see an eclipse -"To Spark teens curiousity, do not disturb"

((c) photo by E.Flescher)

There was an interesting article in Sundays Kansas City Star (P.B9, 2/24/2008) under the Opinion page entitled "To Spark teens curiousity, do not disturb" by Rhonda Lokeman.

In the article, there is a photo of the eclipse in the sky over Macedonia from the Associated Press. But it is the content of the article that really said much more.

The lunar eclipse had caught the eye of this reporter's teenager.The eclipse captured her attention and pointed the eclipse to her mother. The reporter actually observed it because of the daughter's observation. "What matters to teenagers, as parents will attest, is the source of the suggestion. Parental suggestions are just not cool. "

This was also a night in which the military was to shoot down a rouge spy satellite (and succedded). The eclipse for this child was "cooler" then the interception and destruction of a satellite, which was the preoccupation of the reporter.

What is even better, is the daughter took extra time and creativity to take a picture with her camera on her phone! This she displayed to the reporter/ mother. The moment of observation was "captured" through images which many of us like to do with our digital cameras and videocamcorders to "relive" the moments of the eclipse, celestial object or other sights.

The daugher then sent it on to her friend with the camera phone. Her friend's response, predicatbly , came as a text message : "Kul"

We had a little more time to tell people about this eclipse. We weren't so fortunate with the Comet McNaught, (the brightest comet in 40 years), which only several of us, in the Northern Hemisphere, only saw for 4 days beforethe brilliant comet slipped into the skies of the Southern Hemisphere

I had sent information through my emails to relatives, blog, email listserves etc. My mother in Providence, RI saw it through her kitchen window. My brother in law saw it and telephoned me. I had told some of my students to watch for it and while they tried, the weather here in Overland Park was not good. While I lamented staying at Powell Observatory (near Louisbourg, KS and Kansas City area) as the clouds rolled in, I hoped others would see the eclipse. I should have tried to escape the clouds to see this lunar eclipse, as we did in Hungary 1999, to see the total solar eclipses of that year. Others had better luck North or in Missouri.

But like that teenager, I saw some of it and saw the orange-red hues on the moons surface like the eclipse in August 2007. I have my pictures and videos of that great 1999 eclipse and that past lunar eclipse. There are many words to express a beautiful sight. For older and young "Kul" says a lot.

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 -:sign up for free monthly astronomical newsletter (send message to:
blacksuneclipse-subscribe@egroups.com: Blog : State of Kansas-JPL NASA Solar System Ambassador

Comet finding telescope discovers periodic comet

SOHO's find new periodic com: P/2007 R5
In 2005, German PhD student Sebastian Hoenig realised that the two comets were so similar in orbit that they might actually be the same object.
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMAU2C1S6F_index_0.html

Astronomers find solar system with Jupiter-Saturn configuration

For the first time, astronomers have found extrasolar planets in a far away system that has a Jupiter / Saturn like configuration like our own solar system . Microlensing is the relatively new process used by astronomers to spy these new worlds. Implications tell us that there are more planetary solar system like our own - out there. More articles and info below.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080214144532.htm


Jupiter-Size Planet Found Orbiting Star In Big Dipper
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031201064153.htm

Planetary Scientists To Find Out Composition, Structure Of Asteroids
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2007/0608-visit_to_an_asteroid.htm

(E.O.A.S.blog ) http://eoas-dreric1kansas.blogspot.com/
Students will gain a better understanding of how scientific instruments, devices, probes, spacecraft can assist with a better understanding of our universe.

Auroras seen by Astronauts 200 miles above Earth

I've seen aurora before in the skies above Michigan, Maine and looking out through a window on a jet over Buffalo, NY looking toward Canada. The astronauts aboard the International Space Station took some recent pictures from their loft 200 miles above the Earth!

2/10/2008 (not this date go to archives)
http://www.spaceweather.com/

also to see more photos and to learn more see
http://www.exploratorium.edu/auroras/

(E.O.A.S.blog) http://eoas-dreric1kansas.blogspot.com/
Earth Atmosphere 2/10/08 Students will learn about about Earth- Space phenomenon and gain an understanding of what the causes are

That was close! asteroid flies by Earth

That was close. Yesterday, newly discovered asteroid 2008 CT1 flew past Earth only 72,000 miles (0.3 lunar distances) away on 2/5/08. If it struck the 13-meter wide space rock ( size to a school bus) probably would have exploded in the atmosphere and showering an ocean with meteorites.

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2008%20CT1;orb=1

more coming close near us in the near future

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2008%20CT1;orb=1

Tornadoes in February do occur: Latest outbreak

Colder months still breed tornadic weather . At least six tornadoes touched down between Oxford, Miss., and Jackson, Tenn., said a National Weather Service spokesman.

http://www.wsbtv.com/weather/15227643/detail.html

TN TWISTER SHORT VIDEO- in right pane (shows funnel)

nice pop window How tornadoes form (video slide show- which I have seen before but well done) and more
Tornado touchdown near Arlington, 25 miles northeast of downtown Memphis. It knocked out a radio tower for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
nice picture of tornado

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=7827503

http://weather.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/02/06/tragic-february-tornado-outbreak/

Monday 2/4/08 dawn celestial spectacle

On 2/1/08, Venus and Jupiter were very close together. I could not see it here in Kansas due to the clouds but others saw it.

I did photograph the pair with the Moon on 2/2/08. Taken with my canon digital rebel XT around 6:00 pm CT.
At this day, the planets were farther apart (then 2/1) but the Moon was more in view.

The planets and moon will look like this on Monday morning at dawn. Have a look at dawn.
(spaceweather 2/4/08 illustration)