Amazing sprite lightning videos

A few years ago when some of my students and I were researching enigma projects, a student mentioned SPRITES which I never heard of . We soon found out more. Sprites shoot up from the tops of big thunderclouds.
Here is an amazing 2 videos of these enigmatic sprites. Great videos a must see.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper-atmospheric_lightning

http://www.spaceweather.com/

sprite movie August 24

Rate how dark the eclipse will get 8/28/2007

Unlike a total solar eclipse which can be seen in a narrow zone,
lunar eclipses can be seen over much of the Earth's sky.
This oneis is in the morning sky Tuesday morning but try to see it.
Post your favorite pics and videoclips here
more info here http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/OH2007.html

rate how dark you think it is using this Danjon scale and post / send me your report (here) along with name, location and rating
http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/blacksun/lunar.htm

Clear skies to all!!!

Hurricane forms nears Caribbean

A hurricane is a big heat engine, fueled by moist ocean waters.

Deadly Storm Bears Down on Caribbean

By JONATHAN M. KATZ,

AP

Posted: 2007-08-18 18:22:22

Filed Under: Natural Disaster, World News

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (Aug. 18) - Alarmed tourists jammed Caribbean airports for flights out of Hurricane Dean's path Saturday as the monster storm began sweeping past the Dominican Republic and Haiti and threatened to engulf Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

Alaska volcano now very active again

Alaska Volcano Poised for Huge Eruption

By JAMES HALPIN,
AP
Posted: 2007-08-18 05:43:21
Filed Under: Science News
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Aug. 17) - One of Alaska's most active volcanoes could be working toward a massive eruption that could affect air travel but was not expected to threaten any of the towns in the area, scientists said Thursday
http://news.aol.com/story/ar/_a/alaska-volcano-poised-for-huge-eruption/20070817163809990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001


also check out this fantastic site
http://volcano.und.edu/

Perseid meteor shower coming tonight/ before dawn

Friday night/morning was great and Saturday night and morning was even better.
(see my account of Sat night./ sunday morning below).

Perseid meteor shower Sunday tonight and to morning (dawn) started at 10pm. Meteors will be from all over but Perseids stream from the constellation Perseus in the NE. Good luck tonight.

See the International Space Station (ISS) connected to the Endeavour space shuttle (see the captured image through a telescope).
http://www.spaceweather.com/

Log into Heavens above to find out where and when to glimpse the International Space Station (ISS). (also Iridium flares, comets and much more)
http://heavens-above.com/
(you must register for free)
ASKC@yahoogroups.com
****
Eric Flescher's account

Observation/ Where: Louisbourg Observatory (20 minutes south of Kansas City)
Sky condition: to magnitude 6 (less hazy then last night)
Time: 9:51pm - 2:45 am
Meteors seen=24: (I was also plotting each meteor's information as I have done for years which means I missed a few here and there while doing that)
The meteors were seen in all parts of the sky
Many people from the 4 presentations afterwards noticed some of the meteors starting as soon as 9:30 pm
Sat night/ morning like Friday night/ morning had a good display or brighter meteors far better then the last 5 years of my recent observations.

Colors: 11 (white), 10 (yellow), 1 (white -blue), 1 (white -yellow)
Sporadics: 13 (1 possible Kappa Cygnid -see more below)
Perseids: 11 '
Magnitude: -2 (1), 0 (4), 1 (5) , 2 (7) , 3 (5), 4 (2) -
Lengths of meteors: 0-5 degrees (7), 6-10 (6), 11-15 (3), 16-20 (7) , 21-30 (1)
Number of meteors with train/trails: 2 (.75 second trains)
Average duration per second: 0.5 per second
Best of night :
Bright yellow fireball (not a Perseid but most likely a Kappa Cygnid) at 12:26 am , going 20 degrees and ending with a terminal mini blast explosion (mini bolide?)

? let me know

Perseid meteor observations near Kansas City

I started observing the Perseids 11:57pm after arriving at Powell Observatory, Louisbourg (20 minutes south of Kansas City) around 11:30.

Sky a little hazy, nice Milky Way and at least 6th magnitude.
Can't ask for a better observing night warm. Started out humid but when the humidity and temperature dropped a bit, it was even more comfortable, downright a great way to observe the Perseids laying on my lawnchair.

No moon helped.

This was the nicest year of Perseids for last 3-4 years (last years I have felt the shower has been on the putrid side).
Two days before maximum, I saw 10 Perseids, 8 sporadics (2 possible Kappa Cygnids).
No fireballs but there were two -1 magnitudes.
12 of them were 2nd magnitude or better.
6 were under 3rd magnitude.
11 were white and 6 yellow. 1 was white-blue.
One had a train (trail).

So things look good for good Perseid shower Sat and Sunday night and mornings.

Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Lat 38.834, Lon -94.778: Russian Eclipse Tour 2008: Eclipse sightings > http://eclipse-sightings.blogspot.com/: E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -

Bacteria from Shark's Mouth and other creatures is a danger too

While listening to the Discovery Channel , Shark week episode, it was said that people can die from the bite not just the gash and loss of blood but bacteria. These bacteria can kill a victim.

This article talks about a komada dragon but it could just have been akin to what may happen to someone bitten by a shark
Students will
(E.O.A.S.1) Will identify how bacteria can help and harm our bodies.
(E.O.A.S.1) Will identify and compare how a komoda dragon and shark can inflict harm through bacteria.

More living fossil evidence

I heard about this living fossil in the 1960's. Then more were found . Now more interesting fossil evidence.

* Ancestor of the "living fossil" sheds new light:
Zoologists called it the find of the century in
1938: a fish thought to have been extinct since
dinosaurs roamed. A new discovery may help complete
the story.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/070801_coelacanth.h

Students will
(E.O.A.S.1) Understand how fossils are created
(E.O.A.S.2 ) Analyze article and state at least one reason why the article is important
(E.O.A.S.3) What structures with the fish make it important?

Perseid meteor shower this weekend

The moon won't be a factor so you will see many faint and bright. Some might even have trails called "trains" that twist in the upper atmospheric winds.

Don't exect io to rain meteors .