Parade magazine best photos

Take a look at these nice photos (animals, natural wonders etc).

http://www.parade.com/celebrate

Star of Bethlehem wasn't a comet -what else could it have been?

A few years ago, I researched the subject of the Star of Bethlehem for a presentation I was doing in Kansas City, KS. I pointed to 10 different possibitilies, omens, events, astronomical phenomenon. My presentation was entitled "The 10 Myths of the Star of Bethlehem".

12/28/2007 http://eoas-dreric1kansas.blogspot.com/
(E.O.A.S.blog1) Students will learn how and what ways astronomical events, objects and phenomenon influence history, politics, religion etc

It wasn't Halley's Comet which appeared in sky 12BC ( was late and nearer to 2 BC) Besides comets were bad omens and mostly associated with dread. .

http://clioaudio.com/2007/12/24/nero-and-the-comets-of-doom/

This nice account tries to explain comet as the "Star" (blog info on 12/23/2007)
http://www.sciencemusings.com/2007/12/star-of-bethlehem.html

another

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2007/12/25/news0558.htm

Mark Kidger of the European Space Agency (as did I ) that while a Triple Conjuction in 7BC was good (an forthcoming omen), the conjunction of 2 BC was a possibly better or best fit.

Going back in time, with my Imac Macintosh computer and Starry Night Pro software, I simulated this conjunction. There it was in 2BC. I concluded that it was this conjunction after looking at a host of other possibilities.

But lately Kidger and others have surmised that this date may have been too late for the "Star". So that led to something in between.

Now the suggestion turned to a possibility of a nova star in 5 BC. This is in the realm of one of my ten possibilities.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.christmas25dec25,0,822279.story?coll=bal_tab01_layout

Astronomers are still looking for this Nova that the Chinese might have noted and that might have been a good candidate.

Happy holidays!

Solar prominences in special shapes= what a coincidence

Solar prominences are ionized super heated clouds of hydrogen twisted and lifted aloft by solar magnetic fields. They can often be seen with special choronographs (light blocking telescope) and during total solar eclipses. They are common, but how often do they twist into this shape (on 12/25/2007).
see at Http://spaceweather.com

Enjoy.
12/25/2007 http://eoas-dreric1kansas.blogspot.com/
(E.O.A.S.blog1) Students will learn about the Sun and sun-like storms called Prominences and how magnetic forces affect these storms

If no 12/25/2007 try archives

Happy holidays!!
Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Lat 38.834, Lon -94.778: Nature's Greatest Spectacle- 2008 & 2009 Total Eclipse- Winco Eclipse Tours, Inc.:www.eclipsetrips.com: Comet Observers Award Coordinator- Astronomical League / Astronomical Society of Kansas, KC, MO-Louisburg,KS: http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/comet/comet.htm: Comet Observers Blog: http://cometobservers.blogspot.com/:Subscribe to Comet Observers newsletter (send your email to):CometObserversAwardAL-subscribe@yahoogroups.com : : Eclipse sightings > http://eclipse-sightings.blogspot.com/: E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -<http://eoas-dreric1kansas.blogspot.com/>:State of Kansas-JPL NASA Solar System Ambassador:

did you know that the Earth is closest to the Sun this time of the year?

Longest Night of the Year in the Northern Hemisphere. But did you know that the Earth is closest to the Sun this time of the year? Many people think during this time the Earth that we are colder because the Earth is farther away. Not so!!! It is the angle of the Sun that makes it cooler for Northern Hemisphere (tilted away from Sun) and hotter in the Southern Hemisphere (tilted towards the SUN).



12/24/2007
(E.O.A.S.blog1) Students will learn about the cause of effect of distance and angle of the Sun for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere of Earth during March and December.

More at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice

Discovery by Mars Rover find unusual white Silica Rich Soil.

Most all photos from above and on Mars have shown mostly reddish- orange soil and rocks. However the rover Spirit took photos of whitish material of which the main ingredient is most likely quartz and glass. Soil like this has never been found on Mars before. Similar soil on Earth usually means it was created either by volcanic steam or a hot spring. Possibly hot water saturated with the whitish silica deposited the strange colored soil. Living microbes, like those in many of the hot pools in Yellowstone National Park, , are very comfortable in these environmental hot spots. Possibly as in Yellowstone, small life forms may have once thrived in ancient Martian pools. Analysis of these white soils might tell us more.

(E.O.A.S.blog1) Students will study heat loving life forms (called extremofiles) that inhabit Yellowstone National Park, study other extreme (hot, cold, acidic etc) forms of life and relate such information to possible life forms on other planets and moons.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071218.html

Ever see a moon or sun halo? well this is a MOILANEN ARC

An Ice Halo was seen above Oslo, Norway, Dec. 16, 2007. Diamond dust like ice crystals drifting through the air caught the rays of the sun and transformed ordinary sunbeams like prisms yielding sparkling luminous arcs, V's, and pillars--collectively known as halos. Oslo resident Steinar Midtskogen took picture using his Nikon D70:
See it at http://spaceweather.com

If not 12/22/07, go to archives

(E.O.A.S.blog1) 12/22/07 Students will gain an understanding how water droplets and ice crystals in the sky /clouds produce halos, rainbows and more effects.
http://eoas-dreric1kansas.blogspot.com/

Asteroid on track for possible Mars hit late January

Asteroid on track for possible Mars hit is another main attention getter lately besides the fact that Mars is bright and it is very close to Earth.
Researchers say the object, about 160 feet across, (size of one that hit Siberia in 1908) has an unusually good chance of plowing into the planet Jan. 30. But there is sitll more that needed to study it before then.

(E.O.A.S.blog1) Students will gain a better understanding how scientists search, find and ascertain how asteroids might

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-mars21dec21,0,6729483.story?coll=la-home-center

Do you know know anything about snow?

Yeah it is white and sometimes fluffy or heavy and you have have shoveled it lately maybe?
Learn about different kind of snowflakes and more .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/weather/resource/3827.html?detoured=1

Tonight (12/18/07) Mars will be closest to Earth than it will for many years

Mars the Red Planet Shines Bright.
Tonight (12/18/07) Mars will be closest to Earth than it will for many years. In 2003 , it was even closer and we had special observing sessions at our observatory when thousands came out to take a peak. But this still a treat. Yoy can also see the rotation of Mars in this video and more about the two Mars Rovers are doing as they extend their remarkable journey over Mars.

12/18/2007 (E.O.A.S.blog1 ) Students will observe Mars and understand why Mars positioning , most of the time , is much farther from the Earth.
By SPACE.com Staff
posted: 18 December 2007
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/071218-mars-close.html

Exotic never seen birds in Garden of Eden

Great show called the Garden of Eden on 60 minutes 12/116/2007. Exotic never seen birds and lifeforms in a rainforest of Indonesia are visited. Click on the two video icon on this url at 60 minutes to see a review of these beautiful and strange creatures.


(E.O.A.S.blog)1 (12/15/2007) Students will learn understand and learn how newly discovered life forms can be discovered on Earth evenwhile some are dying off

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml

walrurses are dying as their habitat and lifestyle changes fro, global warming

Global warming is changing habitats where animals live. Many like these walrurses are dying as their habitat and lifestyle changes. Article includes photo of injured walrus.

http://rhodeisland.cox.net/cci/newsnational/national?_mode=view&_state=maximized&view=article&id=D8THF33G1&_action=validatearticle
12/15/2007

(E.O.A.S.blog) 1 Students will gain a better understand of the cause and effects of climate changes on living organisms.

Great Geminids Meteor Shower:Best since 2002 Geminids & 2001 Leonids

What a show! I headed south to Powell observatory (20 minutes away from Olathe KS ) near Kansas City ( where I could view all around from almost horizon to horizon. I was glad I did.

The sky was very clear. I camped out with my sleeping bag, deck chair and pad and red light. I surprised no one else was there. That's too bad.

I saw a -2 Geminid (brightness of Venus) right away. The meteors just started falling all around in every direction. From 1:38- 3:19 I saw 45 meteors ranging from -4 mag to 4 magnitude (it was that clear). Unfortunetly while many were bright they were almost all white which is strange because many Geminids are usually yellow.

Most were bright, without tails (trains) and were 5-15 degrees long.
Several times two would appear right after another. There was a yellow one however that left a 0.75 second train. Most (like many Geminids) were 0.5 second in duration although a few were faster.

I actually would have seen more but I always plot the information about each meteor (for the American Meteor Society) so I can send the data in. Each plot takes 30 or so seconds to turn on red light and write.

Clouds and fog moved in but stayed away. I left earlier to go back as I had school the next day to teach and I was cold even though I had bundled up and it was in 20 to 30 degrees.I wanted to stay longer but my legs were getting frozen (it was 20 degrees ) eventhough I was in a sleeping bag.

This 2007 shower ranked up with the 2002 Geminid shower when I saw 50 bright and more colorful meteors in around 2 hours. The 2001 Leonids was even better but the meteors were fainter on the average.
Probably one of the top ten showers I have ever seen (since 1963).
(see spaceweather.com for photos of Geminids including an all sky camera shot of over hundred meteors (look for 12/16 in archives if not on main page).
Next up Quadrantids January 3-4.

Dr.Eric

Geminid Meteor shower tonight & tusks show evidence of blast from past

Geminids meteor shower is tonight/ tomorow morning. I collect meteorites, watch meteor showers and am interested in meteoritic events past andpresent. I saw this article "Mammoth tusks show up meteorite shower" and that got me curious. It's not from "rag newspaper" but a magazine named Nature.
I give a lot of credit to this guy you made the connection. Seeing the tiny holes after going for a hunch and checking for magetism was incredible. Read more

http://www.nature.com/news/2007/071212/full/news.2007.372.html

12/13/2007
(E.O.A.S.blog) 1 Students will gain an understanding of observational evidence that can lead to further possible discovers in astronomy (and other sciences).

Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Lat 38.834, Lon -94.778: Nature's Greatest Spectacle- 2008 & 2009 Total Eclipse- Winco Eclipse Tours, Inc.:www.eclipsetrips.com: Comet Observers Award Coordinator- Astronomical League / Astronomical Society of Kansas, KC, MO-Louisburg,KS: http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/comet/comet.htm: Comet Observers Blog: http://cometobservers.blogspot.com/:Subscribe to Comet Observers newsletter (send your email to):CometObserversAwardAL-subscribe@yahoogroups.com : : Eclipse sightings > http://eclipse-sightings.blogspot.com/: E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -:State of Kansas-JPL NASA Solar System Ambassador: #2572 IMCA

The Geminids are coming, the Geminids are coming

The Geminids are coming! Didn't Paul Revere, (the famous astronomer) coin this phrase? Not!

But nevertheless- rain, ice, sleet is here right now (Tuesday) here in Olathe, KS .

Tomorrow (Wed) partly cloudy and 37 F and party cloudy and sunny for Thurday.

Means it look good or half decent for viewing the Geminid meteor shower starting Thurday night (see previous post).
The Geminids are coming Thursday night to Saturday morning. (see the info story at this link
Best Meteor Shower of 2007 Peaks Dec. 13
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/071207-ns-geminids.html

Meanwhile here is a photo of a Leonid meteor in 2006 that Kelly from Tonganoxie, KS sent to me (I have less bright ones on my photos).

Sunspots are not dark and they are not spots

Using his telescope Galileo saw sunspots . This changed an assumption that the Sun was "perfect." His observations also damaged his eyes.

Sunspots are not actually dark. These patches of "magnetic storms" are just cooler then the sun's very hot surface. Thus they appear dark.

The best way to see them for most people with out telescopes and the right filters to block out the glare is a orbiting telescope called SOHO. At the SOHO website

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/

you can click on the sunspot area and see a huge current sunspot.

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/sunspots/

Over time you will see the sunspot(s) move towards the right.
What does that mean?

12/10/2007
(E.O.A.S.blog)1 Students will look at the sunspots and compare their size to that of Earth's and Jupiter's size.
(E.O.A.S.blog)2 Students will draw conclusion about the Sun's temperature compared to the surface of the Sun and what the Sun does over time (which is like what happens to the Earth every day).
http://eoas-dreric1kansas.blogspot.com/

The Solar corona - why is it so hot?

Scientists have never understood why the atmosphere of the Sun (corona), has a temperature that rises to millions of degrees. Now there is a better understanding of the cause.
The Sun produces many X-ray Jets that heat the Solar Corona

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/06dec_xrayjets.htm

12/07/07
(E.O.A.S.)1 Students will gain a better understanding of the heating process around the sun and how the solar corona has become so hot compared to the sun surface etc

Volcanoes that formed on the Moon

Especially in the last number year, there has been a lot of speculation how and when our Moon was formed and evolved. Was it created by itself or part of Earth ? Now there is more interesting information that gives us a better understanding about Earth and Moon.

solar system volcanoes
12/6/07 Student will learn about the evolution of our Solar system, moons, planets and other physical characteristics

Moon Formed Volcanoes Early, Rock Study Shows
Mason Inman
for National Geographic News
December 5, 2007
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/12/071205-moon-volcanoes.html

Catch the International Space Station (ISS) 4th-6th

Check out information to view where the for International Space Station (ISS) will be viewable in your area as well as help to look for constellations, comets (several in the sky that can be viewed naked eye (1) or other telescopically.

Goto Heavenabove website link.

http://www.heavens-above.com/

The giant International Space Station (ISS) is flying over many US towns and cities during the evening hours of Dec. 3rd-6th. Now I know there is a link there in the ISS section to see a map of where the ISS will move in the sky (blue- white light) and that is helpful.

One activity that I invented for my summer students is to :
(1) Look at and make a print out of what the evening sky looks at on a present date.
(2) Then change the date parameters to their birthdate and if they can remember their time, and do a similar printout.
(3) Have the students compare/ contrast the constellations, planets , stars that are visible.

12/3/07 (E.O.A.S.)1 Students wilI compare/ contrast the constellations, planets , stars that are visible.
12/3/07 (E.O.A.S.)2 Students wilI learn to find and identify man manned spacecraft moving in the sky.

You think it is hot on Earth- Life is Hell if you lived on Venus

If you go out and look in the East before sunrise you will see a very bright "white star." It's actually the planet Venus, the 2nd planet from our Sun. Clouds reflect much of the light but also make it impossible to take look at the surface of Venus. These clouds are not made of water vapor but sulphuric acid. But that's not all.

The carbon dioxide rich atmosphere traps much of the heat. Basicly this conditon creates a runaway Greenhouse gas condition in which all the heat which enter through the clouds is trapped. The temperature is over 700 Fahrenheit so it is like"Hell on Venus."

Two Russian Venera spacecraft did land on the surface and sent back photos of the surface which instantly told us how arid this desolate planet is. But we did not know why it is so dry. Now we have answers.

Europe's Venus Express spacecraft has communicated an important discovery: the solar wind dries out Venus. Unlike Earth, Venus has no global magnetic field to deflect particles from the sun. When radiation from the Sun called "solar wind" hits Venus, it decreases the upper atmosphere. Hydrogen and oxygen atoms fly into space, removing water from Venus. The process makes conditions even hotter and worse by making the climate dryer planet.
Here is further information.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/SEM0G373R8F_0.html

Photos from the surface of Venus, what the Venusian clouds look like and more interesting photos at

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogallery-venus.html


planets weather 12/3/2007 (E.O.A.S)1 : Students will discover information about other planets and compare/ contrast the conditions/ characteristics to that of Earth

Nice comet animation

This latest photo is an animation of Comet Holmes using two images. The animation shows how far the comet moves in 45 minutes. See it at this archive link on Spaceweather.com (above). It is a great website with loads of photos and interesting weather and astronomy information.

Unfortunetly it is not, in many cases, a real good learning tool for education beyond being "Eye Candy." I do activities that I create using Spaceweather and Astronomy Picture of the Day in my summer computer earth-space camp. When I have time I will post more (there are some in this blogs archives).

These Jellyfish are huge and trouble

I saw and videotaped poisonous Box jellyfish in Capetown, S.Africa aquarium and other places but never this size as related in this article. This kind is pesky in its own way.

Invasion of Jellyfish Envelops Japan In Ocean of Slime
The Wall Street Journal ^ | November 27, 2007 | By Sebastian Moffett
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1931506/posts

Nice picture here
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/01/0119_060119_jellyfish.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomura's_jellyfish


Invasion of Jellyfish Envelops Japan In Ocean of Slime
Skip to comments. Invasion of Jellyfish Envelops Japan In Ocean of Slime · The Wall Street Journal ^ | November 27, 2007 | By Sebastian Moffett ...
www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1931506/posts
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/08/060818-jellyfish-spain.html