 pm on Thursday evening and sunrise on Friday morning. Observers who get away from city lights can expect to count dozens of meteors per hour, especially during the dark hours before dawn.

Tune into http://spaceweather.com for full coverage of the shower, including a live meteor radar, a "fireball cam," updated meteor counts and pictures from around the world.

BONUS:  If you go outside a little early on Thursday evening, around sunset, you'll see a beautiful gathering of planets in the sunset sky--Venus, Mars, Saturn and the crescent Moon.  It's a nice way to start a meteor watch.  Sky maps may be found at http://spaceweather.com.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 12, 2010, 05:57:56 AM
Thank you, Sybil.  :) We have plans for star gazing this coming Sabbath evening - now it will be even more special.  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 12, 2010, 07:50:46 AM
2 years ago I was laying on a beach of Lake Superior watching the meteor shower. 1 year ago I was in the middle of an open field on an island and watched the meteor shower. Each year the meteor shower was a little drowned out by the light of the moon. However, If you are patient you will not be disappointed. This meteor shower seems to always produce a good number of meteors.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 12, 2010, 10:43:41 AM
A voice said to double check those times - early Friday morning is the latest, so I guess we'll be changing our star gazing night.  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 12, 2010, 07:19:42 PM
We are socked in with clouds!  :(
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 12, 2010, 08:36:17 PM
I'm so sorry.  :(

We've got an air mattress set up and waiting...along with a fan with a long extention cord son set up to keep away the gnats and mosquitos.  :D I hope it works! This has been the windiest summer nights we've had in my memory - except for the past 3 nights - wouldn't you know. But, we aren't being blown away. I came in to see what planets we are seeing. I will pray you see the meteors in your dreams.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 13, 2010, 05:49:52 AM
Great bonding experience! Blessedly, we saw 10 before 10 because we were sleeping under the stars by then.  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: colporteur on August 13, 2010, 06:26:12 AM
Great bonding experience! Blessedly, we saw 10 before 10 because we were sleeping under the stars by then.  :)

You have a gift there. We laid under the stars for a while and saw one dynamic meteor. Most were so light and fast though that we barely saw them. The children were still very impressed.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 13, 2010, 02:41:57 PM
Yay! Great experience!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: LindaRS on August 14, 2010, 01:57:03 PM
Too much ambient light where we are so I didn't get to see much.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Marelis on August 16, 2010, 01:06:57 PM
I didn't get to see this meteor shower, unfortunately.  I hope it is ok if I ask here if there's ever likely to be a meteor shower again on the scale of that of 1833, or was that a one-off special event? I'm thinking not likely.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 16, 2010, 08:11:51 PM
I believe Ed posted elsewhere that he saw a fantastic meteor shower as a child, and a friend told me yesterday that he saw one in CA when he was a child (40-50 years ago would be my guess on that.) Son prayed to see thousands - that would have been spectacular. He also prayed to have one land at our feet. I didn't check the dust specks when we awoke to see if any of them were glowing.  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Ed Sutton on August 16, 2010, 09:14:54 PM
Vicki,

That's OK - since your last name is not KENT, you son has satistically almost nothing to worry about, (unless it's NASA plutonium powered space junk),  even though all mom's justly feel their kids are super.  ;D
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 17, 2010, 04:43:19 AM
Ed, do you remember the year you saw the meteor shower? Care to elaborate on it here?
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 17, 2010, 05:10:51 AM
He also prayed to have one land at our feet. I didn't check the dust specks when we awoke to see if any of them were glowing.  :)

If his prayer would have been answered it also would have been a windfall for you. Meteorite pieces are worth 2 or 3 times their weight in gold and with gold being somewhere around $1000/oz... you can do the math.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 17, 2010, 05:34:53 AM
Burning upon entry means they can also be as small as, well, a pebble or dust speck, blending into our yard beautifully. But, it is wonderful to think God can take care of financial difficulties as easy as putting a rock at one's feet!  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Ed Sutton on August 17, 2010, 02:49:42 PM
Quote
   Ed, do you remember the year you saw the meteor shower? Care to elaborate on it here? 

I think I was in the 7th or 8th grade ?   I was going to the FlatRock Jr High, in Flatrock NC .   I graduated High School 1969, so 4-5 yrs earlier ='s 1964 - 1965 .  It was close to summer so either school had rescently started or was almost out for that year.

The meteors were coming down as thick as the description in SOP of the "falling of the stars".  I could read print on paper from the light, and I could hear sounds similiar but different than whizzing bullets and shells, and pops and bangs and crashes as some exploded in mid air, or hit trees; I was afraid one would hit the house.  It was like it was raining burning rocks.

The next morning walking to the bus stop (1/2 mile), one of the big pine trees beside the driveway was topped and I scrounged around around where I saw broken branches and tore up dirt and found a basketball sized thing like a pitted sharp coal clinker.  I took it to school and the 7th grade science teacher sent a chunk off for analysis.  He said the report showed it was a mineral meteorite. 

On the bouncing schoolbus I got cut holding it, it was sharp, pitted, jagged, slot canyoned, black, brown, glassy shiney and flat colored non uniformly at random, in appearance.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: colporteur on August 17, 2010, 04:54:27 PM
Wow Ed, That was something !
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on September 30, 2010, 04:27:05 PM
We got to see Venus, Mars & Saturn; now it's time for Mercury.

Tomorrow morning (October 1) 45 minutes before sunrise, look due east in a place that is unobstructed with houses, trees, etc since the planet will be low on the horizon. Due east will be the brightest spot on the horizon. Venus, the brightest light, will be to the upper right of where the sun will rise. Mercury will be below and slightly to the left - about 10 degrees above the horizon. Everyone in the USA with a clear view should be able to see Mercury. Binoculars not necessary, but helpful as Mercury is much dimmer than Venus.

Don't forget, you need to look 45 minutes before sunrise or the sky will be too bright to see Mercury.

The Messenger Spacecraft is out there orbiting Mercury also. Of course we won't be able to see it, but it's there.

This isn't as exciting as meteors, but we happen to be studying Mercury this week so a view of it is a must.  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on September 30, 2010, 04:56:29 PM
Have anyone invented a telescope that penetrates pouring rain?  :P  We were fortunate enough to be able to see Mercury (for the first time in my life) last fall, several evenings in a row.  It was easier to find than I expected.  It helps to know exactly where it will be in the sky, of course.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Ed Sutton on September 30, 2010, 06:19:55 PM
Weeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllll   I don't know of any rain piercing telescope ......................  but how about one ------------- ABOVE THE CLOUDS  ;D

http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Uranus&Display=OverviewLong


atmosphere on pluto

http://www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Pluto/PlutoWarmWinter.html

above the clouds - hubble

http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/solar_system/



Hope this helps
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 17, 2010, 02:27:37 PM
Leonid meteor shower to peak tonight

Bay Area News Group staff report
Posted: 11/17/2010 09:48:54 AM PST
Updated: 11/17/2010 01:47:53 PM PST



The Leonid meteor shower -- a yearly event that in the past has produced some spectacular displays -- will peak Wednesday night, with about 15 meteors per hour expected.

To get a good look, Bay Area skywatchers will have to contend with an unhelpful moon, encroaching clouds and the usual light pollution.

Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the debris produced by a comet -- in this case, the comet Tempel-Tuttle. The Leonids appear to radiate from their namesake constellation, Leo, toward the north.

Occasionally Leonids reach the status of meteor storm, say the experts at NASA, with thousands of meteors per hour. A burst of Leonid activity produced spectacular displays from 1998 to 2002, but these events generally recur in cycles of about 33 years.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_16637503?source=most_viewed
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on November 17, 2010, 05:06:15 PM
15 per hour?  That's only one every 4 minutes.  Hardly worth mentioning, when compared to the falling of the stars in 1833, and even ho hum, compared to the display a few years ago (maybe it was more than 10--can't remember) which produced several per minute.  They tell us we have to get up around 2 a.m. to view them.  Yawn.  I believe I'll remain horizontal.  Let me know how it looks.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 17, 2010, 05:08:16 PM
 :D :D :D and here I was relying on you to tell me!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on November 17, 2010, 06:48:47 PM
Wait until Dec and there will be 50 per hour. That is enough to cause you to stay and look.... and get a stiff neck!  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on November 17, 2010, 07:07:50 PM
I thought that one was at 2AM. Someone will have to call me...
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on November 17, 2010, 07:19:45 PM
Tamara will still be up. Maybe she can call you?  :) But then, it will still be light in Australia and it will be tomorrow night. :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on November 17, 2010, 07:23:50 PM
I'm glad no one has my phone number.  ;)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on November 18, 2010, 03:30:31 AM
Did anyone venture out?  Oddly enough, I woke up about 2 a.m., but it didn't cross my mind to look out (things are a bit fuzzy at that time of night  ;D ).  It wouldn't have mattered.  We had cloudy skies most of the night anyway.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on November 18, 2010, 05:47:49 AM
Too cold. A wind came up from the North-west during the night. As son would say, "Alaska is coming!" I think it's here.  :P
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on November 18, 2010, 05:48:32 AM
That's funny, Victoria!

Wally, I missed it, too. Well, we have December.  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Ed Sutton on November 18, 2010, 04:21:34 PM
So that's what I saw in the early 60's - a metor storm.    well now I know what to call it.

http://tagoshu.cool.ne.jp/astro_photos/phenomena/leonids2001-e.html

http://www.arm.ac.uk/press/2008/Mars_meteors3_pr.html

A direct meteor his in the Greenville SC area

(http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz141/EFSutton/nexl805gsp-anim.gif)


*******************
(http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz141/EFSutton/meteorshower.jpg)

********************


actual high speed photo of meteors

(http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz141/EFSutton/leonids2001a-normal.jpg)

***********

Looks more like animated or debris rentry than meteors

(http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz141/EFSutton/12343983_BG1.jpg)


Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Tamara on November 18, 2010, 06:25:26 PM
Hehe I would have called you to Vicki!

Not sure what time it would have been here though o.o
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on November 18, 2010, 07:18:20 PM
I was afraid of that!  ;)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Tamara on November 21, 2010, 04:54:47 AM
Hehe well you can count on it anytime it is needed!  ;D Anything exciting that can be seen from my side of the world?
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on November 21, 2010, 05:50:32 AM
An early sunrise.  ;D I miss those.

I'm not sure how they find these things that are going on. The ones I've stumbled upon have been in our Astrology science book. I"ll keep my eyes open for your area.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on November 21, 2010, 08:53:37 AM
The ones I've stumbled upon have been in our Astrology science book.

Not trying to pick on you Vicki but something tells me that you meant to say to astronomy science book not astrology. :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: colporteur on November 21, 2010, 09:52:09 AM
 ;D
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on November 21, 2010, 01:19:14 PM
 :-[ ::) It was before 6AM, take it easy on me. ;)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Dee on November 21, 2010, 08:34:54 PM
Whoopsie!   :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on November 22, 2010, 05:39:51 AM
Yes, and it was the day after my mind couldn't figure out why the evolutionary pun with the topic heading New Primate calls for Anglican unity.  :D Last nights sleep wasn't any better. Perhaps I shouldn't post anything else today.  ::)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on November 22, 2010, 06:35:41 AM
Yes, and it was the day after my mind couldn't figure out why the evolutionary pun with the topic heading New Primate calls for Anglican unity

Don't feel bad Vicki... I too couldn't figure out what an ape/monkey had to do with the Anglican church until I actually read the thread. :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Dee on November 22, 2010, 07:46:27 AM
Oh!  It is good to know that Vicki and I weren't the only ones that were thinking along that line!   :D 
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on November 22, 2010, 09:11:24 AM
 ;D
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Ed Sutton on November 22, 2010, 05:48:24 PM

The sad fact was that he had to call for it, and he wasn't monkeying around.

(http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz141/EFSutton/Emoticons%20and%20Images/propheticmonkey.jpg)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on March 18, 2011, 11:06:24 AM
Mercury should be easy to see the next few nights.  It's not very often that it's this visible.  Don't expect to see the satellite orbiting it, though.  :P

More details:  Source (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/118236134.html)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on March 21, 2011, 09:23:25 AM
 :( We've had a heavy cloud cover for several nights. And 3" of snow this morning. We'lll have to keep trying on spotting Mercury.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on March 31, 2011, 01:05:07 PM
From NASA. Spring is Fire Ball season: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/31mar_springfireballs/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on April 01, 2011, 05:45:17 PM
Vickie, you don't have snow falling now, do you?  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on April 05, 2011, 12:23:19 PM
Richard, if you are refering to the weather, no snow. Our near 80 degree temps zapped it quick enough. But, we still have plenty of cloud cover so we haven't thought about looking at fireballs.

If you are referring to my chilly avatar  ;D, I'm thinking about keeping it as it will be a comfort when it hits 103 degrees in a few months. Besides, it is more interesting to read topics here than change an avatar.  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on May 09, 2011, 02:19:45 PM
ScienceCasts: Morning Planet Show beginning May 9, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__RLPmenKeo
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on May 09, 2011, 05:01:50 PM
I read that it was suppose to be last week - we didn't see anything but watching the video it looks like we were a little too late. We'll try again when our cloud cover departs. Bonus that we have until May 30th to try to see them!!  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on May 10, 2011, 11:40:40 AM
If the coulds cloud your view you can always watch the show vicariously through a program called Stellarium. It's a planetarium for your computer. It's really done well All you have to do is punch in the coordinates of where you live and set the date and time and then you can watch the stars and planets cross the sky anytime you want.

http://www.stellarium.org/

Your computer will need to be at least a Pentium III 800Mhz with 128mb of ram to run this software.

If you don't know your coordinates you can find them by entering your address here. You can just put in your city and state if you don't wish to enter your whole address.

http://www.whatsmygps.com/ 
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on May 16, 2011, 07:35:03 PM
Keep a look out for ...

the moon! Have you seen it tonight?
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Dee on May 16, 2011, 08:35:51 PM
Yes!  It was beautiful!  We sat outside for awhile and enjoyed it.   :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on May 17, 2011, 03:15:00 AM
I had almost forgotten that there was a moon.  ::)  Haven't even seen the sun (that is what it's called, right?) since Friday; and not likely to see it until Sabbath.  I heard that the moon was full last night.  It would have been nice to see.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on May 17, 2011, 06:41:58 AM
Always a wet blanket in the group... ;) (Pun intended, Wally. You don't want to trade those beautiful trees & lakes for desert do you?  :))

I didn't look outside last night. We got up early for a walk this morning and were greeted with a wet ground. Usually rain out here comes with fierce winds that wake us up. We didn't hear a thing. It was a beautiful walk with a pink and gold sunrise playing on the few clouds in the east.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on May 17, 2011, 11:06:37 AM
You don't want to trade those beautiful trees & lakes for desert do you?  :))



Sometimes that sounds rather attractive.  I love spring in the desert, especially in the vicinity of an oasis.  It's summer that can be a bit intense.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on May 17, 2011, 11:55:23 AM
Yes, there are good and bad about both locals - only the earth made new will have the complete beauty we search for here. Although I long for the greenery at times, it comes with a price - more flying pests.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Dee on May 17, 2011, 12:15:51 PM
Although I long for the greenery at times, it comes with a price - more flying pests.

Exactly!  Yesterday when contemplating the new earth, that is one of the things that came to mind.  We won't be "bugged" by them!   :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on May 28, 2011, 11:07:50 AM
Space Weather News for May 28, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field on May 27-28, sparking a moderate geomagnetic storm and auroras in both hemispheres.  At the time this alert is being composed (1500 UT on May 28), naked-eye Southern Lights are dancing in the skies over Tasmania and New Zealand.  If forecasts are correct, geomagnetic activity should remain at elevated levels for the next 24 to 48 hours. Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates and images of the ongoing storm.

SOLAR ACTIVITY INTENSIFIES:  The recently-quiet sun is waking up.  New sunspots are emerging across the solar disk, and at least one of them is crackling with C-class solar flares. Even stronger eruptions appear to be in the offing.  If you would like alerts notifying you of solar flares and magnetic storms the instant they happen, please consider signing up for Space Weather Phone: http://spaceweatherphone.com .

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 11, 2011, 06:40:11 AM
"Perseids." According to the International Meteor Organization, worldwide observers now are counting more than a dozen Perseids per hour with more to come on August 12-13 when Earth passes near the heart of the debris stream.  Source (http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/09aug_perseids2011/)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 11, 2011, 10:32:21 AM
 :) Thanks, Jim. I've now got in on the calendar. The International Space Station will be passing over us the same time, too.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 13, 2011, 03:04:43 AM
I'm up and "looking!" even though the moon is still bright :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 13, 2011, 03:11:02 AM
The ISS glided by right on time but no visible meteors - not yet.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 13, 2011, 04:41:09 AM
Too cloudy here last night. :(
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 13, 2011, 08:44:40 PM
Cloudy here this morning, too. But there was one large clear patch where the moon could shine through. We didn't see any fireballs but we did get to briefly see the ISS. We enjoyed our early morning outing even if there were no fireballs.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 21, 2011, 08:28:10 AM
It's a little bit difficult to understand at first. But here is a nice forecasting tool to know if your skies will actually be clear enough to star gaze.

http://cleardarksky.com/csk/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on September 12, 2011, 05:02:33 PM
More stellar discoveries:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14890143
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Dee on October 14, 2011, 08:53:13 AM
Last night my oldest son called and told us to get out our telescope because he'd heard that Jupiter was close enough that we should be able to see some of its moons.  Indeed we did!  Four of them!  A real treat!   :)

I had also caught part of a program early that very morning on 3ABN in which I learned that at least one of the planets (I wasn't paying enough attention to remember which one) rotates backwards.  In conversing with my son, I mentioned this.  He told me that this was retrograde motion and that the planet, he thought it might be Mercury, really didn't but just appeared to because it was so close to the earth.    ???   I had forgotten about him taking a college astronomy class.  I'm thinking he either got it wrong or they're feeding him nonsense.  A quick google showed that Venus rotates backward.  Not wishing to wade through information from non-creationist sources, (which would satisfy my son, but not me!) I decided to bring this here.  Any astronomers out there?   :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on October 15, 2011, 10:53:33 AM
I am so disappointed we didn't know earlier. Son had his telescope out looking at the moon Friday morning and what I assume was Venus. He would have been so excited to see 4 moons of Jupiter. He studied astronomy last year. I retrieved the book to refresh my memory:

Mercury does rotate slowly. It takes 59 earth days for Mercury to rotate once. That means 29.5 earth days of sunlight before 29.5 earth days of darkness. It revolves around the sun much faster - 88 earth days, which means a year on Mercury = 88 earth days. We would grow older much more quickly on Mercury. Roughly, Mercury revolves 4 times faster than earth, so a 10 year old on earth would be 40 years old on Mercury, and I would be 200 years old. I would still have all my teeth so I am OK with that.  ;)

Venus does rotate even more slowly than Mercury. It takes 243 earth days for Venus to rotate once. That's about 121.5 earth days of sunlight and 121.5 earth days of darkness to make 1 day on Venus. And yes, it does rotate backwards. The book goes into how it does not fit with the "big bang" theory of evolution because it should rotate in the same direction as all the other planets. I've heard evolutionist reasoning explain that it must have hit something as it was flung out from the bang and was therefore caused to rotate in the opposite direction.  ::) Something else odd about Venus: it revolves slower than it rotates. That means it's year is shorter than it's day. Venus' year = 225 earth days. Yet it's day = 243 earth days. So, if you lived on Venus you would grow 1 year older before the day was through.

Just a few fun things for the children. The science book we used is Exploring Creation with Astronomy by Jeannie Fulbright. We enjoyed it.

(I have a horrendous head cold, so if I got my rotates & revolves or math mixed up, please have mercy when you correct me.)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on October 15, 2011, 11:12:54 AM
Mnemonic phrase to remember the order of the planets:

My Very Early Morning Just Started Under Nancy's Pancakes
Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto

Venus is closer to earth than mercury.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Dee on October 15, 2011, 01:11:44 PM
Thank you for the info, dear Sister!  That surely sounds like a good book. 

If I'm not mistaken, you should still be able to get a look at Jupiter and its moons.  My oldest son said he wanted to have a look the next time he is over here, maybe in a week.  I thought I heard that it might be the best time around then?  My youngest son has been asking if we can set up the "microscope" and look at Jupiter again!   ;D  Looks like we need a vocabulary lesson!   ;)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on October 15, 2011, 02:47:19 PM
 ;D

If someone has info on the best date, time & where in the sky it would be much appreciated.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 15, 2011, 04:35:24 PM
Mnemonic phrase to remember the order of the planets:

My Very Early Morning Just Started Under Nancy's Pancakes
Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto

Gotta love it!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Sister Dee on October 15, 2011, 07:31:37 PM
Well, I don't know the best time.  I seem to have gotten it mixed up with a meteor shower on the 21st-22nd.   ::)  Gotta keep my events straight! 

But, Jupiter and four moons are still visible.  We have been out looking tonight.  Over in the eastern sky, and for us, above the mountains.  I don't know if you can see it right now since you are further west of us.  Just look for a nice bright spot!   :D
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on October 16, 2011, 10:12:25 AM
Last night was cloudy. Hopefully tonight will be better.

Mnemonic phrase to remember the order of the planets:

My Very Early Morning Just Started Under Nancy's Pancakes
Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto

Gotta love it!

He changed it to "...Under Nellie's Pillow" in honor of a family member. Either way, it sure helps keep them in order.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 17, 2011, 05:03:08 AM
Keep a look out for a 1.7 ton mirror falling from the sky! Yikes! 

SATELLITE RE-ENTRY: The ROSAT X-ray observatory, launched in 1990 by NASA and managed for years by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), will return to Earth within the next two weeks. Current best estimates place the re-entry between Oct. 22nd and 24th over an unknown part of Earth. Although ROSAT is smaller and less massive than UARS, which grabbed headlines when it re-entered on Sept. 24th, more of ROSAT could reach the planet's surface. This is because the observatory is made of heat-tolerant materials. According to a DLR study, as many as 30 individual pieces could survive the fires of re-entry. The largest single fragment would likely be the telescope's mirror, which is very heat resistant and may weigh as much as 1.7 tons. Source: SpaceWeather.com
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: LindaRS on October 17, 2011, 06:47:17 AM
What goes up must come down. It's getting to the place where Chicken Little is right: the sky is falling, or at least seems that way.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on October 17, 2011, 07:04:00 AM
 :o Mankind without God sure makes a mess of things.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on October 22, 2011, 04:33:21 PM
Keep a look out for a 1.7 ton mirror falling from the sky! Yikes! 

Which room in my house will be the safest?
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 23, 2011, 02:53:30 AM
The one they have reserved for you on the International Space Station. Can't think of any place here strong enough to withstand impact!

Quote
Current best estimates place the re-entry between Oct. 22nd and 24th over an unknown part of Earth.

Today is the 23rd.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 23, 2011, 03:27:44 AM
From an e-mail sitting in my Inbox this morning:

ROSAT HAS RE-ENTERED: According to Germany's space agency (the DLR), ROSAT re-entered Earth's atmosphere on Oct. 23rd sometime between 1:45 UT and 2:15 UT. So far, no credible sightings of the fireball have been reported, and officials don't know how much debris might have reached the ground. Check the DLR's Facebook page for updates. http://www.facebook.com/DLRen

(Warning: content includes objectionable language)

Here is Rosat's site with more info: http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10432/620_read-830/

If you have a basic knowledge of German, here is a video on what the re-entry will be like: http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10433/622_read-833/

Maybe CNN International will be helpful!  ;)
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/22/world/germany-space-satellite/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on October 23, 2011, 09:56:44 AM
UPDATE:

Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/scientists-try-to-determine-fate-of-german-satellite-that-returned-to-earth/2011/10/23/gIQAbn1x8L_story.html)

Scientists are attempting to determine where this thing landed, which it did earlier this morning. They are suspecting Asia, "somewhere between the Indian Ocean off the coast of Myanmar, further inland in Myanmar or as far inland as China."

But there was no immediate solid evidence to determine where exactly the satellite entered the atmosphere, indicating it did not hit a populated area, said Andreas Schuetz, spokesman for the German Aerospace Center.

The center said the satellite entered between 0145 and 0215 GMT Sunday (9:45 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Saturday EDT) and would have taken only 10 or 15 minutes to hit the ground.

Hours before the re-entry into the atmosphere the center said the satellite was not expected to hit over Europe, Africa or Australia. According to the satellite’s predicted path, scientists estimated it could have been above Asia at the time of its re-entry.

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on December 23, 2011, 07:50:55 AM
On December 26, keep a look out for: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/23dec_nightafter/

On Dec. 26th, the night after Christmas, Venus and the slender crescent Moon will gather for a jaw-dropping conjunction in the western sky.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on December 23, 2011, 10:27:33 AM
Stunning photos and video!

More Space News:

COMET LOVEJOY FROM ORBIT: Veteran astronaut Dan Burbank has seen many amazing things. Once, he even flew through the aurora borealis. So when Burbank says "[Comet Lovejoy] is the most amazing thing I have ever seen in space," it really means something. Currently serving onboard the International Space Station, Burbank photographed the sungrazing comet on Dec. 21st, an experience he describes in this NASA video

http://spaceweather.com/

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on December 28, 2011, 07:00:30 AM
The crescent Moon and Venus were indeed jaw dropping! Such a beautiful night sky we enjoyed.

"The heaven for  height . . . is unsearchable." Proverbs 25:3

The immenseness of it all is spectacular.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: LindaRS on December 29, 2011, 11:11:51 AM
Managed to get a photo of the moon and Venus. Even with all the outside ambient light, these two outshone them all.

(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z233/Tirza-Zula/Forum/moon_venus.jpg)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Marelis on December 29, 2011, 11:17:59 AM
Oh wow!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: LindaRS on January 03, 2012, 01:41:07 PM
If you enjoy the sight of "shooting stars" then make plans to be out looking skyward during the predawn hours on Wednesday (Jan. 4) when a strong display of Quadrantid meteors may appear. This first meteor shower of the year may end up being one of the best of 2012.

http://www.space.com/14092-quadrantid-meteor-shower-peaks-january-4.html
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on April 22, 2012, 11:46:03 AM
I think we just missed the Lyrid meteor shower but apparently it's not usually a big show anyway.

 However, for my friends in southern OR, northern CA, UT, NV, AZ, NM, & TX you might interested in this annular solar eclipse scheduled for May 20th, 2012. If you want to know if you'll be able to see it you can look at these 2 links. The 2nd link has much more detailed maps of the exact path of this eclipse.

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May20Agoogle.html

http://eclipse-maps.com/Eclipse-Maps/Gallery/Pages/Annular_solar_eclipse_of_2012_May_20.html
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on May 16, 2012, 04:07:55 PM
Just a little reminder for the news item above.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on May 20, 2012, 09:36:51 PM
Amazing how bright the sun is!!  Almost a full eclipse and you can't see any darkness with the naked eye!! And you could easily damage your eyes trying!!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on May 21, 2012, 04:19:44 AM
I'm glad you folks out west got to witness the eclipse.  It was a sunny day in 1994 when the annular eclipse passed through Maine.  I did the pinhole thing, but what really was striking to me was the way the daylight changed.  I can't describe it.  It was sunny, but yet it wasn't normal; the normal brightness was diminished.  Very odd.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on May 21, 2012, 05:54:48 AM
Yes, same here yesterday. It was at its peak when I was driving to town. Most of the traffic pulled over to see it.

http://mashable.com/2012/05/19/show-us-your-eclipse-photos/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on May 21, 2012, 09:16:16 AM
I did not notice a thing.  It was rather shocking that most of the sun could be covered and yet it would be impossible to look at it. And, there was no darkness. And, again, if someone had not told me that there was an eclipse, I never would have suspected.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: carls365 on May 21, 2012, 09:25:34 AM
I noticed a extra sharpness to edges of shadows and the sunlight was lacking it's usual harsh brightness. The lowering of contrast in the light was kind of disturbing. I wondered how it would affect all living things if the eclipse continued for a long length of time. Perhaps the less ultraviolet may lessen skin tumors? The eclipse brought to mind EGW saying "dark, dark world"
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on May 21, 2012, 09:59:19 AM
The sun appeared to be wearing sunglasses, blocking it's brightness.  8) That's what I noticed to remind me it was time to view it properly. The guys went to the neighbors and looked at it through his welding mask.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: carls365 on May 21, 2012, 10:58:02 AM
The sun appeared to be wearing sunglasses, blocking it's brightness.  8) That's what I noticed to remind me it was time to view it properly. The guys went to the neighbors and looked at it through his welding mask.

Haha! smart me! I do welding and have all sorts of different density glasses but never thought to look at the sun with it. Well, my age is beginning to show!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on May 21, 2012, 11:26:51 AM
 :o I have some in the garage and would have never thought of it either! Great idea for next time.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on May 21, 2012, 12:00:41 PM
I was unsettled with the thought of using a $2 pair of 3-D glasses. A welding mask just seemed more appropriate. We do have a sun viewer attachment for our telescope but couldn't find it. That would have been spectacular.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Weezie on May 21, 2012, 01:19:38 PM
Hi all,

I'm a frequent reader, but haven't posted before.  I had to let you know, though, that you shouldn't use just any welder’s glasses.  Only #14s will do. 

Per http://www.perkins-observatory.org/eclipsesafety.html:

(METHOD 3) Welder's Glass

    Welding glass is used to protect welders from eye damage. The potential damage does not come from hot sparks hitting the eye (although that is a possibility). Rather, the glass prevents the light from the very hot arc from burning an image of itself permanently onto the back of the eye.

    Be careful that you use the right kind of glass! Welder's glass is numbered from 1 to 14 with 14 being the darkest. It is only number 14 glass that is dark enough for solar viewing! And NO STACKING! A pair of number 7's or a 10 and a 4 together DO NOT have the same protection as a single piece of number 14 (see unsafe methods for more details).

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on May 21, 2012, 03:23:32 PM
Well, hello, Weezie! Love your name!

Thank you for the tip! It is noted!  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on May 21, 2012, 05:57:22 PM
I was wondering if there were different shades. Thank you for the advice before something went wrong. Nice to hear from you!  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Glen on May 21, 2012, 06:43:35 PM
....you shouldn't use just any welder’s glasses.  Only #14s will do. 

Oops! I'll have to ask our neighbor whether he let me look through any number other than a #14. -Haven't noticed any "sand" in my eyes....yet.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: carls365 on May 21, 2012, 07:08:32 PM
Yes I do have #14 shade in the helmet, I used it for carbon arc brazing.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: LindaRS on May 25, 2012, 06:11:58 PM
I live too far east to have seen the eclipse, since it was due just about sunset; and I had other things on my mind at the time.  :-\ But I remember the full eclipse back in '83 in the Southeast. Hubby had been a welder and had a dark glass for his shield. I used that to view the sun, and had no problems. Whether it was a #14 or not, I have no idea, but it worked.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on May 29, 2012, 07:21:12 AM
On June 4th there will be a partial lunar eclipse. You can learn more about it here....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aszUiI6J-L8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aszUiI6J-L8)

But then don't forget on June 5th (if you have proper equipment as discussed earlier) that there Venus will traveling in front of the sun and you can learn more about that here..

http://www.space.com/15541-venus-transit-sun-2012-guide-infographic.html
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on June 01, 2012, 08:04:14 PM
Astronomers Predict Titanic Collision: Milky Way vs. Andromeda


May 31, 2012:  NASA astronomers say they can now predict with certainty the next major cosmic event to affect our galaxy, sun, and solar system: the titanic collision of our Milky Way galaxy with the neighboring Andromeda galaxy.

The Milky Way is destined to get a major makeover during the encounter, which is predicted to happen four billion years from now. It is likely the sun will be flung into a new region of our galaxy, but our Earth and solar system are in no danger of being destroyed.

"After nearly a century of speculation about the future destiny of Andromeda and our Milky Way, we at last have a clear picture of how events will unfold over the coming billions of years," says Sangmo Tony Sohn of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore.

"Our findings are statistically consistent with a head-on collision between the Andromeda galaxy and our Milky Way galaxy," adds Roeland van der Marel of the STScI.

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/31may_andromeda/

What a godless unbelieving bunch! Well, let's see - what will we be doing in four billion years? Meeting once more at the Tree of Life, sitting at the feet of Jesus so we may better understand redemption's story, traveling to another unknown world to behold His other creations, reaping from our own gardens which will never fail, giving another testimony of Jesus' incredible love and guidance while we lived on this earth ...

Four billion years and that is only the beginning! 
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on June 01, 2012, 08:16:17 PM
I also saw that story. It reminds of the times when the world's best scientists said that the sun revolved around or that the world was flat. This reminds me of Job when he thought he understood things. God had to step in and ask him a few questions.

Job 38:1  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 38:2  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Job 38:3  Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Job 38:4  Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
Job 38:5  Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Job 38:6  Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
Job 38:7  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on June 01, 2012, 08:21:07 PM
Amen! I just love those questions, don't you?  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on June 02, 2012, 06:54:43 AM
I saw the headlines, too. It reminded me of a catastrophe that is coming much sooner.

Isaiah 13:
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up . . .
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on July 03, 2012, 05:12:32 PM
Early morning bright shining "stars." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTxazv-wdp4
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on July 10, 2012, 10:33:54 PM
NASA has some real winners. :(   Not all are this far fetched.  :)  I guess we expect such things just before the end.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on September 03, 2012, 12:36:18 PM
From Spaceweather.com

 CME IMPACT, GEOMAGNETIC STORM: As expected, a coronal mass ejection hit Earth on Sept. 3rd at approximately 1200 UT (5 am PDT). The impact induced significant ground currents in the soil of northern Scandinavia and sparked bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. A moderate geomagnetic storm is underway. Aurora alerts: text, phone.

Jonathan Tucker photographed this display over Whitehorse in the Yukon Territories during the early hours of Sept. 3rd:

(http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss316/TROPhotobucket/yukon_strip2.jpg)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: LindaRS on September 04, 2012, 07:01:31 PM
Maybe that's what's going on with my internet when it zones out for a few minutes the last couple of days.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on January 23, 2013, 02:57:45 PM
I know this is a bit early to be looking for this comet but it's a little exciting to think that this might be bright enough to see during the day. In another article I read some are saying that this might be the "comet of 1680" but I haven't yet looked that up so I don't know what that means.

If you think you need a clear night sky to see a comet, think again and mark this date on your calendar: November 28, 2013, when a recently-discovered comet will be seen briefly at daytime.
 
Dubbed ISON, the comet was discovered by Russians Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok last Sept. 21, though they announced the discovery Sept. 24, Space.com reported.
Source (http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/275886/scitech/science/newly-discovered-comet-is-visible-in-daytime)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on January 23, 2013, 03:09:32 PM
... "comet of 1680" but I haven't yet looked that up so I don't know what that means.

Wikipedia: Comet of 1680 was the 1st comet discovered by telescope. It could also be seen in the daytime & had a long tail.

I'll mark my calendar!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on February 10, 2013, 04:21:09 PM
Possible naked-eye comet coming soon....

In June 2011 a comet appeared, and it was named "Pan-STARRS" after  the acronym for the telescope.

In early March, the comet will pass about 100 million miles from Earth as it briefly dips inside the orbit of Mercury.  Most experts expect it to become a naked-eye object about as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper.
Auroras Underfoot (signup)

"But" says Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab, "prepare to be surprised. A new comet from the Oort Cloud is always an unknown quantity equally capable of spectacular displays or dismal failures."  Source (http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/06feb_panstarrs/)

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on March 04, 2013, 05:08:19 PM
Just bumping this current. According to the following news if you're in the southern hemisphere you should be able to see this comet now and those who live in the northern hemisphere will have to wait until after it passes the the sun on March 10th.


Comet Pan-STARRS (C/2011 L4) is inside the orbit of Mercury, brightening as it plunges toward the sun. Observers in the southern hemisphere say they can see Pan-STARRS with the unaided eye in the evening sunset sky. Source (http://spaceweather.com/)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on March 05, 2013, 07:00:31 PM
Thank you! It looks like March 12th & 13th will be the best views. It's marked on our calendar!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on March 09, 2013, 12:26:39 PM
Observers in the northern hemisphere are making their first sightings now as the comet emerges from solar glare low in the western sky after sunset.  Soon, the comet could be widely visible to casual sky watchers--no telescope required.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for images, sky maps and observing tips.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on March 17, 2013, 12:00:34 PM
Just wondering if anyone has been able to see this yet. I think tonight might be my only chance as it's suppose to cloud up and rain and snow starting tomorrow.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on March 17, 2013, 06:08:41 PM
The sun is just setting here in the southwest. I'll go out in a little bit!  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on July 26, 2013, 01:29:42 PM
NASA Science News for July 26, 2013

New research by NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office shows that one annual meteor shower produces more fireballs than any other--the Perseids. This year's Perseid peak is just around the corner on August 12-13.

FULL STORY: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/26jul_perseids/

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 07, 2013, 05:07:00 PM
Reminder ...  :)

"We have found that one meteor shower produces more fireballs than any other," Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office said in a statement. "It's the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks on August 12th and 13th."

http://www.accuweather.com/en/features/trend/perseid_meteor_shower_augusts/16237358
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 07, 2013, 05:25:19 PM
I can testify to the fact I've seen more meteors with the Perseid shower than the others. If your sky is clear it usually doesn't disappoint.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 11, 2013, 05:55:23 AM
PERSEID METEOR SHOWER INTENSIFIES: The Perseid meteor shower is intensifying as Earth moves deeper into the debris stream of parent comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. International observers are reporting as many as 30 Perseids per hour from dark sky sites, a rate which could triple on August 12-13 when the shower peaks. The best time to look is during the dark hours between local midnight and sunrise.  http://spaceweather.com/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on August 12, 2013, 03:25:07 AM
It appears to have skipped my neighborhood.  I got up early to go out and look, and saw nothing other than the usual stars.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on August 12, 2013, 04:58:40 AM
... and we are cloud-covered this morning. It's a blessing, but it blinds us to this event. Maybe tomorrow.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 12, 2013, 05:05:33 AM
That's disappointing.

4:20 - 4:50am. 'Twas a lonely vigil at my house; I watched the sky and the dog watched me. The stars were amazingly bright. I saw over a dozen shooting stars plus two satellites. I assumed they would all be in one direction but they were every which way. I should go read about this again.

A sleepy boy just wandered out. Out I go again.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 12, 2013, 05:31:22 AM
5am is too light. There's a spiritual lesson there about sleeping too long and missing out.

"The meteors will always travel in a path away from the constellation for which the shower is named." Link (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2011-399)

That's what I thought. The first ones I saw were heading in an easterly direction, then they slowly rotated toward the south until the last one was almost heading west. That seems like too much of a turn. It would be nice to find a diagram of the comet. More research later.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on August 12, 2013, 12:18:24 PM
Went out at 3am and saw about one meteor a minute.  It was my cat, my dog and me!  :)  They just wanted me, not the light show!

I was a little perplexed as to why the meteors were going in different directions. It would seem that they would be all going in the same direction. I watched for about 20 minutes. After living in such an active world, it is a little hard to watch one a minute, especially when half of them are not very bright. If I were at a higher elevation, I could stay all night. The heavens declare the glory of God. But, down low, the heavens have a hard time getting through the atmosphere and the dirty air, and the light from nearby town. Wearing glasses doesn't help either. Especially as I remember that Moses' eyes were not dimmed at 120 years of age.  I'll juice a little kale tomorrow!  :)

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 12, 2013, 04:04:36 PM
I had clouds and still do today. Am hoping that things will clear up. I think tonight is suppose to be good also. If you are interested here is a link to a service that tries to predict the "clearness" of evening skies for astronomical observations. This link is for Anchorage, AK but you can put in almost any city or lat, long. It's a little hard to understand at first but with a little study it's not too bad.

http://cleardarksky.com/c/AnchorAKkey.html?1
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Mimi on December 30, 2013, 01:22:39 PM
NASA’s All Sky Fireball Network  http://fireballs.ndc.nasa.gov/
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 11, 2015, 07:04:37 PM
Now for the good news:  The 2015 Perseid meteor shower is here, and the Moon will be dark when it peaks.

 Last year, the Perseid meteor shower peaked during the nights around a bright “supermoon.”  Lunar glare reduced the visibility of the Perseids as much as 5 fold to as few as 20 per hour. This year however, is different.

Under a clear, dark sky far from city lights, “We expect meteor rates as high as 100 per hour on peak night,” says Cooke.

Source (http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2015/11aug_perseids/)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 12, 2015, 11:38:42 AM
Thank you, Jim! With a weather forecast of clear skies, this looks promising.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 12, 2015, 04:20:35 PM
Yes. We have clear skies here also. Last night before midnight I saw one really bright one. Tonight I'm thinking about hitting the sack a couple of hours early so I can get up early. Time will tell.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on August 14, 2015, 10:24:27 AM
I am not a pro, so my neck got tired after about ten minutes.  Saw some bright ones and a few not so great. I am near a town so it was not real dark. Thanks for the  info, Jim.

What impressed me much more was the amazing view of the heavens which do indeed declare the glory of God!!  We live too much indoors and not enough outside at night. What an amazing creation we have before  us!!  Soon, by God's grace, we shall have a better view!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 14, 2015, 10:34:20 AM
Sigh... it was big dud in my neck of the woods also. I actually got up super early to see but after 40 minutes and not seeing one I went back to bed. Perseids usually produce a decent show but this year and last year was disppointing.

I usually at least try. A few years back I was out backpacking during the perseids and was on the shore of Lake Superior. It was indeed a sight to make you wonder at the glory of God and His creation. We laid back on the sand in complete darkness watched a decent show for close to an hour before heading back to our tents. The Lord is good to give us something that tends to make us think outside of ourselves!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on May 07, 2016, 05:27:11 PM
TRANSIT OF MERCURY: On Monday morning, May 9th, Mercury will pass directly between Earth and the sun, producing a rare transit visible from the Americas, Europe, Africa and parts of Asia.  Visit Spaceweather.com for observing tips and links to live webcasts.

I've been meaning to purchase a pair of welder's goggles or eclipse glasses for such events and looks like I'm a little too late for this one. However, I will be ready for next years full solar eclipse.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on May 08, 2016, 08:09:13 AM
Find a welder and borrow his helmet.   :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 09, 2016, 11:07:52 AM
I've already seen several this week. Maybe it will be a strong one this year...

http://www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-guide.html
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Vicki on August 13, 2016, 05:42:26 AM
Thank you once again Jim for alerting us to this opportunity. It was a spectacular event. You first started us star gazing 7 years ago, and son and I have made it "our thing" whenever there is an opportunity. What a blessing it has been!

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on August 15, 2016, 08:45:33 AM
Amen! We were in the country Sabbath night. Had a tent and left the rainfly off. The heavens declare the glory of God!!
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 20, 2016, 05:24:27 AM
Thank you once again Jim for alerting us to this opportunity. It was a spectacular event. You first started us star gazing 7 years ago, and son and I have made it "our thing" whenever there is an opportunity. What a blessing it has been!

Well Vicki, I'm glad you could see it in all it's glory. Here as we approached peak we got clouds and storms. I've heard reports of people seeing a couple of hundred in just 90 minutes. This year I'll have to be happy with the few remaining remnants that can be seen for a couple of more weeks.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 02, 2017, 08:09:12 AM
19 Days until some will experience (assuming no clouds) a total solar eclipse. Will anyone here be in the path?

Click to enlarge
(http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/us-zoom1.jpg)


Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 02, 2017, 12:32:36 PM
If you're not in the path and if this old world should last till 2024 you will have another chance.

(https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53c358b6e4b01b8adb4d5870/t/587d30de4402432706c7b5e7/1484599545086/21stCenturyNorthAmericanEclipses?format=1000w)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on August 02, 2017, 04:47:46 PM
19 Days until some will experience (assuming no clouds) a total solar eclipse. Will anyone here be in the path?



I got cheated.  The rest of my family will be in Tennessee, right in the path of totality, while I get 50% up here.  I was in Washington State for the  one in 1979, but it was cloudy.  It got dark for a few minutes (like a half hour after sundown), but that's it.  There was an annular eclipse about 25 years ago that I experienced.  The light was really weird while the moon was in the center of the sun.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on August 03, 2017, 05:18:50 AM
I am waiting for the 2045 pass!  :)  We pray that only Satan will endure the darkness he already will be used to. And, even if by some strange thing we would still be here, some of us may have difficulty seeing much of it.  :)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 03, 2017, 05:40:23 AM
I got cheated.  The rest of my family will be in Tennessee, right in the path of totality, while I get 50% up here. 

Wally, seems like I might end up someplace near your family then. It's been almost two years since I've been down to see my brother so I thought this might be a good time. :)

I am waiting for the 2045 pass!  :)  We pray that only Satan will endure the darkness he already will be used to. And, even if by some strange thing we would still be here, some of us may have difficulty seeing much of it.  :)

I like your thought process Richard. Hard to imagine but if this world should last until 2045 I'd be in my mid 70's hopefully by then my eyes hadn't failed me yet. :)  If I were to wait until one passes directly over my head I'd have to wait until 2099.

According to an article I read these eclipses are rarer than one would think. If everyone never left where they lived there is only about 1 per 360 years for any one spot on the earth. However, Los Angeles being the exception and they'd have to wait 1000 years.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on August 11, 2017, 06:46:06 AM
Here is a blow by blow account of the areas in the direct path. Path and local times of the total eclipse (http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/path_through_the_US.htm)

Only America will see the eclipse this year. Next one is in seven years. Canada, the US, and Mexico will be in the path.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on August 11, 2017, 06:56:25 AM
There appears to be some disagreement over total solar eclipses. Here is a site that says the last one was in 1991.  source (http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/eclipse_popup.htm)  It makes the point that these are very rare events and if you can get into the path of totality, it will be worth it, IF there is an open sky, the sun not covered by clouds. Do not look at the sun without special glasses to protect your eyes.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Cop on August 11, 2017, 08:37:58 AM
There was a solar eclipse in May 1980 in which approx. 90% of the sun was blocked in this part of Texas. If I remember correctly, Galveston island had the sun completely blocked. The eclipse traveled from the Pacific, across Mexico, through the Gulf Of Mexico, and came ashore near the Texas-Louisiana border and went across much of the South.

At least I got to see an eclipse once.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on August 11, 2017, 01:45:11 PM
And this will be the second time, Cop!  My guess is that you will see about 70% of the sun blocked.  Unless you have cloud cover. :(
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 11, 2017, 07:20:08 PM
If this type of thing interests you, you're probably already aware of this but here is an interactive map with the path of the eclipse.

http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Richard Myers on August 21, 2017, 06:18:29 AM
Today's the day!!    source (https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 23, 2017, 05:49:36 AM
Did anyone get to see totality?
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: Wally on August 23, 2017, 05:11:27 PM
My son did so for me vicariously, and sent me some pictures.  Does that count?  ;)

A non-event up here; only about 50% covered.  The light got funny looking and it cooled off for awhile, but that's about it.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 24, 2017, 05:46:56 AM
That works for me Wally. I also took the opportunity to be in the path of totality. It was an experience that is for sure. To feel the temperature drop and crickets and Katydid's start their chirping at 2:30 in the afternoon, and to see the stars come out at 2:30 in the afternoon was interesting to say the least.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 28, 2017, 12:09:32 PM
Both pictures from my phone   :-\    2nd picture is looking away from sun.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4441/36040938914_dd0e2da310_k.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4367/36704121642_5e1dc8ab41_k.jpg)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on August 06, 2018, 11:19:15 AM
This meteor shower usually doesn't disappoint. Over the years there have been several augusts that I was treated to a really nice show.


http://spaceweather.com/

PERSEID METEOR SHOWER: Earth is entering a stream of debris from giant comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, parent of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Although the shower is not expected to peak until next weekend, NASA all-sky cameras are already detecting dozens of Perseid fireballs every night over the USA. This early activity may be a good omen for the nights ahead, especially Aug. 11th-13th when Earth is expected to pass through the densest part of the comet's debris zone. Visit Spaceweather.com for more information and observing tips.

Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: ejclark on August 08, 2018, 11:49:17 AM
Very interesting. White Horse Media has some presentations based on the newest released manuscripts telling about fireballs from heaven striking different locations here on earth. One of the most talked about is the fireballs hitting Nashville. Anytime an event like this occurs it makes me wonder, "Is this the one?"
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on October 16, 2018, 09:46:37 AM
Get ready for a very nice comet. In exactly two months, Comet 46P/Wirtanen will sweep past Earth, making one of the 10 closest approaches of a comet to our planet during the Space Age. If forecasters are correct, Comet Wirtanen could become visible to the naked eye for weeks in Dec. 2018. The small but unusually active comet comes closest to Earth just four days after its closest approach to the sun, and it will be "up" all night long, making this an exceptional flyby. Visit Spaceweather.com (http://Spaceweather.com) for the full story.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on November 12, 2018, 09:38:27 AM
In modern astronomy, most comets are found by large mountaintop telescopes scanning the skies under control of computers. Turn back the clock. Three amateur astronomers have just discovered a bright new comet in the constellation Virgo. It is approaching Earth for a close encounter later this month and could become visible to the naked eye. Visit today's edition of Spaceweather.com for the full story.
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on December 04, 2018, 12:14:54 PM
Get ready for a very nice comet. In exactly two months, Comet 46P/Wirtanen will sweep past Earth, making one of the 10 closest approaches of a comet to our planet during the Space Age. If forecasters are correct, Comet Wirtanen could become visible to the naked eye for weeks in Dec. 2018. The small but unusually active comet comes closest to Earth just four days after its closest approach to the sun, and it will be "up" all night long, making this an exceptional flyby. Visit Spaceweather.com (http://Spaceweather.com) for the full story.

(https://astrobob.areavoices.com/files/2018/11/46P-through-Nov-26_Dec-18_V4_invert.jpg)
Title: Re: Keep a look out for.....
Post by: JimB on December 12, 2018, 01:51:54 PM
I'm wondering if anyone has even attempted to see if they can see this? As usual the sky's in my neck of the woods are cloudy and really haven't had a good opportunity.