Sunday, December 31, 2006
Eclipse 2006 umbra from Space
As the New (total eclipse-less) 2007 Year approach, I send this last message to SEML for 2006
Spaceweather.com (Dec31, 2006) (other days check in archives)
TOTAL ECLIPSE: The moon's dark shadow touched Earth today, tracing a path from Brazil to central Asia, cutting across Africa and Turkey, and finally returning to space west of Mongolia. Wherever the shadow fell, people witnessed a spectacular eclipse of the sun:
2006 eclipse umbra on Earth from Space
http://spaceweather.com/index.cgi?view=1&day=29&month=03&year=2006
photo gallery.
2006 eclipse photo Gallery
http://spaceweather.com/eclipses/gallery_29mar06.htm
High above Earth, the GOES-East weather satellite photographed the moon's shadow approaching the west coast of Africa:
Happy New 2007 Year!! And may we all see many eclipses to come.
Dr. Eric Flescher
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Red Razin:Skepticism greets claim of possible alien microbes
just found this one
Skepticism greets claim of possible alien microbes
Jan. 5, 2006
Special to World Science
The red rain phenomenon first started in Kerala after a meteor airburst event, which occurred on 25th July 2001 near Changanacherry in [the] Kottayam district. This meteor airburst is evidenced by the sonic boom experienced by several people during early morning of that day.
http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/060104_specksfrm1.htm
Skepticism greets claim of possible alien microbes
Jan. 5, 2006
Special to World Science
The red rain phenomenon first started in Kerala after a meteor airburst event, which occurred on 25th July 2001 near Changanacherry in [the] Kottayam district. This meteor airburst is evidenced by the sonic boom experienced by several people during early morning of that day.
http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/060104_specksfrm1.htm
There is more to comet dust then thought
Surprises in comet dust. There is more to comet dust then thought. Scientists are learning much about our universe through the dust from comets. Here is the latest.
Dust gathered from a comet and brought to Earth tells a tale of a so‐Therelar sys‐tem that par‐tial‐ly turned itself in‐side out, re‐search‐ers say.
Dec. 14, 2006
Special to World Science
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/061214_stardust.htm
Updated Dec. 15
Happy New Year
Dr. Eric Flescher
Dust gathered from a comet and brought to Earth tells a tale of a so‐Therelar sys‐tem that par‐tial‐ly turned itself in‐side out, re‐search‐ers say.
Dec. 14, 2006
Special to World Science
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/061214_stardust.htm
Updated Dec. 15
Happy New Year
Dr. Eric Flescher
Friday, December 29, 2006
History Channel "(Meteors) Fire in the Sky" &"Comets: Prophecy of Doom"
I know it is History Channel and it has some shows that are historical but in this case they are mostly science, astronomy, geology and more, in my way of thinking. Well the two shows "(Meteors) Fire in the Sky" and "Comets: Prophecy of Doom" snuck up on us late 12/28 when my wife noticed it on the HC. It had played earlier that evening so I hope some of you saw it or may see it.
(Meteors) Fire in the Sky included meteorite harvesting in Antarctica, finding ancient meteor craters in Europe, the comet discovery and hit by Comet Shoemaker- Levy on Jupiter, Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and demise of the dinosaurs.
"Comets: Prophecy of Doom" showed information about the history of Comet appearances in the sky and impact with the Earth. It starts off the simulation/ scenario in which pieces of a approaching unseen comet flake off the start to hit Los Angeles. Includes differences and likeness of meteors, meteorites, comets and asteroids.
Both are well done and include real and simulated footage, footage by scientists, astronomers including David Levy, Carolyn Shoemaker and others.
Hope you can catch. I am not sure when it first came out but it seems up to date about many discoveries, ideas, theories etc
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Member #2572 IMCA (International Meteorite Collectors Association) : E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -
(Meteors) Fire in the Sky included meteorite harvesting in Antarctica, finding ancient meteor craters in Europe, the comet discovery and hit by Comet Shoemaker- Levy on Jupiter, Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and demise of the dinosaurs.
"Comets: Prophecy of Doom" showed information about the history of Comet appearances in the sky and impact with the Earth. It starts off the simulation/ scenario in which pieces of a approaching unseen comet flake off the start to hit Los Angeles. Includes differences and likeness of meteors, meteorites, comets and asteroids.
Both are well done and include real and simulated footage, footage by scientists, astronomers including David Levy, Carolyn Shoemaker and others.
Hope you can catch. I am not sure when it first came out but it seems up to date about many discoveries, ideas, theories etc
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Member #2572 IMCA (International Meteorite Collectors Association) : E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Eros Asteroid and comet news semi-new and old
Photos, news and information about asteroids and comets are still of interest. Here's more of the latest, semi new and old news that is still good.
Asteroid's mystery 'blue ponds'
The Eros asteroid continues to excite scientists
By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1565564.stm
Tuesday, 25 September, 2001, 17:43 GMT 18:43 UK 'Stupendous' comet pictures revealed
The images are of a far better quality than was expected
By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse
The Deep Space 1 (DS1) probe has returned the best images yet taken of the nucleus of a comet.
I's mind-boggling and stupendous
Astronomers are already saying that the pictures of the 10-kilometre- (6-mile-) wide core of Comet Borrelly will revolutionise our understanding of these frozen wanderers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1563427.stm
Giotto and comet Halley in 1986
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/giotto.html
Asteroid's mystery 'blue ponds'
The Eros asteroid continues to excite scientists
By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1565564.stm
Tuesday, 25 September, 2001, 17:43 GMT 18:43 UK 'Stupendous' comet pictures revealed
The images are of a far better quality than was expected
By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse
The Deep Space 1 (DS1) probe has returned the best images yet taken of the nucleus of a comet.
I's mind-boggling and stupendous
Astronomers are already saying that the pictures of the 10-kilometre- (6-mile-) wide core of Comet Borrelly will revolutionise our understanding of these frozen wanderers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1563427.stm
Giotto and comet Halley in 1986
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/giotto.html
Eros Asteroid and comet news semi-new and old
Photos, news and information about asteroids and comets are still of interest. Here's more of the latest, semi new and old news that is still good.
Asteroid's mystery 'blue ponds'
The Eros asteroid continues to excite scientists
By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1565564.stm
Tuesday, 25 September, 2001, 17:43 GMT 18:43 UK 'Stupendous' comet pictures revealed
The images are of a far better quality than was expected
By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse
The Deep Space 1 (DS1) probe has returned the best images yet taken of the nucleus of a comet.
I's mind-boggling and stupendous
Astronomers are already saying that the pictures of the 10-kilometre- (6-mile-) wide core of Comet Borrelly will revolutionise our understanding of these frozen wanderers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1563427.stm
Giotto and comet Halley in 1986
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/giotto.html
Asteroid's mystery 'blue ponds'
The Eros asteroid continues to excite scientists
By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1565564.stm
Tuesday, 25 September, 2001, 17:43 GMT 18:43 UK 'Stupendous' comet pictures revealed
The images are of a far better quality than was expected
By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse
The Deep Space 1 (DS1) probe has returned the best images yet taken of the nucleus of a comet.
I's mind-boggling and stupendous
Astronomers are already saying that the pictures of the 10-kilometre- (6-mile-) wide core of Comet Borrelly will revolutionise our understanding of these frozen wanderers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1563427.stm
Giotto and comet Halley in 1986
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/giotto.html
Tornadoes Damage Hundreds of Florida Homes
December is not usually a day for tornadoes but anything can happen where there is warm weather .
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Dec. 26) - Four Christmas Day tornadoes damaged hundreds of Florida homes, with one flipping airplanes at a flight school and tearing the roofs off three apartment buildings, officials confirmed Tuesday.
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/tornadoes-damage-hundreds-of-florida/20061225142209990001
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Dec. 26) - Four Christmas Day tornadoes damaged hundreds of Florida homes, with one flipping airplanes at a flight school and tearing the roofs off three apartment buildings, officials confirmed Tuesday.
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/tornadoes-damage-hundreds-of-florida/20061225142209990001
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
" The sky appears blue" because and more misconceptions..
There are many misconceptions astronomical science and more out there that people either believe until they actual reasons etc are know or understood. Part education, part thinking , part reasoning and more.
The sky appears blue because while sunlight contains blue that is bounced around by air molecules .
The Oceans are blue, it is not the reflection of the sky, because water absorbs sunlight's red wavelength which leaves more of the blue to reflect off the sea.
Meanwhile the atmosphere on Mars is pinkish colored. Why? Because the soil and rocks on Mars are red and the resulting dust is lofted into the thin air of the planet.
red about other science and astronomical misconceptions at
More at
www.sciencemadesimple.com/sky_blue.html
More at Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy website
www.badastronomy.com/
Other astronomy urban legends
The sky appears blue because while sunlight contains blue that is bounced around by air molecules .
The Oceans are blue, it is not the reflection of the sky, because water absorbs sunlight's red wavelength which leaves more of the blue to reflect off the sea.
Meanwhile the atmosphere on Mars is pinkish colored. Why? Because the soil and rocks on Mars are red and the resulting dust is lofted into the thin air of the planet.
red about other science and astronomical misconceptions at
More at
www.sciencemadesimple.com/sky_blue.html
More at Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy website
www.badastronomy.com/
Top 10 Space Urban Legends - Myths & Bad Astronomy
http://space.about.com/cs/funandfunny/tp/tpspacemyths.htmTuesday, December 26, 2006
Meteorite Blaze
I have been working with youTube and soon there will be an EOAS to view tornadoes, fireballs and video collection of those who have found and place videos on Youtub. There are some interesting videos.
This one has an interesting video of a fireball in Mexico.
The link below is a nice article about Meteorite Hunters.
Meteorite Blaze
Meteorite blaze over Guadalajara Mexico.
MilkandCookies.com: Latest Links -
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8mbA606ZRWI
Wired News - USA
... were discovered by members of an elite clique of globe-trotting meteorite hunters, adventurers ... and art gallery owners, who have come to see meteorites as high ...
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.01/meteor.html
This one has an interesting video of a fireball in Mexico.
The link below is a nice article about Meteorite Hunters.
Meteorite Blaze
Meteorite blaze over Guadalajara Mexico.
MilkandCookies.com: Latest Links -
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8mbA606ZRWI
Wired News - USA
... were discovered by members of an elite clique of globe-trotting meteorite hunters, adventurers ... and art gallery owners, who have come to see meteorites as high ...
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.01/meteor.html
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Simulation bio-earth-space game Spore coming
Simulation game spore is coming. Look at links below.
I have never tried the game Sims but I love SimCity, SimFarm, SimEarth, SimLife and used them in my computer camps with Rocky's Boots and Robot Odysey and more. I have not done much with them since the internet really started ramping up.
Says it will come out for Windows (first?).
Boy this Spore sim better come out for mac otherwise I will have to get a new mac or have to play the intel side when Sue gets her new one :)
Hopefully kids will try their hand at this great program then on the drivel many spend their time (with their cheat codes of course!!).
The creator Will Wright says that this "game" uses "procedural" content development. which I liken to my "structured flexiblity thinking."
Will Wright Presents Spore... and a New Way to Think About Games
The legendary game designer presents an alternate way to develop games, and the awesome product of this way of thinking."This isn't so much a game preview as it is a look at new thoughts on game design in full effect."
By Dave 'Fargo' Kosak | March 14, 2005
Will Wright, creator of SimCity and The Sims, says YES. And more than that, he believes he's found a way to make gaming a much more personal experience for everyone it touches. And it won't take hordes of content developers: it'll just take a little savvy and use of what's called
"procedural" content development.
http://www.gamespy.com/articles/595/595975p1.html
Spore (video game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[15] At E3 2006, Spore was awarded the following Game Critics Awards: Best PC Game, ... Will Wright Presents Spore... and a New Way to Think About Games. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spore_(video_game)<
Computer Game
Spore for PC - GameSpot offers reviews, previews cheats and more. Count on us for all of the latest on the Spore Computer Game.
www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/spore/index.htm
Will Wright wows GDC with new Sim - PC News at GameSpot
GameSpot provides in-depth news about Spore and hundreds of other games, including game ... Will Wright gives a sneak preview of his upcoming game Spore, ...
www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/11/news_6120274.html
Spore Gameplay Video - Google Video
Will Wright talking at the 2005 Game Developer's Conference about 'Spore', which looks like it could possibly be the best video game ever. ...
video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8372603330420559198
GameSpy: Will Wright Presents Spore... and a New Way to Think ...
Will Wright Presents Spore... and a New Way to Think About Games The legendary game designer presents an alternate way to develop games, and the awesome ...
www.gamespy.com/articles/595/595975p1.htm
SimmingWorld.com / Games / Spore - 6:10pm
First shown to the public at the Game Developers Conference 2005 in San Jose, CA by Will Wright, Spore is a brand new franchise -- it's not SimCity, ...
www.games.simmingworld.com/pc/spore/
3D Gamers :: Game Listing :: Spore Info
Spore downloads, Spore demos, Spore maps, Spore patches, Spore screenshots, Spore images, Spore pics, Spore wallpaper, Spore trailers.
www.3dgamers.com/games/spore/
Slashdot | Will Wright's Next Game: Spore
Will Wright's Next Game: Spore -- article related to Games.
games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/s.slashdot.or&from=rss
fogo archive: Re: amazing video game: Spore by Gerald Oskoboiny ...
Gerald Oskoboiny [2006-03-03 02:51-0800] >I just watched a video demo of a game (Spore) to be released >this fall, ...
impressive.net/archives/fogo/impressive.net/archives/fogo/20060725090
I have never tried the game Sims but I love SimCity, SimFarm, SimEarth, SimLife and used them in my computer camps with Rocky's Boots and Robot Odysey and more. I have not done much with them since the internet really started ramping up.
Says it will come out for Windows (first?).
Boy this Spore sim better come out for mac otherwise I will have to get a new mac or have to play the intel side when Sue gets her new one :)
Hopefully kids will try their hand at this great program then on the drivel many spend their time (with their cheat codes of course!!).
The creator Will Wright says that this "game" uses "procedural" content development. which I liken to my "structured flexiblity thinking."
Will Wright Presents Spore... and a New Way to Think About Games
The legendary game designer presents an alternate way to develop games, and the awesome product of this way of thinking."This isn't so much a game preview as it is a look at new thoughts on game design in full effect."
By Dave 'Fargo' Kosak | March 14, 2005
Will Wright, creator of SimCity and The Sims, says YES. And more than that, he believes he's found a way to make gaming a much more personal experience for everyone it touches. And it won't take hordes of content developers: it'll just take a little savvy and use of what's called
"procedural" content development.
http://www.gamespy.com/articles/595/595975p1.html
Spore (video game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[15] At E3 2006, Spore was awarded the following Game Critics Awards: Best PC Game, ... Will Wright Presents Spore... and a New Way to Think About Games. ...
Computer Game
Spore for PC - GameSpot offers reviews, previews cheats and more. Count on us for all of the latest on the Spore Computer Game.
www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/spore/index.htm
Will Wright wows GDC with new Sim - PC News at GameSpot
GameSpot provides in-depth news about Spore and hundreds of other games, including game ... Will Wright gives a sneak preview of his upcoming game Spore, ...
www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/11/news_6120274.html
Spore Gameplay Video - Google Video
Will Wright talking at the 2005 Game Developer's Conference about 'Spore', which looks like it could possibly be the best video game ever. ...
video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8372603330420559198
GameSpy: Will Wright Presents Spore... and a New Way to Think ...
Will Wright Presents Spore... and a New Way to Think About Games The legendary game designer presents an alternate way to develop games, and the awesome ...
www.gamespy.com/articles/595/595975p1.htm
SimmingWorld.com / Games / Spore - 6:10pm
First shown to the public at the Game Developers Conference 2005 in San Jose, CA by Will Wright, Spore is a brand new franchise -- it's not SimCity, ...
www.games.simmingworld.com/pc/spore/
3D Gamers :: Game Listing :: Spore Info
Spore downloads, Spore demos, Spore maps, Spore patches, Spore screenshots, Spore images, Spore pics, Spore wallpaper, Spore trailers.
www.3dgamers.com/games/spore/
Slashdot | Will Wright's Next Game: Spore
Will Wright's Next Game: Spore -- article related to Games.
games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/s.slashdot.or&from=rss
fogo archive: Re: amazing video game: Spore by Gerald Oskoboiny ...
Gerald Oskoboiny
impressive.net/archives/fogo/impressive.net/archives/fogo/
eclipse sighting TUTULEMMA unique image spaceweather 12/24/2006
eclipse sighting TUTULEMMA unique image spaceweather 12/24/2006
This is one spectacular picture
spaceweather.com
(not on 12/24/06 go to archives)
TUTULEMMA: If you took a picture of the sun at the same time each day, would it remain in the same position? The answer is no, and the figure-8 shape traced out by the sun over the course of a year is called an analemma
"I call it a tutulemma," says Tezel. "I invented this word myself. It's a combination of analemma and tutulma (pronounced to-tool-ma), the Turkish word for eclipse."
The eclipse in question is the total eclipse of March 29, 2006: gallery. The path of totality cut through Antalya, Turkey, about 500 km south of Tezel's home in Bursa. Combining images taken from Bursa and Antalya to create a true analemma--and the wo.
Renowned astrophotographer Tunc Tezel and his brother Cenk took dozens of pictures of the sun throughout 2006 and made the analemma, below. Look carefully. One of the suns in the analemma is eclipsed:
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Member #2572 IMCA (International Meteorite Collectors Association) : E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -
: Subscribe to (send your email to)< blacksuneclipse-subscribe@egroups.com>:Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/blacksun/eclipse.htm: Satori Astronomy Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/satoriastronomy/satoriastronomy.htm
This is one spectacular picture
spaceweather.com
(not on 12/24/06 go to archives)
TUTULEMMA: If you took a picture of the sun at the same time each day, would it remain in the same position? The answer is no, and the figure-8 shape traced out by the sun over the course of a year is called an analemma
"I call it a tutulemma," says Tezel. "I invented this word myself. It's a combination of analemma and tutulma (pronounced to-tool-ma), the Turkish word for eclipse."
The eclipse in question is the total eclipse of March 29, 2006: gallery. The path of totality cut through Antalya, Turkey, about 500 km south of Tezel's home in Bursa. Combining images taken from Bursa and Antalya to create a true analemma--and the wo.
Renowned astrophotographer Tunc Tezel and his brother Cenk took dozens of pictures of the sun throughout 2006 and made the analemma, below. Look carefully. One of the suns in the analemma is eclipsed:
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Member #2572 IMCA (International Meteorite Collectors Association) : E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -
: Subscribe to (send your email to)< blacksuneclipse-subscribe@egroups.com>:Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/blacksun/eclipse.htm: Satori Astronomy Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/satoriastronomy/satoriastronomy.htm
Saturday, December 23, 2006
10 top photos from National Geographic & more
10 top photos from National Geographic included below
http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061219-top-photos.html
"Lost World" of New Species Found in Indonesia
(February 7)
See some of the previously unknown species that scientists discovered in a remote mountain range on the island of New Guinea.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0207_020607_lost_world.html<
Photo in the News: Giant Jellyfish Invade Japan
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/01/0119_060119_jellyfish.html>Photo
in the News: Rare "Rainbow" Spotted Over Idaho
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060619-rainbow-fire.html
http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061219-top-photos.html
"Lost World" of New Species Found in Indonesia
(February 7)
See some of the previously unknown species that scientists discovered in a remote mountain range on the island of New Guinea.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0207_020607_lost_world.html<
Photo in the News: Giant Jellyfish Invade Japan
in the News: Rare "Rainbow" Spotted Over Idaho
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060619-rainbow-fire.html
Friday, December 22, 2006
Start-Ups Try to Plot A Complete Picture
I heard about Google Maps and started to find out about these maps.
First you have to preload the Google Maps software (for mac or pc) on to your computer.
Then you have to find a map file. For example the first good ones I found out about are eclipse maps that show the path of Total solar eclipses.
You find the website with the link, upload it to your desktop computer.
Then it is loaded into your computer.
If there are map layers you can click on and off and show different map layers.
I also found volcano maps, meteorite crater maps, meteorite falls and their location and many others.
You can zoom into the maps also which is neat and go all around.
I will post more google maps stuff as I found it and and links .
If you find something interesting, email me
Dr. Eric Flescher, Olathe, KS(dreric1kansas@aol.com)
Meanwhile read the article above for more on how maps are being used.
Start-Ups Try to Plot A Complete Picture: 'Mash-Ups' Add Data to Online Maps (By Kim Hart)
Start-Ups Try to Plot A Complete Picture
'Mash-Ups' Add Data to Online Maps
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/26/AR2006112600794.html?referrer=email&referrer=email&referrer=email
By Kim Hart
Washington Post Staff Writer
First you have to preload the Google Maps software (for mac or pc) on to your computer.
Then you have to find a map file. For example the first good ones I found out about are eclipse maps that show the path of Total solar eclipses.
You find the website with the link, upload it to your desktop computer.
Then it is loaded into your computer.
If there are map layers you can click on and off and show different map layers.
I also found volcano maps, meteorite crater maps, meteorite falls and their location and many others.
You can zoom into the maps also which is neat and go all around.
I will post more google maps stuff as I found it and and links .
If you find something interesting, email me
Dr. Eric Flescher, Olathe, KS(dreric1kansas@aol.com)
Meanwhile read the article above for more on how maps are being used.
Start-Ups Try to Plot A Complete Picture: 'Mash-Ups' Add Data to Online Maps (By Kim Hart)
Start-Ups Try to Plot A Complete Picture
'Mash-Ups' Add Data to Online Maps
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/26/AR2006112600794.html?referrer=email&referrer=email&referrer=email
By Kim Hart
Washington Post Staff Writer
2006 best science news
I always like to see and read about the best of the year discoveries, inventions, news highlights and more.
Here is the latest
Here is the latest
Latest Meteorite information and more below
Study Finds that a Single Impact Killed the Dinosaurs
http://www.astrobiology.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=21370<>
Turkish scientists Looking for oldest meteorite
A group of Turkish scientists are looking for the traces of a meteorite which they believe to be th...
KeralaNext: Science News -
http://www.keralanext.com<
Campo del Cielo
By Mark SubbaRao
Together with Peter Coppin, they are designing an interactice experience exploring the Campo del Cielo meteorite field in Argentina. The stewn field consists of about a dozen craters, and the fall is believed to have taken place about ...
-
http://adlercyberspace.blogspot.com >
Turkish scientists Looking for oldest meteorite
A group of Turkish scientists are looking for the traces of a meteorite which they believe to be th...
KeralaNext: Science News -
http://www.keralanext.com<
Campo del Cielo
By Mark SubbaRao
Together with Peter Coppin, they are designing an interactice experience exploring the Campo del Cielo meteorite field in Argentina. The stewn field consists of about a dozen craters, and the fall is believed to have taken place about ...
-
http://adlercyberspace.blogspot.com >
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Rugged bacteria may be sign of Martian life -- on Earth
Rugged bacteria may be sign of Martian life -- on Earth
Ottawa Citizen - Ontario, Canada
... There are about 30 known Mars meteorites on Earth (and certainly more that haven ... of attention that is being given to the environment of a meteorite that would
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=739e321d-fec5-46c2-b4bb-422fc97af972&k=24357
Ottawa Citizen - Ontario, Canada
... There are about 30 known Mars meteorites on Earth (and certainly more that haven ... of attention that is being given to the environment of a meteorite that would
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=739e321d-fec5-46c2-b4bb-422fc97af972&k=24357
Rugged bacteria may be sign of Martian life -- on Earth
Rugged bacteria may be sign of Martian life -- on Earth
Ottawa Citizen - Ontario, Canada
... There are about 30 known Mars meteorites on Earth (and certainly more that haven ... of attention that is being given to the environment of a meteorite that would
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=739e321d-fec5-46c2-b4bb-422fc97af972&k=24357
Ottawa Citizen - Ontario, Canada
... There are about 30 known Mars meteorites on Earth (and certainly more that haven ... of attention that is being given to the environment of a meteorite that would
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=739e321d-fec5-46c2-b4bb-422fc97af972&k=24357
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Geminids Meteor Shower, Aurora and Sun
December 14 early evening
I came in from 40 minutes away back to Olathe. I looked outside and it was clear but I did not see the aurora in the Northwest down near the horizon. I did not check my home phone where an astronomy pal from my club had left a message about it. She also sent a message on my mobile phone but I left it in the car!!! Otherwise I would have seen it. It only lasted 15 minutes but it was a beaut!!!The reports of impending storms from the Sun only reported 35% when I checked the night before but things obviously changed. A great photographer from our club, Vic Winter. took this photo.
Thursday morning,I missed Geminids meteor maximum time to see them. When I went to bed to take a few hours of sleep , I woke up at 2AM and it was cloudy. But I tried Friday morning and eventhough it was after the maximum, I went out for an hour before I had to get up and teach.
I only saw 5 ( 3 Geminids) but the weather was not too cloud and the transparency of the sky well I could see to 5.5 magnitude.I am more interested in seeing the bright ones when I do see faint ones I record on my paper as I have done since I was a newbie astronomer in the 1960's in Rhode Island.
The highlight was a Yellow ZERO-magnitude Geminid at 4:07 CT that started high in the South heading out from Gemini (the radiant for this shower). It started faintly but gradually sparkling as it travled 25 degrees to the South and peaked at zero magnitude (this is about 100 times brighter then the faintest stars you can see with your eyes for most people ). It wasn't a fireball but it lasted 0.75 seconds and then flashed out leaving a 0.75 smoke like train.Oh yeahhhhhh.
But now it was Friday morning and I was heading South to teach and Paola High School , Paola, KS.I headed down the road the Sun was just coming up. Sometimes there are some nice sunrises and this one was a nice one.
I could see one of those filtered sunspikes coming through the clouds and the Sun was not up yet. It was a nice pink red as it rose high up from the Eastern horizon. I stopped by the side of the road , got out my camera and took some photos.
more different weather phenomenon at this nice website
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
So it was interesting week before my teaching gets out for Wednesday.
I came in from 40 minutes away back to Olathe. I looked outside and it was clear but I did not see the aurora in the Northwest down near the horizon. I did not check my home phone where an astronomy pal from my club had left a message about it. She also sent a message on my mobile phone but I left it in the car!!! Otherwise I would have seen it. It only lasted 15 minutes but it was a beaut!!!The reports of impending storms from the Sun only reported 35% when I checked the night before but things obviously changed. A great photographer from our club, Vic Winter. took this photo.
Thursday morning,I missed Geminids meteor maximum time to see them. When I went to bed to take a few hours of sleep , I woke up at 2AM and it was cloudy. But I tried Friday morning and eventhough it was after the maximum, I went out for an hour before I had to get up and teach.
I only saw 5 ( 3 Geminids) but the weather was not too cloud and the transparency of the sky well I could see to 5.5 magnitude.I am more interested in seeing the bright ones when I do see faint ones I record on my paper as I have done since I was a newbie astronomer in the 1960's in Rhode Island.
The highlight was a Yellow ZERO-magnitude Geminid at 4:07 CT that started high in the South heading out from Gemini (the radiant for this shower). It started faintly but gradually sparkling as it travled 25 degrees to the South and peaked at zero magnitude (this is about 100 times brighter then the faintest stars you can see with your eyes for most people ). It wasn't a fireball but it lasted 0.75 seconds and then flashed out leaving a 0.75 smoke like train.Oh yeahhhhhh.
But now it was Friday morning and I was heading South to teach and Paola High School , Paola, KS.I headed down the road the Sun was just coming up. Sometimes there are some nice sunrises and this one was a nice one. I could see one of those filtered sunspikes coming through the clouds and the Sun was not up yet. It was a nice pink red as it rose high up from the Eastern horizon. I stopped by the side of the road , got out my camera and took some photos.
more different weather phenomenon at this nice website
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
So it was interesting week before my teaching gets out for Wednesday.
seen in Dodge City, KS newspaper
seen in Doge City, KS newspaper
Beeson Elementary students learn about meteorites
By Ashley Nietfeld
Dodge City Daily Globe
Michael Schweitzer/Daily Globe Dr. Don Stimpson of Haviland shines a light through a piece of a meteorite to demonstrate that some meteorites can produce a stained glass effect when exposed to light. He showed the meteorite to students Friday morning at Beeson Elementary School.
(photo) Students at Beeson Elementary sat riveted as they listened to Dr. Don Stimpson talk about meteorites during school on Friday.
Stimpson, along with Paul Ross, discovered one of the largest meteorites in the United States on Ross' land in Kiowa County this summer. He spent all day giving presentations to each of the classes.
The meteorite, which students learned is a piece of an asteroid that has broken off and fallen to the Earth, consists of five main segments ranging in weight from 150 to 520 pounds. The meteorite is part of the Brenham meteorites that landed on Earth about 20,000 years ago.
Michael Schweitzer/Daily Globe Students at Beeson Elementary School were able to get a hands-on feel of a 300- pound meteorite that was found near Haviland.
When Stimpson told students the combined weight of the segments was 1,500 pounds, gasps of "whoa" could be heard around the room. Stimpson, equally excited, said, "Yeah, it was pretty amazing."
Brenham is a stony-iron meteorite. Stimpson explained there are three types of meteoroids – the term for a meteorite while it's still in space – stony, stony-iron and iron.
Stimpson brought samples of the different meteorites, including one that weighed 300 pounds and had to be pulled in on a wagon.
Beeson Elementary students learn about meteorites
By Ashley Nietfeld
Dodge City Daily Globe
Michael Schweitzer/Daily Globe Dr. Don Stimpson of Haviland shines a light through a piece of a meteorite to demonstrate that some meteorites can produce a stained glass effect when exposed to light. He showed the meteorite to students Friday morning at Beeson Elementary School.
(photo) Students at Beeson Elementary sat riveted as they listened to Dr. Don Stimpson talk about meteorites during school on Friday.
Stimpson, along with Paul Ross, discovered one of the largest meteorites in the United States on Ross' land in Kiowa County this summer. He spent all day giving presentations to each of the classes.
The meteorite, which students learned is a piece of an asteroid that has broken off and fallen to the Earth, consists of five main segments ranging in weight from 150 to 520 pounds. The meteorite is part of the Brenham meteorites that landed on Earth about 20,000 years ago.
Michael Schweitzer/Daily Globe Students at Beeson Elementary School were able to get a hands-on feel of a 300- pound meteorite that was found near Haviland.
When Stimpson told students the combined weight of the segments was 1,500 pounds, gasps of "whoa" could be heard around the room. Stimpson, equally excited, said, "Yeah, it was pretty amazing."
Brenham is a stony-iron meteorite. Stimpson explained there are three types of meteoroids – the term for a meteorite while it's still in space – stony, stony-iron and iron.
Stimpson brought samples of the different meteorites, including one that weighed 300 pounds and had to be pulled in on a wagon.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Geminid meteor shower best tonight to morning
Tonight and tomorrow (THursday morning) is the Gemind meteori shower and the best chance to see it. I have been watching meteor showers since I was a little kid and tonight is one of the best ones to watch.
The meteors will stream out in all directions from the top of the constellation Gemini which is the North of Orion further South.
You may be able to see starting 9pm Earthgrazers. At that time the constellation and the radiant (location in the sky where the meteors seem to stream out of) is low. Sometime meteors streak through the outer parts of the atmosphere and skip through. From the ground they are usually bright, colorful and very long . I saw one a could years ago and it came up from East and looked like an orange sparking firecraker. It was great.
The meteors are usually bright, colorful and sometimes leave dusty trails called "trains."
It is one of the best meteor showers but because it usually in cold weather people don't go out to look as much as in August when the Perseids take place. But the Orionids in October (which I did not try to watch) was unexpectedly good and observers saw many more meteors then average.The Leonids in November that I watched two nights, were not impressive in numbers but I saw one real imressive yellow fireball that sticks in my mind. Others eventhough many were faint , some had trains.
What is interesting is this strong meteor shower was not seen until 1862 which is very unusual. Astronomers searching for a related comet found an object which was called 3200 Phaethon. It's characteristcs appear more like an asteroid as there is no tail like a comet. This object gets close to the Sun so maybe that produced some of the larger particles which produce these many bright meteors as they burn up. Another theory is that this object collided with some asteroid and is trailing many rocky bigger particles
While information on the internet , CNN etc says you might see 1 or 2 per minute , that is during the earlier morning hours and you need to be in a dark sky place. You can't see the fainter ones in the light polluted skies of the cities and bigger towns. Plus you need unobstructed view of the constellation Gemini as it rises from the East after 9 pm. Many meteors, if you there are trees where live, may go behind the trees . Also this does not include the fainter meteors that you can't see if you are just looking near your house and not in a dark sky location.
The bright ones are the ones to remember but sometimes even the fainter ones will leave those trains that will linger and sometime twist in the upper atmospheric winds.
Good luck and let me know if you see any.
The weather will be clear and relatively warm tonight and tomorrow morning (here in Kansas) so try it.
More information at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/12dec_geminids.htm
http://www.earthsky.org/article/50807/look-ahead-to-geminid-meteors-on-december-13
Dr.Eric Flescher
The meteors will stream out in all directions from the top of the constellation Gemini which is the North of Orion further South.
You may be able to see starting 9pm Earthgrazers. At that time the constellation and the radiant (location in the sky where the meteors seem to stream out of) is low. Sometime meteors streak through the outer parts of the atmosphere and skip through. From the ground they are usually bright, colorful and very long . I saw one a could years ago and it came up from East and looked like an orange sparking firecraker. It was great.
The meteors are usually bright, colorful and sometimes leave dusty trails called "trains."
It is one of the best meteor showers but because it usually in cold weather people don't go out to look as much as in August when the Perseids take place. But the Orionids in October (which I did not try to watch) was unexpectedly good and observers saw many more meteors then average.The Leonids in November that I watched two nights, were not impressive in numbers but I saw one real imressive yellow fireball that sticks in my mind. Others eventhough many were faint , some had trains.
What is interesting is this strong meteor shower was not seen until 1862 which is very unusual. Astronomers searching for a related comet found an object which was called 3200 Phaethon. It's characteristcs appear more like an asteroid as there is no tail like a comet. This object gets close to the Sun so maybe that produced some of the larger particles which produce these many bright meteors as they burn up. Another theory is that this object collided with some asteroid and is trailing many rocky bigger particles
While information on the internet , CNN etc says you might see 1 or 2 per minute , that is during the earlier morning hours and you need to be in a dark sky place. You can't see the fainter ones in the light polluted skies of the cities and bigger towns. Plus you need unobstructed view of the constellation Gemini as it rises from the East after 9 pm. Many meteors, if you there are trees where live, may go behind the trees . Also this does not include the fainter meteors that you can't see if you are just looking near your house and not in a dark sky location.
The bright ones are the ones to remember but sometimes even the fainter ones will leave those trains that will linger and sometime twist in the upper atmospheric winds.
Good luck and let me know if you see any.
The weather will be clear and relatively warm tonight and tomorrow morning (here in Kansas) so try it.
More information at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/12dec_geminids.htm
Dr.Eric Flescher
Monday, December 11, 2006
Astronaut Don Pettit has just landed in the meteorite-rich ice fieldhttp://beta.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifs
I collect meteorites but from ebay and watch meteor showers. But collecting meteorites in Antarctica when they are in pristine condition well that would be something else indeed.
Follow along as Don shares his experience
Dr. Eric Flescher
**
NASA Science News for December 11, 2006
Astronaut Don Pettit has just landed in the meteorite-rich ice fields of Antarctica where he plans to launch a series of edgy and entertaining science experiments to be shared with the general public. Call them "Saturday Morning Science--on Ice."
FULL STORY at
Check out our RSS feed at
http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml!">http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml
Follow along as Don shares his experience
Dr. Eric Flescher
**
NASA Science News for December 11, 2006
Astronaut Don Pettit has just landed in the meteorite-rich ice fields of Antarctica where he plans to launch a series of edgy and entertaining science experiments to be shared with the general public. Call them "Saturday Morning Science--on Ice."
FULL STORY at
Check out our RSS feed at
http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml!">http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Comet Findings Raise Fiery Mystery
Comets are called "glittering tourists of the solar system. " But are these "snowballs of ice and gravel "only that or is there more to these mysterious objects? New finds raise some interesting ideas .
Comet Findings Raise Fiery Mystery
by Howard Berkes
"But scientists studying comet dust from the Stardust probe found minerals formed by intense heat, suggesting the minerals came from the neighborhood of the sun itself. That's the earliest discovery in what's expected to be decades of study."
and
"How did hot minerals from the blistering core get to the frigid outer reaches? Or did the minerals come from other stars? And maybe comets aren't quite what we thought, if those icy bodies contain minerals forged by fire."
more at the following website including a picture of the Wild 2 comet in space (very cool)
Wild 2, Portrait of a Comet by Meagan White (on the same website)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5260829
more at Stardust mission Home webpage
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stardust/main/index.html
Dr. Eric Flescher, Olathe, KS(dreric1kansas@aol.com)
Comet Findings Raise Fiery Mystery
by Howard Berkes
"But scientists studying comet dust from the Stardust probe found minerals formed by intense heat, suggesting the minerals came from the neighborhood of the sun itself. That's the earliest discovery in what's expected to be decades of study."
and
"How did hot minerals from the blistering core get to the frigid outer reaches? Or did the minerals come from other stars? And maybe comets aren't quite what we thought, if those icy bodies contain minerals forged by fire."
more at the following website including a picture of the Wild 2 comet in space (very cool)
Wild 2, Portrait of a Comet by Meagan White (on the same website)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5260829
more at Stardust mission Home webpage
Dr. Eric Flescher, Olathe, KS(dreric1kansas@aol.com)
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Planetary Conjunction now Geminids coming up
Astronomy : Planetary Conjunction and the Geminid Meteor shower
Many of the reports fail to say that this conjunction (Dec 8-11) is real difficult to observe in the East. The planetary conjunction of Mercury, Mars and Jupiter (see spaceweather.com) is difficult to see and it is before sunrise. I would not bother unless you look right before sunrise and have binoculars ( reports fail to say thistoo but you have to be careful with the Sun coming up). Still you might want to try. I went out to early eventhough I knew where to look and had good horizon but could not see any of them. I might try ....?
The November Leonids were a bust to most. Many did not see what was supposed to be many meteors that were to fall. However it was the weekend but cold. I was out two nights and while I did not see many, there was one -3 yellow nice fireball that made the wait worthwhile. Most others were faint but some has trains ( dusty trails that sometimes twist in the upper atmosphere winds) that persisted for usually 0.5 second.
The Geminids are usually a real good meteor shower with bright meteors that last at least 0.5 seconds and sometime have trains. I have had better luck with this shower compared to the famous Perseids in August.
But this time it is in week time. However Gemini rise in the evening instead of the morning so you can possibly spot some earthgrazers earlier in the evening (see more below). You can watch the Geminids all night but mid morning is the best to sunrise.
And remember to dress warmly out there if you go
Week-Long Meteor Shower to Dazzle
By Joe Rao
SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist
posted: 08 December 2006
Such meteors are so distinctive because they follow long paths nearly parallel to our atmosphere. By around 9 p.m., Gemini will have climbed more than one-third of the way up from the horizon. Meteor sightings should begin to increase noticeably thereafter. By around 2 a.m., Gemini will stand high overhead.
Geminids stand apart from the other meteor showers in that they seem to have been spawned not by a comet
but by 3200 Phaeton, an Earth-crossing asteroid. Then again, the Geminids may be comet debris after all, for some astronomers consider Phaeton to really be the dead nucleus of a burned-out comet that somehow got trapped into an unusually tight orbit.
more
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/061208_night_sky.html
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Member #2572 IMCA (International Meteorite Collectors Association) : E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -
<http://eoas-dreric1kansas.blogspot.com/
:State of Kansas Solar System Ambassador: Comet Observers Coordinator- Astronomy League/ Astronomical Society of Kansas, KC, MO-Louisburg,KS: http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/comet/comet.htm: CometObserversAwardALsubscribe@yahoogroups.com - Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: State of Kansas Solar System Ambassador:Eric's Black Sun Eclipse newsletter
: Subscribe to (send your email to)< blacksuneclipse-subscribe@egroups.com>:Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/blacksun/eclipse.htm: Satori Astronomy Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/satoriastronomy/satoriastronomy.htm
Many of the reports fail to say that this conjunction (Dec 8-11) is real difficult to observe in the East. The planetary conjunction of Mercury, Mars and Jupiter (see spaceweather.com) is difficult to see and it is before sunrise. I would not bother unless you look right before sunrise and have binoculars ( reports fail to say thistoo but you have to be careful with the Sun coming up). Still you might want to try. I went out to early eventhough I knew where to look and had good horizon but could not see any of them. I might try ....?
The November Leonids were a bust to most. Many did not see what was supposed to be many meteors that were to fall. However it was the weekend but cold. I was out two nights and while I did not see many, there was one -3 yellow nice fireball that made the wait worthwhile. Most others were faint but some has trains ( dusty trails that sometimes twist in the upper atmosphere winds) that persisted for usually 0.5 second.
The Geminids are usually a real good meteor shower with bright meteors that last at least 0.5 seconds and sometime have trains. I have had better luck with this shower compared to the famous Perseids in August.
But this time it is in week time. However Gemini rise in the evening instead of the morning so you can possibly spot some earthgrazers earlier in the evening (see more below). You can watch the Geminids all night but mid morning is the best to sunrise.
And remember to dress warmly out there if you go
Week-Long Meteor Shower to Dazzle
By Joe Rao
SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist
posted: 08 December 2006
Such meteors are so distinctive because they follow long paths nearly parallel to our atmosphere. By around 9 p.m., Gemini will have climbed more than one-third of the way up from the horizon. Meteor sightings should begin to increase noticeably thereafter. By around 2 a.m., Gemini will stand high overhead.
Geminids stand apart from the other meteor showers in that they seem to have been spawned not by a comet
but by 3200 Phaeton, an Earth-crossing asteroid. Then again, the Geminids may be comet debris after all, for some astronomers consider Phaeton to really be the dead nucleus of a burned-out comet that somehow got trapped into an unusually tight orbit.
more
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Member #2572 IMCA (International Meteorite Collectors Association) : E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -
<
:State of Kansas Solar System Ambassador: Comet Observers Coordinator- Astronomy League/ Astronomical Society of Kansas, KC, MO-Louisburg,KS: http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/comet/comet.htm: CometObserversAwardALsubscribe@yahoogroups.com - Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: State of Kansas Solar System Ambassador:Eric's Black Sun Eclipse newsletter
: Subscribe to (send your email to)< blacksuneclipse-subscribe@egroups.com>:Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/blacksun/eclipse.htm: Satori Astronomy Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/satoriastronomy/satoriastronomy.htm
Life-long interest in meteorites
Sue and I joke (well I joke she does not think it is such a joke) about when we were in Casco Canyon , (Utah I forget?). It was after the Sun set and it was getting darker by the minute. I urged her that we should get going as I did not want to get stuck here in the dark. She insists on keeping on looking for arrowhead stones. While she is doing her thing, I take a picture of her bending over trying to find one (I love this picture :) ) . She insists to this day that it is a genuine arrowhead as it looks like ones we saw at a shop later that night or the morning. We can debate about her stone but finally someone ends the debate about a stone a lady found years ago.
read below with more.
“I first picked it up because I noticed the unusual shape like an arrowhead, but when I held it I felt how dense it was,” Johnson said. “When I was a little girl of about eight in The Netherlands, I remember my father telling me that you will always know a meteorite because it is heavy for its size. I always kept it and showed it to people, saying that I had found something unusual.”
Life-long interest in meteorites
pays off for B.C. woman
31 July 2006
http://www.geo.ucalgary.ca/PMSearch/PMSearch_johnson.html
The Pararie Meteor Search
http://www.geo.ucalgary.ca/PMSearch/
Includes information below
July 31, 2006 - BC woman finds iron meteorite near Prince Rupert
http://www.geo.ucalgary.ca/PMSearch/PMSearch_johnson.html
December 15, 2005: A record year for meteorite recovery in Canada
September 19, 2005: Alberta’s Centennial meteorite discovered near Edmonton
July 14, 2005: Manitoba meteorite hunter scores again
June 10, 2004: Alberta farmer finds Canada’s newest meteorite: Belly River Buttes
April 20, 2004: Bernic Lake - another new meteorite from Manitoba
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS
read below with more.
“I first picked it up because I noticed the unusual shape like an arrowhead, but when I held it I felt how dense it was,” Johnson said. “When I was a little girl of about eight in The Netherlands, I remember my father telling me that you will always know a meteorite because it is heavy for its size. I always kept it and showed it to people, saying that I had found something unusual.”
Life-long interest in meteorites
pays off for B.C. woman
31 July 2006
The Pararie Meteor Search
http://www.geo.ucalgary.ca/PMSearch/
Includes information below
July 31, 2006 - BC woman finds iron meteorite near Prince Rupert
http://www.geo.ucalgary.ca/PMSearch/PMSearch_johnson.html
December 15, 2005: A record year for meteorite recovery in Canada
September 19, 2005: Alberta’s Centennial meteorite discovered near Edmonton
July 14, 2005: Manitoba meteorite hunter scores again
June 10, 2004: Alberta farmer finds Canada’s newest meteorite: Belly River Buttes
April 20, 2004: Bernic Lake - another new meteorite from Manitoba
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS
Friday, December 8, 2006
Evidence of water resurface on Mars
NASA. Evidence of water resurface on Mars
USAToday 12/7/06
Mysterious gullies could be recent flow
by Dan Vegano USA Today
This article has insightly information about the mysterious gullies and evidence that water flowed on Mars very recently.There are still a lot of naysayers but these observations are pretty interesting. They show new crater in the last few years and water like deposits.
(1) New satellite iages show that new gullies (bright patches carved into flowing shapes in the Martian dust) have appeared within two craters
(2) Ken Edgett speaking at NASA with information in the journal Science. In January 2004 image he spotted a crater that hadn't appeared in earlier images (started taking in 1999).
(3) 20 new crarters were spotted in all . This establisged the an estimated rate of about 12 small comet or meteors impact a year on Mars.
(4) The search also found the newer dried out gullies in two craters , both located in middle latitude, between the frozen poles and dry equater (that had higher temperatures).
(5) The gullies likely carried "5 to 10 swimming pools worth of brinywater " down the 20 -30 degree slopes of the craters , Edgett said.
(6) This has changed the thinking about Mars says PLanetary scientist Phil Christensen of Arizona State U .
(7) He added vthat planetary scientists are adebating whether water hides in aquifers , frozen ice or show packs on Mars.
(8) Edgett suggests that the gullies result from groundwater percolating through cracks in the Martian rock around the craters.
(9) Stephen Clifford of the LUnar PLanetary Institutediagresses and says the cold , dry terrain makes it difficult to understand how water could possibly exist close to the surface, hje says.
(10) More spacecraft observation might yield more definitive data.
(11) The team's cratering estimates are in doubt too.Would these be hazardous to future space missions? Probably yes it was said.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061206-mars-water.htmlhref="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061206-mars-water.html">http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061206-mars-water.html
USAToday 12/7/06
Mysterious gullies could be recent flow
by Dan Vegano USA Today
This article has insightly information about the mysterious gullies and evidence that water flowed on Mars very recently.There are still a lot of naysayers but these observations are pretty interesting. They show new crater in the last few years and water like deposits.
(1) New satellite iages show that new gullies (bright patches carved into flowing shapes in the Martian dust) have appeared within two craters
(2) Ken Edgett speaking at NASA with information in the journal Science. In January 2004 image he spotted a crater that hadn't appeared in earlier images (started taking in 1999).
(3) 20 new crarters were spotted in all . This establisged the an estimated rate of about 12 small comet or meteors impact a year on Mars.
(4) The search also found the newer dried out gullies in two craters , both located in middle latitude, between the frozen poles and dry equater (that had higher temperatures).
(5) The gullies likely carried "5 to 10 swimming pools worth of brinywater " down the 20 -30 degree slopes of the craters , Edgett said.
(6) This has changed the thinking about Mars says PLanetary scientist Phil Christensen of Arizona State U .
(7) He added vthat planetary scientists are adebating whether water hides in aquifers , frozen ice or show packs on Mars.
(8) Edgett suggests that the gullies result from groundwater percolating through cracks in the Martian rock around the craters.
(9) Stephen Clifford of the LUnar PLanetary Institutediagresses and says the cold , dry terrain makes it difficult to understand how water could possibly exist close to the surface, hje says.
(10) More spacecraft observation might yield more definitive data.
(11) The team's cratering estimates are in doubt too.Would these be hazardous to future space missions? Probably yes it was said.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
More information about Tagish meteorite
More information about Tagish meteorite
Emma Bullock, a postgraduate student in the department, is working on the composition of the meteorite for her thesis.
"It's unlike any other meteorite we've ever seen so it possibly belongs in a group all of its own," she says.
"There are [compounds containing the element sulphur] in this meteorite that aren't found on Earth and there are also some very unusual shapes of sulphide.
"It's got some other very interesting features," she adds. "It's been altered by water but not really by heat so that's affected some of the minerals."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2144150.stm<
additional information says more specifically that
(from Kathleen McBride)
The exterior of 05112 is yellow brown with fractures; 05124 has patches of purplish black fusion crust. The interiors are brown and black with light colored inclusions.
The Thin Section (,2) Description: Tim McCoy and Emma Bullock
The sections consist of a few small chondrules (up to 0.5 mm), mineral grains and CAIs set in a black matrix; rare metal and sulfide grains are present.
Olivine compositions are Fa1-20. The matrix consists pre-dominantly of an Fe-rich serpentine.
Thee research says instead of the sample being unknown the meteorites are type: CM2
chondrites
http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/antmet/amn/amnsep06/petdesmil05112.cfm
Emma Bullock, a postgraduate student in the department, is working on the composition of the meteorite for her thesis.
"It's unlike any other meteorite we've ever seen so it possibly belongs in a group all of its own," she says.
"There are [compounds containing the element sulphur] in this meteorite that aren't found on Earth and there are also some very unusual shapes of sulphide.
"It's got some other very interesting features," she adds. "It's been altered by water but not really by heat so that's affected some of the minerals."
http://
additional information says more specifically that
(from Kathleen McBride)
The exterior of 05112 is yellow brown with fractures; 05124 has patches of purplish black fusion crust. The interiors are brown and black with light colored inclusions.
The Thin Section (,2) Description: Tim McCoy and Emma Bullock
The sections consist of a few small chondrules (up to 0.5 mm), mineral grains and CAIs set in a black matrix; rare metal and sulfide grains are present.
Olivine compositions are Fa1-20. The matrix consists pre-dominantly of an Fe-rich serpentine.
Thee research says instead of the sample being unknown the meteorites are type: CM2
chondrites
http://
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
latest about Mars and the quest to find water on Mars and life
First scientists thought we might have water on Mars because of the illusion of the green canals. Then thought when the spacecrafts took pictures there was no much hope.
This continued with the Viking Landers.
Then were tantilizing clues to gully like rivers, possible water underneath in caves and possible evidence or minerals and layering with the two Mars Rovers.
now the latest about Mars and the quest to find water on Mars and life
WATER MAY BE SPURTING ON MARS
-----------------------------
Mars Global Surveyor photographs have revealed bright new deposits seen in
two gullies on Mars that suggest water carried sediment through them
sometime during the past seven years. Liquid water, as opposed to the
water ice and water vapor known to exist at Mars, is considered necessary
for life. The new findings heighten intrigue about the potential for
microbial life on Mars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0612/06mgs/
This continued with the Viking Landers.
Then were tantilizing clues to gully like rivers, possible water underneath in caves and possible evidence or minerals and layering with the two Mars Rovers.
now the latest about Mars and the quest to find water on Mars and life
WATER MAY BE SPURTING ON MARS
-----------------------------
Mars Global Surveyor photographs have revealed bright new deposits seen in
two gullies on Mars that suggest water carried sediment through them
sometime during the past seven years. Liquid water, as opposed to the
water ice and water vapor known to exist at Mars, is considered necessary
for life. The new findings heighten intrigue about the potential for
microbial life on Mars.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0612/06mgs/
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
The monster with the great set of jaws and more meteorite stuff
The monster with the great set of jaws
Dunkleosteus terrelli
see
Snap!
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/05/science/05observ.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin
<
also more about meteorites information further down on the page
Carbaneous chondrite meteorites haave carbon bearing materials. Carbon based materials are the building blocks of life on Earth. So it stands to reason, carbon based material may have caused curious possibilities in early earth bombardmends.
Organic meteorites
Similar globules were first noticed in a meteorite in 1961 and have since been seen in a few other carbonaceous chondrites. But until now there has been no way to adequately analyze them.
The NASA scientists used a mass spectrometer with a tiny probe and found that the globules contained carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen. Isotopic analysis of the nitrogen and hydrogen determined that the globules had probably formed at temperatures approaching absolute zero.
That finding, the researchers say, means that the globules probably were created in the outer reaches of the developing solar system or in the molecular cloud that became the Sun. The researchers suggest that if, as is thought, Earth was bombarded by these kinds of meteorites early in its history, such globules may have helped “seed” the planet with organic compounds that led to life.
Dunkleosteus terrelli
see
Snap!
<
also more about meteorites information further down on the page
Carbaneous chondrite meteorites haave carbon bearing materials. Carbon based materials are the building blocks of life on Earth. So it stands to reason, carbon based material may have caused curious possibilities in early earth bombardmends.
Organic meteorites
Similar globules were first noticed in a meteorite in 1961 and have since been seen in a few other carbonaceous chondrites. But until now there has been no way to adequately analyze them.
The NASA scientists used a mass spectrometer with a tiny probe and found that the globules contained carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen. Isotopic analysis of the nitrogen and hydrogen determined that the globules had probably formed at temperatures approaching absolute zero.
That finding, the researchers say, means that the globules probably were created in the outer reaches of the developing solar system or in the molecular cloud that became the Sun. The researchers suggest that if, as is thought, Earth was bombarded by these kinds of meteorites early in its history, such globules may have helped “seed” the planet with organic compounds that led to life.
Sunday, December 3, 2006
caving stuff
Argentina's Caves Threatened by Mining, Tourism, Experts Say
Kelly Hearn in Buenos Aires
for National Geographic News
December 1, 2006
Mining and tourism threaten Argentina's cave systems, say critics, who worry that the activities are destroying fragile underground ecosystems and archaeological sites.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061201-caves-argentina.html
<
• Photo in the News: Giant Crystal-Filled Cave Discovered in California (September 26, 2006)
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/09/060926-cave-california.html<
• Prehistoric Cave Discovered; 8 New Species Thrive Inside (June 2, 2006)
Mati Milstein in Ramle, Israel
for National Geographic News
June 2, 2006
Quarry workers digging recently in central Israel broke through bedrock and stumbled into an entirely new and unique ecosystem, scientists announced Wednesday. The cavern had been sealed off from the outside world for millions of years.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060602-israel-cave.html<
•
National Geographic Magazine: "Inside Chiquibul: Central America's Longest Cave"
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/chiquibul/intro.html
Kelly Hearn in Buenos Aires
for National Geographic News
December 1, 2006
Mining and tourism threaten Argentina's cave systems, say critics, who worry that the activities are destroying fragile underground ecosystems and archaeological sites.
<
• Photo in the News: Giant Crystal-Filled Cave Discovered in California (September 26, 2006)
• Prehistoric Cave Discovered; 8 New Species Thrive Inside (June 2, 2006)
Mati Milstein in Ramle, Israel
for National Geographic News
June 2, 2006
Quarry workers digging recently in central Israel broke through bedrock and stumbled into an entirely new and unique ecosystem, scientists announced Wednesday. The cavern had been sealed off from the outside world for millions of years.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060602-israel-cave.html<
•
National Geographic Magazine: "Inside Chiquibul: Central America's Longest Cave"
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Amber , that pretty yellow mineral
Ancient Roman device was an ancient clock like device
Amazing read
Scientists Unravel Mystery of Ancient Machine
By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS, AP
12/2/2006
Known as the Antikythera Mechanism - from the island off which the Roman ship sank - the assemblage of cogs and wheels looks like the innards of a very badly maintained grandfather clock. But the first clockwork devices appeared more than a thousand years later in Western Europe.
"It was a calendar of the moon and sun, it predicted the possibility of eclipses, it showed the position of the sun and moon in the zodiac, the phase of the moon, and we believe also it may have shown the position of some of the planets, possibly just Venus and Mercury," he said.
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/scientists-unravel-mystery-of-ancient/20061201182609990013?ncid=NWS00010000000001
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS
Scientists Unravel Mystery of Ancient Machine
By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS, AP
12/2/2006
Known as the Antikythera Mechanism - from the island off which the Roman ship sank - the assemblage of cogs and wheels looks like the innards of a very badly maintained grandfather clock. But the first clockwork devices appeared more than a thousand years later in Western Europe.
"It was a calendar of the moon and sun, it predicted the possibility of eclipses, it showed the position of the sun and moon in the zodiac, the phase of the moon, and we believe also it may have shown the position of some of the planets, possibly just Venus and Mercury," he said.
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS
Scientists Unravel Mystery of Ancient Machine
Scientists Unravel Mystery of Ancient Machine
By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS, AP
12/2/2006
Known as the Antikythera Mechanism - from the island off which the Roman ship sank - the assemblage of cogs and wheels looks like the innards of a very badly maintained grandfather clock. But the first clockwork devices appeared more than a thousand years later in Western Europe.
"It was a calendar of the moon and sun, it predicted the possibility of eclipses, it showed the position of the sun and moon in the zodiac, the phase of the moon, and we believe also it may have shown the position of some of the planets, possibly just Venus and Mercury," he said.
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/scientists-unravel-mystery-of-ancient/20061201182609990013?ncid=NWS00010000000001
By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS, AP
12/2/2006
Known as the Antikythera Mechanism - from the island off which the Roman ship sank - the assemblage of cogs and wheels looks like the innards of a very badly maintained grandfather clock. But the first clockwork devices appeared more than a thousand years later in Western Europe.
"It was a calendar of the moon and sun, it predicted the possibility of eclipses, it showed the position of the sun and moon in the zodiac, the phase of the moon, and we believe also it may have shown the position of some of the planets, possibly just Venus and Mercury," he said.
rest of story A star fell on Sylacauga 1954
Reading about meteors and meteorites when I was younger, I knew about this story as it was one of the only ones if not the only one that at that time about a human being being struck by a meteorite. But I did not know the rest of the story.
Read below about the interesting rest of the story
Dr.Eric
**
Picture of The late Dr. Moody Jacobs in 1994 with a copy of the Dec. 13, 1954, issue of Life magazine, which featured a story about the Sylacauga meteorite. In the black-and-white photo on the table, Jacobs points to the large bruise on Ann Hodges' left hip after it was struck by the rock.
A star fell on Sylacauga
'54 meteorite struck home,
woman, changed lives
By M.J. Ellington
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/061130/meteorite.shtml
Read below about the interesting rest of the story
Dr.Eric
**
Picture of The late Dr. Moody Jacobs in 1994 with a copy of the Dec. 13, 1954, issue of Life magazine, which featured a story about the Sylacauga meteorite. In the black-and-white photo on the table, Jacobs points to the large bruise on Ann Hodges' left hip after it was struck by the rock.
A star fell on Sylacauga
'54 meteorite struck home,
woman, changed lives
By M.J. Ellington
Friday, December 1, 2006
If all goes well, research rocket invention will pierce tornado
Storm chaser Brian Waldrop
Wednesday, 11/29/06 Storm chaser aims for twister's heart
If all goes well, research rocket invention will pierce tornado
By MITCHELL KLINE
Staff Writer
http://www.fairviewobserver.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061129/NEWS01/611290422/1321/MTCN06
Wednesday, 11/29/06 Storm chaser aims for twister's heart
If all goes well, research rocket invention will pierce tornado
By MITCHELL KLINE
Staff Writer
Meteorite may hold clues to life
I was very intrigued when I learned about the French Meteorite Oreguil which landed in the 1800's and was said to have organic materials in it. This was in the 1960s and might meteorite and meteor interests soared.Since that I have observed countless meteor showers, fireballs, some bolides (fireballs with meteoric booms). Then lately I started collecting more meteorites but this Tagish one that I heard about in 2003 and now have a small piece is the exception in many ways.
The Tagish Meteorite exploded in Canada and reigned down very old caronaceous chondrites meteorites on the Canadian Yukon.It was most interesting that no one really hunted for the meteorites until later but finally they were found on the ice of the Tagish Lake and around the lake.
Lately there is now much more about these pristine meteorites
Meteorite may hold clues to life
“This may be the cleanest meteorite we have.
The meteor opens a window into the kind of material from which the solar system was formed.
The meteorite is unusually rich in carbon molecules that have formed into hollow bubbles so tiny that a trillion of them would weigh less than a grape.
That’s important for two reasons: all living things are built from carbon compounds and all living things need to arrange those compounds into membranes that protect what’s inside the organism from what’s outside."
“Astrobiologists consider forming a membrane to be one of the most important and difficult steps in forming the first cells,” said Messenger.
“These globules are premade membrane structures. They may have nothing to do with life per se, but they’re organic-rich, they’re about the right size and they’re hollow.”
(nice photo of one of the bigger meteorites in this article website below)
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1164970952693&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home">http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1164970952693&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
SCIENCE NEWS
December 01, 2006
Ancient Meteorites from Outer Solar System May Have Provided Raw Materials for Life
Meteorite that fell in Canada's Tagish Lake contains organic compounds from a time before planets formed
Finally
"We're sure that these [globules] are not alive," Messenger remarks. "But they may have been important ingredients for the first life-forms.
Like the Tagish Lake meteorite globules, comet particles are rich in carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. The NASA scientists are currently analyzing particle samples collected by the comet-chasing Stardust Mission to determine if organic globules were a common form of prebiotic organic matter present throughout the early solar system."
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=3B156AB3-E7F2-99DF-3954A06521CC6FBD>
also
http://evomech1.blogspot.com/2006/12/nasa-scientists-find-primordial.html
and
and
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/12/01/meteorite_spa.html?category=earth&guid=20061201150000
The Tagish Meteorite exploded in Canada and reigned down very old caronaceous chondrites meteorites on the Canadian Yukon.It was most interesting that no one really hunted for the meteorites until later but finally they were found on the ice of the Tagish Lake and around the lake.
Lately there is now much more about these pristine meteorites
Meteorite may hold clues to life
“This may be the cleanest meteorite we have.
The meteor opens a window into the kind of material from which the solar system was formed.
The meteorite is unusually rich in carbon molecules that have formed into hollow bubbles so tiny that a trillion of them would weigh less than a grape.
That’s important for two reasons: all living things are built from carbon compounds and all living things need to arrange those compounds into membranes that protect what’s inside the organism from what’s outside."
“Astrobiologists consider forming a membrane to be one of the most important and difficult steps in forming the first cells,” said Messenger.
“These globules are premade membrane structures. They may have nothing to do with life per se, but they’re organic-rich, they’re about the right size and they’re hollow.”
(nice photo of one of the bigger meteorites in this article website below)
SCIENCE NEWS
December 01, 2006
Ancient Meteorites from Outer Solar System May Have Provided Raw Materials for Life
Meteorite that fell in Canada's Tagish Lake contains organic compounds from a time before planets formed
Finally
"We're sure that these [globules] are not alive," Messenger remarks. "But they may have been important ingredients for the first life-forms.
Like the Tagish Lake meteorite globules, comet particles are rich in carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. The NASA scientists are currently analyzing particle samples collected by the comet-chasing Stardust Mission to determine if organic globules were a common form of prebiotic organic matter present throughout the early solar system."
also
and
and
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/12/01/meteorite_spa.html?category=earth&guid=20061201150000
Saturn's Moon Iapetus shows bulding Waistline
Saturn and the moons are always showing new finds
Saturn's Moon Iapetus shows bulding Waistline
http://ciclops.org/view.php?id=714&flash=1
Saturn's Moon Iapetus shows bulding Waistline
Meteorite's Organic Matter Older Than the Sun, Study Says
Meteorite's Organic Matter Older Than the Sun, Study Says
Brian Handwerk
for National Geographic News
November 30, 2006
But the microscopic organic globules that make up about one-tenth of one percent of the object appear to be far older.
In a study appearing in tomorrow's issue of the journal Science, Messenger and colleagues report that isotopic anomalies in the globules suggest that they formed in very cold conditions—near absolute zero.
"What's really striking about this is that these globules clearly could not possibly have formed where [the meteorite] itself formed," Messenger said.
"Under those extreme conditions the air that you'd breathe would be solid ice. You would never find those conditions in the asteroid belt or anywhere close to the sun."
"It's the lowest density meteorite that's ever been studied," said Peter Brown, a meteor expert and professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada.
"We mean that the material in the meteorite has been processed the least since it was formed. The material we see today is arguably the most representative of the material that first went into making up the solar system."
The meteorite likely formed in the outer reaches of the asteroid belt, but the organic material it contains probably had a far more distant origin.
more
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061130-meteorite.html
even more
Building Blocks of Life Found in Two Meteorites
Bijal P. Trivedi
National Geographic Today
December 19, 2001
The sugar and sugar-like molecules, collectively called polyols, were found in the Murchison meteorite that fell in Murchison, Australia, in 1969 and the Murray meteor that fell in Kentucky in 1950—two meteorites that are rich in carbon.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/12/1219_TVsugarmeteors.html
Brian Handwerk
for National Geographic News
November 30, 2006
But the microscopic organic globules that make up about one-tenth of one percent of the object appear to be far older.
In a study appearing in tomorrow's issue of the journal Science, Messenger and colleagues report that isotopic anomalies in the globules suggest that they formed in very cold conditions—near absolute zero.
"What's really striking about this is that these globules clearly could not possibly have formed where [the meteorite] itself formed," Messenger said.
"Under those extreme conditions the air that you'd breathe would be solid ice. You would never find those conditions in the asteroid belt or anywhere close to the sun."
"It's the lowest density meteorite that's ever been studied," said Peter Brown, a meteor expert and professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada.
"We mean that the material in the meteorite has been processed the least since it was formed. The material we see today is arguably the most representative of the material that first went into making up the solar system."
The meteorite likely formed in the outer reaches of the asteroid belt, but the organic material it contains probably had a far more distant origin.
more
even more
Building Blocks of Life Found in Two Meteorites
Bijal P. Trivedi
National Geographic Today
December 19, 2001
The sugar and sugar-like molecules, collectively called polyols, were found in the Murchison meteorite that fell in Murchison, Australia, in 1969 and the Murray meteor that fell in Kentucky in 1950—two meteorites that are rich in carbon.
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