Okay, I’m confused.
Find an online discussion group, chances are pretty good that you’re going to find someone touting one end-of-the-world scenario or another. According to one, it’s Planet X, the other it’s some “grand alignment” of the Sun, Earth and galactic core, other’s still it’s this government or other with their Illuminati, Masons, Lizard Space Aliens vaccination, death camps, injected mind-control device, invasion of the body snatchers…take your pick! There’s so many scenarios, you’re almost faced with an embarrassment of riches for ways in which to shout “The End is Nigh!!!!” They even clash and contradict…”It’s the Illuminati,” “No, it’s the space aliens,” “Pole shift!” “No, they do,” “Yes, they don’t.”
And as the calendar shuffles through the 20-aughts, a veritable doomsday “religion” is growing out of the belief that 2012 is the year that it all comes to a crashing end. A smaller group contends it’s a shift in “consciousness,” the details of which are, of course, a tad sketchy. But the ones getting the most traction are the big “We’re all going to Die!!” scenarios. Nice to have something to look forward to, isn’t it?
Want someone to blame it on? How about the Mayans?
Bit of background: Centuries ago, a large Central American civilization developed as civilizations do, growing, coming to prominence and then dying out for a variety of sociological factors. The Maya were a people who were superb astronomers, mathematicians and obsessed with time-keeping. They developed a calendar that relied on several cycles of the passage of time, culminating in the “long count” calendar. The latest cycle expected to end in what, by our calendar, corresponds to 2012.
For years, this has spawned a minor cottage industry of doomsayers who are convinced any one of these scenarios is going to mean the end of everything. Books have been written and a quick scan through the Internet will find no shortage of sites with some whacky predictions. So let’s take a look at these
One of my favourites is “Planet X.” This is the idea that an unseen companion to the sun – a “brown dwarf” by many accounts - is on its way to the inner solar system and will cause all manner of disruption to Earth’s orbit and the alignment of the poles. The problem with that is, there’s absolutely NO evidence for such a companion.
Of course, there are those that argue that the “government” is hiding the truth. Of course, this ignores a considerable amount of actual astronomy. Particularly laughable is the idea that an object the diameter of Jupiter and with a mass eight times or greater could “hide” in the outer solar system. And let’s not forget the thousands of amateur telescopes pointing with access to the night sky.
Then there’s the “grand alignment” of the sun with the galaxy’s core. On Dec. 21, 2012, the sun is supposed to miraculously align with the center of the galaxy, resulting in some strange channel of “energy” opening up, etc., etc.
Okay, some basic information: Core of the galaxy (RA refers to "right ascension" in hours, minutes and seconds, Dec refers to "declination" in degrees, minutes and seconds)
RA 17h45m40.04s, Dec -29deg 00' 28.1" Sun's position on Dec. 21, 2009 will be RA 17 h, 59m 44 s, Dec -23deg 26' 28". On Dec. 21, 2012, the sun’s position will be RA 18h 0m 57s, Dec. -23 deg 26' 22"
So the sun's position will be more than one hour of arc further east from the relative position of the centre of the galaxy's position in the sky in RA, and less than 6 seconds of arc further north in declination. In the meantime, the sun doesn't come closer than 6 degrees of the known galactic centre's relative position. Again, remembering that we are 26,000 light years away from the galaxy's true centre...thankfully. By comparison, Jupiter is the largest planet in the sky and subtends just 45 arc seconds across the sky while the moon covers half a degree.
Most mysterious of all is the “pole shift.” Some how, either Earth’s magnetic field is supposed to spontaneously flip over night or the Earth itself is expected to flip end-over-end, either through magnetic flux from the sun or gravity of said Planet X. Magnetic flips of polarity do occur but they take time and, of course, life has continued onward throughout the eons as it has. So strike that one. In the meantime, nothing has ever actually “flipped” so how it’s supposed to happen now is beyond comprehension.
Of course, one might find such stuff little more than entertaining diversion and, for most of us, they’d be right. What worries me is the small groups, like those who upon learning of a “Saturn-like object following” Comet Hale-Bopp (it was actually a star distorted by the photographic process) decided the mothership had arrived to take their souls and they committed suicide.
The general interest in such doomsday scenarios also speaks to a more fundamental flaw in humanity…the obsession with our own demise. We seem obsessed with death, an obsession that plays out in any number of disturbing and destructive ways.
Me, I prefer to look to the future. Like, Jan. 1, 2013.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Sun activity ramping up
Is it possible? Could it be true? The sun's drought of sunspots is coming to a close?
Are we finally starting to see "activity?" Recent indications from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory satellite (sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov) seems to be indicating that's the case. Maybe.
Keep in mind folks, the sun usually has something "happening." It is, after all, the largest nuclear fusion reactor we have anywhere near us. Nature's way of lighting up the cosmos. Seething, searing and lately...well...boring!
For those of us who know how, looking at the sun (safely, but more on that later) can be an exciting affair. Sunspots that would dwarf the planet Jupiter, giant filaments of superhot gas extending high off the planet, giant planet-sized "bubbles" of hot plasma boiling to its surface.
Over the last couple of years, though, the sun has been anything but!
It works like this. The sun is essentially just very hot gas. Deep in its core, atoms of hydrogen are squished together to form helium and energy. As the energy of this process makes its long, million-year way out from the center of the sun, it causes the layers of gas above to bubble and boil and generate electrical fields. Like a bar magnet, these fields have a "north" and "south" orientation that generally flips once every 11 years or so. When it does...weird things happen. We see "black spots."
Sunspots aren't really "black" of course. In white light, they're incandescent as the rest of the sun. In a properly filtered view, that means they look "black" compared to the rest of the sun.
In 2002, we experienced the last "peak." However, with every peak there is a valley and this one started about 2006 or 2007 when the last of the previous cycle's "big" sunspots began to fade. And that's where it's got just plain "weird."
Over the last two years, the sun has experienced unusually long periods of "spotlessness." It begs the question...what's going on?
The sun has gone through similarly long periods of low sunspot numbers. But astronomers have only been studying the sun for about 400 years, beginning when Galileo turned his primitive telescope to the sun and projected its bright image onto a white piece of paper.
From 1645 to 1715, the sun experienced a prolonged period without significant numbers of sunspots. During that time, Europe also experienced a "mini ice age" of unusually cold temperatures. Other data has begun to hint that, maybe, there is a link between sunspot activity and climate. Ironically, the sun's brightness actually increases with increased sunspots.
So indications seem to be that the sun is returning to greater activity. But the scientific effort to find answers continue. In the meantime, the hope - at least, for those of us who like to look at the sun - is that we're finally seeing the first of a continuing trend of increased activity.
Can you see it? Well, yes, if you're very careful. It's all about protection because viewing the sun without proper protection WILL result in blindness.
Here's some very UNSAFE methods of viewing the sun: through clouds, smoked glass, film negatives and sunglasses. Safe ways: Proper designed-for-solar viewing "eclipse glasses," Thousand Oaks or other astronomy related solar filters (glass or mylar) or minimum #14 welder's glass.
Failing that, if you own a telescope, there is also eyepiece projection. But make sure it's a telescope and eyepiece combo you didn't spend too much money. The concentrated sunlight from an unfiltered telescope is hot enough to melt tin. The exposed eye would end up in a lot worse condition, to say the least.
Of course, the best way to view the sun now is through websites like SOHO mentioned above, Big Bear Solar Observatory (http://www.bbso.njit.edu/) or even the STEREO spacecraft) http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacecraft.shtml). No special protection required.
Clear and sunny skies!
Are we finally starting to see "activity?" Recent indications from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory satellite (sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov) seems to be indicating that's the case. Maybe.
Keep in mind folks, the sun usually has something "happening." It is, after all, the largest nuclear fusion reactor we have anywhere near us. Nature's way of lighting up the cosmos. Seething, searing and lately...well...boring!
For those of us who know how, looking at the sun (safely, but more on that later) can be an exciting affair. Sunspots that would dwarf the planet Jupiter, giant filaments of superhot gas extending high off the planet, giant planet-sized "bubbles" of hot plasma boiling to its surface.
Over the last couple of years, though, the sun has been anything but!
It works like this. The sun is essentially just very hot gas. Deep in its core, atoms of hydrogen are squished together to form helium and energy. As the energy of this process makes its long, million-year way out from the center of the sun, it causes the layers of gas above to bubble and boil and generate electrical fields. Like a bar magnet, these fields have a "north" and "south" orientation that generally flips once every 11 years or so. When it does...weird things happen. We see "black spots."
Sunspots aren't really "black" of course. In white light, they're incandescent as the rest of the sun. In a properly filtered view, that means they look "black" compared to the rest of the sun.
In 2002, we experienced the last "peak." However, with every peak there is a valley and this one started about 2006 or 2007 when the last of the previous cycle's "big" sunspots began to fade. And that's where it's got just plain "weird."
Over the last two years, the sun has experienced unusually long periods of "spotlessness." It begs the question...what's going on?
The sun has gone through similarly long periods of low sunspot numbers. But astronomers have only been studying the sun for about 400 years, beginning when Galileo turned his primitive telescope to the sun and projected its bright image onto a white piece of paper.
From 1645 to 1715, the sun experienced a prolonged period without significant numbers of sunspots. During that time, Europe also experienced a "mini ice age" of unusually cold temperatures. Other data has begun to hint that, maybe, there is a link between sunspot activity and climate. Ironically, the sun's brightness actually increases with increased sunspots.
So indications seem to be that the sun is returning to greater activity. But the scientific effort to find answers continue. In the meantime, the hope - at least, for those of us who like to look at the sun - is that we're finally seeing the first of a continuing trend of increased activity.
Can you see it? Well, yes, if you're very careful. It's all about protection because viewing the sun without proper protection WILL result in blindness.
Here's some very UNSAFE methods of viewing the sun: through clouds, smoked glass, film negatives and sunglasses. Safe ways: Proper designed-for-solar viewing "eclipse glasses," Thousand Oaks or other astronomy related solar filters (glass or mylar) or minimum #14 welder's glass.
Failing that, if you own a telescope, there is also eyepiece projection. But make sure it's a telescope and eyepiece combo you didn't spend too much money. The concentrated sunlight from an unfiltered telescope is hot enough to melt tin. The exposed eye would end up in a lot worse condition, to say the least.
Of course, the best way to view the sun now is through websites like SOHO mentioned above, Big Bear Solar Observatory (http://www.bbso.njit.edu/) or even the STEREO spacecraft) http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacecraft.shtml). No special protection required.
Clear and sunny skies!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Morning spectacle
I'm not a morning person.
Okay, maybe that's a bit of an understatement. I loathe mornings. Despise 'em. Detest them with a passion usually reserved to animal rights activists towards the cosmetics industry or the relationship between Michael Ignatieff and Stephen Harper.
But the weather people are calling for clear skies this week. Which means I might just have to, as some of my Facebook friends are fond of saying, "suck it up, buttercup!"
You see, there's some interesting goings-on in our eastern sky these mornings. Mercury, Venus and Saturn have been doing a little planetary dosey-doe with Saturn rising up from it's passage behind the sun to greet the descending Mercury and Venus. Well, Saturn is now passing Venus to within a single binocular field of view for the next few days.
To make things even more interesting, a very thin crescent moon joins the celestial tableau Thursday and Friday mornings. All of this visible less than an hour before sunrise.
These types of groupings are hardly unique, nor are they terribly "significant" in the way that astrologers, etc., would like you to believe. However, they are great because they present great opportunities to delve into the "3D" nature of our solar system.
Consider this...the moon is roughly about 320,000 kms from us. Venus, however, is over 120 million. And Saturn over a billion. To say these scales boggle the mind is a little like saying lightning is going to give you a "jolt!"
So now I'm thinking, there may be a good reason to get up in the morning. But if I do and the weather people are wrong, take note. I'll be...um...VERY annoyed!
Clear skies!
Okay, maybe that's a bit of an understatement. I loathe mornings. Despise 'em. Detest them with a passion usually reserved to animal rights activists towards the cosmetics industry or the relationship between Michael Ignatieff and Stephen Harper.
But the weather people are calling for clear skies this week. Which means I might just have to, as some of my Facebook friends are fond of saying, "suck it up, buttercup!"
You see, there's some interesting goings-on in our eastern sky these mornings. Mercury, Venus and Saturn have been doing a little planetary dosey-doe with Saturn rising up from it's passage behind the sun to greet the descending Mercury and Venus. Well, Saturn is now passing Venus to within a single binocular field of view for the next few days.
To make things even more interesting, a very thin crescent moon joins the celestial tableau Thursday and Friday mornings. All of this visible less than an hour before sunrise.
These types of groupings are hardly unique, nor are they terribly "significant" in the way that astrologers, etc., would like you to believe. However, they are great because they present great opportunities to delve into the "3D" nature of our solar system.
Consider this...the moon is roughly about 320,000 kms from us. Venus, however, is over 120 million. And Saturn over a billion. To say these scales boggle the mind is a little like saying lightning is going to give you a "jolt!"
So now I'm thinking, there may be a good reason to get up in the morning. But if I do and the weather people are wrong, take note. I'll be...um...VERY annoyed!
Clear skies!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Ready, aim...BOOM!
NASA is taking aim at the moon and zero-hour is fast approaching.
At 7:30 a.m. EDT on Friday, a NASA-launched Atlas 5 rocket upper stage will crash into the southern hemisphere of the moon, in a crater called Cabeus followed by the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) probe it launched? Why, you might ask? What has the moon ever done to us?
Well, funnily enough, there are those out there who believe those mysterious "powers that be" who have nothing better to do but cover things up and generally do nasty things to civil liberties and aliens alike, have concocted yet another nasty plan, this time to attack the moon and its requisite alien residents. It took me about three seconds of searching to find this prime example: http://tinyurl.com/ybtzgzj
For the rest of us though, it's about the science and the purpose of this particular experiment is to further confirm the existence of water on the moon.
"Why," you might ask. "Didn't they just say there was water on the moon?" Well, yes they did. However, it never hurts to confirm one observation with another. Besides, the previous methods were generally passive scanning methods. Picking up "signals" of a sort from radiation coming from the moon that tell of water. With this method, material will be "kicked up" by the impact of the two-ton upper stage, followed by the LCROSS probe itself. LCROSS will see the first impact while the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) that went up with LCROSS in June will observe the second impact. This is the same LRO that has brought us some stunningly "up close" images of the moon, including photographs of past Apollo sites, including equipment and even tracks left by the astronauts.
Sadly, we're going to miss it here in Ontario since the impact will be occurring just as the sun is coming up. However, professional and amateur telescopes out west will be pointing skyward in a hopes to catch the double plume of debris. Although the impact would theoretically be visible in backyard telescopes, it will still be relatively dim. Amateur astronomers with telescopes 10 inches across and larger are nevertheless being encouraged by NASA to aim their backyard scopes at the moon, just to see what they can see.
It just goes to show that there are still ways that amateur astronomers contribute to the science. Meanwhile, the pros will be scanning the debris cloud with spectrographs to find evidence of water molecules kicked up by the impact.
Needless to say, everyone's going to have something to talk about, come Friday afternoon. Astronomers will be chatting happily about results and what it means to possible human visitation and even colonization of the moon. Conspiracy nuts will be forewarning the coming doom of the "retaliation from the moon." I expect it to be entertaining, either way.
Clear skies!
At 7:30 a.m. EDT on Friday, a NASA-launched Atlas 5 rocket upper stage will crash into the southern hemisphere of the moon, in a crater called Cabeus followed by the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) probe it launched? Why, you might ask? What has the moon ever done to us?
Well, funnily enough, there are those out there who believe those mysterious "powers that be" who have nothing better to do but cover things up and generally do nasty things to civil liberties and aliens alike, have concocted yet another nasty plan, this time to attack the moon and its requisite alien residents. It took me about three seconds of searching to find this prime example: http://tinyurl.com/ybtzgzj
For the rest of us though, it's about the science and the purpose of this particular experiment is to further confirm the existence of water on the moon.
"Why," you might ask. "Didn't they just say there was water on the moon?" Well, yes they did. However, it never hurts to confirm one observation with another. Besides, the previous methods were generally passive scanning methods. Picking up "signals" of a sort from radiation coming from the moon that tell of water. With this method, material will be "kicked up" by the impact of the two-ton upper stage, followed by the LCROSS probe itself. LCROSS will see the first impact while the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) that went up with LCROSS in June will observe the second impact. This is the same LRO that has brought us some stunningly "up close" images of the moon, including photographs of past Apollo sites, including equipment and even tracks left by the astronauts.
Sadly, we're going to miss it here in Ontario since the impact will be occurring just as the sun is coming up. However, professional and amateur telescopes out west will be pointing skyward in a hopes to catch the double plume of debris. Although the impact would theoretically be visible in backyard telescopes, it will still be relatively dim. Amateur astronomers with telescopes 10 inches across and larger are nevertheless being encouraged by NASA to aim their backyard scopes at the moon, just to see what they can see.
It just goes to show that there are still ways that amateur astronomers contribute to the science. Meanwhile, the pros will be scanning the debris cloud with spectrographs to find evidence of water molecules kicked up by the impact.
Needless to say, everyone's going to have something to talk about, come Friday afternoon. Astronomers will be chatting happily about results and what it means to possible human visitation and even colonization of the moon. Conspiracy nuts will be forewarning the coming doom of the "retaliation from the moon." I expect it to be entertaining, either way.
Clear skies!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Bringing funny to space
A lot of people seem to think space is serious business, but they might change their mind after this week.
Very, VERY early Wednesday morning, at about 3:14 a.m. EDT, billionaire space tourist Guy Laliberte, famous for founding the Cirque du Soleil will be getting a little closer to the soleil on the top of a Soyuz rocket.
Word has it, the former clown and street performer is planning on bringing several clown noses for his fellow astronauts and pulling various pranks. And, no joke, this trip is costing him about $35 million dollars...yup, you read that right. Thirty. Five. Million!
But it won't just be fun and games. Every space tourist who visits the Space Station, in addition to having to pass a long series of tests for fitness and readiness to travel to space, are expected to be a contributing member of the team even if it is only as a guinea pig.
So have fun on the ride, Guy. I'm going to be sleeping.
Clear skies!
Very, VERY early Wednesday morning, at about 3:14 a.m. EDT, billionaire space tourist Guy Laliberte, famous for founding the Cirque du Soleil will be getting a little closer to the soleil on the top of a Soyuz rocket.
Word has it, the former clown and street performer is planning on bringing several clown noses for his fellow astronauts and pulling various pranks. And, no joke, this trip is costing him about $35 million dollars...yup, you read that right. Thirty. Five. Million!
But it won't just be fun and games. Every space tourist who visits the Space Station, in addition to having to pass a long series of tests for fitness and readiness to travel to space, are expected to be a contributing member of the team even if it is only as a guinea pig.
So have fun on the ride, Guy. I'm going to be sleeping.
Clear skies!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Water, water
Well, now it’s official. There really is water on the moon.
Needless to say, you haven’t been able to go far without hearing the news practically being trumpeted from the rooftops, the most recent confirmation coming from India’s contribution to lunar exploration Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 and NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper, or M3 ("M-cubed").
Of course, this isn’t the first time the presence of water has been detected. In fact, space scientists have been studying the moon for years and finding evidence for water. The difference is, however, that this is the first time NASA has stated definitively that there was, in fact, water in one of the otherwise driest places of the solar system.
However, we’re not going to see astronauts doing the backstroke in the Sea of Tranquility anytime soon. We’re not talking that much water. In fact, according to NASA, if one could wring all the water out of a ton of moondust, you’d get 32 whole ounces. Thirst quenching yes, but a lot of work. And there are areas of the moon where it is more prevalent such as the moon’s polar regions. Again, it’s not terribly surprising since radar studies and other probes such as Lunar Prospector have seen hints of the water.
If it shows anything, however, its that our solar system is one wet place. Water seems to be everywhere. Earth, Mars, the moon, several moons in the outer solar system including a couple that shows indications of possible liquid water. And liquid water is absolutely essential as a solvent for the chemicals of life.
It’s also important for where it figures in the manned exploration of space. And that’s pretty much everything from something to drink to making rocket fuel.
So now there is the confirmed existence of water on the moon which makes it, not only a great place to visit, but maybe even stay awhile. Perhaps now that they know they’ll be able to take a shower, perhaps we’ll be astronauts going to the moon and staying.
Clear skies!
Needless to say, you haven’t been able to go far without hearing the news practically being trumpeted from the rooftops, the most recent confirmation coming from India’s contribution to lunar exploration Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 and NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper, or M3 ("M-cubed").
Of course, this isn’t the first time the presence of water has been detected. In fact, space scientists have been studying the moon for years and finding evidence for water. The difference is, however, that this is the first time NASA has stated definitively that there was, in fact, water in one of the otherwise driest places of the solar system.
However, we’re not going to see astronauts doing the backstroke in the Sea of Tranquility anytime soon. We’re not talking that much water. In fact, according to NASA, if one could wring all the water out of a ton of moondust, you’d get 32 whole ounces. Thirst quenching yes, but a lot of work. And there are areas of the moon where it is more prevalent such as the moon’s polar regions. Again, it’s not terribly surprising since radar studies and other probes such as Lunar Prospector have seen hints of the water.
If it shows anything, however, its that our solar system is one wet place. Water seems to be everywhere. Earth, Mars, the moon, several moons in the outer solar system including a couple that shows indications of possible liquid water. And liquid water is absolutely essential as a solvent for the chemicals of life.
It’s also important for where it figures in the manned exploration of space. And that’s pretty much everything from something to drink to making rocket fuel.
So now there is the confirmed existence of water on the moon which makes it, not only a great place to visit, but maybe even stay awhile. Perhaps now that they know they’ll be able to take a shower, perhaps we’ll be astronauts going to the moon and staying.
Clear skies!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Goodbye summer. Hello fall.
So I have to admit, fall is a bittersweet time for me, stargazing-wise.
Let’s face it…May, June and July are not super-duper astronomy times. You get maybe two or three hours of “darkness” and the rest is that “in-between” time. Then there’s those biting bugs…oh, they love me! I apply the DEET and I swear I can hear the mosquitoes laughing either from huffing the fumes or just from me being foolish enough to think that will deter the little bloodsuckers!
So fall is coming and, as a result, the nights get longer, the bugs dwindle away and…well, winter is just around the corner. Great…just great!
Of course, turns out there’s another reason to look forward to fall. Researchers into such things have discovered that the equinoxes are the best time to view aurora. And no one knows why. Sure, this is the time of year when the sun stands directly overhead of Earth’s equator at local noon and north and south poles receive equal amounts of day and night.
But auroras are the result of the interplay between the sun’s outflow of charged particles and our own magnetic field. Is it something to do with the orientation of our own magnetic field? Or something else? No one is sure.
In the meantime, the nights are getting oh so much cooler! In fact, I was out the other night and I was playing with the idea of digging our a parka and gloves. Gloves!! Not to mention the fact that the last few years have not exactly given us great or clear weather. So what does this year have in store?
If the weather cooperates, we’ve got some great constellations. W-shaped Cassiopeia, Andromeda and the naked eye behemoth 2.5 million light years away, Aquarius and it’s plethora of deep sky wonders…there’s certainly lots to see. This year, we also have Jupiter making a great appearance. And Mars is just around the corner, now rising in Gemini shortly after midnight.
So time to pull out the woolies and hope that the weather cooperates. Failing that, there’s always…um…well, there’s always the fall TV line-up. Yeah, here’s hoping for really good weather!
Let’s face it…May, June and July are not super-duper astronomy times. You get maybe two or three hours of “darkness” and the rest is that “in-between” time. Then there’s those biting bugs…oh, they love me! I apply the DEET and I swear I can hear the mosquitoes laughing either from huffing the fumes or just from me being foolish enough to think that will deter the little bloodsuckers!
So fall is coming and, as a result, the nights get longer, the bugs dwindle away and…well, winter is just around the corner. Great…just great!
Of course, turns out there’s another reason to look forward to fall. Researchers into such things have discovered that the equinoxes are the best time to view aurora. And no one knows why. Sure, this is the time of year when the sun stands directly overhead of Earth’s equator at local noon and north and south poles receive equal amounts of day and night.
But auroras are the result of the interplay between the sun’s outflow of charged particles and our own magnetic field. Is it something to do with the orientation of our own magnetic field? Or something else? No one is sure.
In the meantime, the nights are getting oh so much cooler! In fact, I was out the other night and I was playing with the idea of digging our a parka and gloves. Gloves!! Not to mention the fact that the last few years have not exactly given us great or clear weather. So what does this year have in store?
If the weather cooperates, we’ve got some great constellations. W-shaped Cassiopeia, Andromeda and the naked eye behemoth 2.5 million light years away, Aquarius and it’s plethora of deep sky wonders…there’s certainly lots to see. This year, we also have Jupiter making a great appearance. And Mars is just around the corner, now rising in Gemini shortly after midnight.
So time to pull out the woolies and hope that the weather cooperates. Failing that, there’s always…um…well, there’s always the fall TV line-up. Yeah, here’s hoping for really good weather!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
