Fly over Mars

Click on the opening pictures and you get to view Mars from above as the landscape below flies over the planet. Nice work NASA. Wow!
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080519m.html

satellite-catches-bright-solar-flare on other star!

This is pretty amazing :satellite-catches-bright-solar-flare on other star!

http://www.universetoday.com/2008/05/19/wow-satellite-catches-bright-solar-flare-%e2%80%93-from-a-another-star/

Barn and Mercury

In Overland Park, Kansas near Olathe KS USA on 151st Street there is this neat lone Barn structure in a huge pasture field once filled with grazing cows. Now this field is giving way to houses, streets and more. I don't know how long this Barn will be around so I wanted to take a photo of it in an astronomical setting before it was demolished. I caught it as Mercury (right above it was sinking in the sky).First time I have photographed Mercury since I first saw it in 1963 in Providence RI one night.I hope to have more photos with the barn but at least I have Mercury with it. Mercury is mercurial and I hope not but I am afraid this barn will be gone soon from sight soon.Taken with Canon Revel EOS , 50 mm lens 6.3 f, 10 seconds.

Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS

Long-Lived Lightning Storm discovered on Saturn

Scientists continue to find new discoveries about the dynamic weather system on Saturn and other planets.
posted: 29 April 2008 3:53 pm EDT
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080429-saturn-lightning-storm.html

also
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080327-saturn-hurricanes.html

Fossil sediments in Spain may give clues to what happened to life on Mars

Fossil sediments in Spain may give clues to what happened to life on Mars
A river in Spain may show how signs of life could be preserved on Mars and possibly can give us clues as to possibly life that might have been on mars.
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080501-am-mars-life-iron.html

Mars Phoenix will land soon on Mars

If all goes well and we hope it does, the probe/spacecraft/rover will land on Mars in a couple of weeks. Here is more .This should be exciting to supplement the two Rovers still working on Mars and the Mars Express snapping from over head above Mars.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/13may_phoenix.htm

7.8-magnitude earthquake rocks China

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake devastated a hilly region of small cities and towns in Sichuan and nearby provinces. Thousands killed in China earthquake.
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/huge-quake-kills-thousands-in-china/20080512061409990001

Learn about/ see storms, tornadoes and more

I am helping with a tour and running a weather workshops starting June 1 for a week.

If you are interested in knowing more click on this link
? let me know

Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstormguy@aol.com)
http://www.violentskiestours.com/schedule/index.html

Amazing video of tornado in Alabama 5/8/2008

This is one of the most amazing footages I and many other stormchasers have seen. The power of this EF-2 tornado and what it does (I won't spoil it you have to look).

http://www.whnt.com/Global/category.asp?C=6018&nav=menu108_1

Typhoon hits Burma news and picture/video

Some other articles mention 120 to 130 with higher gusts.

"Electricity supplies and telecommunications in Yangon have been cut since late Friday night as the storm bore down from the Bay of Bengal, packing winds of 190-240 kilometres (120-150 miles) per hour.
Some damage description too.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5...acleFVUOsIsG8Q


some pics here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...=moreheadlines

Nice closeup view of the Mars' moon Phobos

A really nice closeup view of the Mars' moon Phobos taken from orbiting spacecraft

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080414.html

Young star appears to have

It is interesting to see objects in the heavens that are possible birth places for future extrasolor (beyond Earth) planets). Even young stars are possible candidates. This star 100,000 years old may be forming planets.
BY EMILY BALDWIN
ASTRONOMY NOW
Posted: April 2, 2008
This star is probably less than 100,000 years old


http://www.astronomynow.com/news/080402embryonicplanet/

International Space Station, Endeavor space shuttle and a red surprise photo

I've seen the ISS and Space Shuttle recently. But in 2004, I took an unexpected photo that I nicknamed the "Red Surprise." Comet Ikeya- Zhang was a fine comet in 2004 that I photographed and saw with my naked eye too. I took some pictures with one of the robotic telescope I use and waited for the next days pic. I was the comet in my picture on the right. Since I took it with a red filter there was not much of its tail showing. But what were thought 3 streaks diagonally on the left? I had no clue. So I used my Starry Night Pro software to find out. Finding that date and time, I found part of what I was looking for. A bright stripe with a lesser bright stripe next to it, was the International Space Station (ISS) and the Endeavor space shuttle. But what was the other one. Fiddling with the timer and going forward and backwards on this pass, I found it. A Soviet spacecraft happened to be passing right by in tandem. Fittingly I called it my "Red Surprise". While I've been to Moscow, Space City and had many surprises along the way, this a Soviet Union delight in another celestial and different way!

Could Saturn's moon Enceladus have oceans and life under its ice?

Creatures called extremophiles, live in very inhospitable places in the oceans near volcanic vents, in subfreezing climes and other places, have given us new insights about life. While the verdict is still out whether there was life on Mars in the past or present, scientists are looking elsewhere. One possible place is under the icy ridges of the Jupiter's moon Europa. But now Saturn's tiny moon Enceladus is showing interest.
Since a craft made it through the smog layed of Saturn's giant Moon Titan, new missions may hold more proof of what may be there. New evidence is finding that there may be liquid water seas maybe even containing containing organic molecules or life may once be discovered under Enceladus and Europa. Robotic crafts may someday drill and dive into these possible cap/ oceans to see what's done there.4/1 (if not date use archives)
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

The only thing derailing the Mars Rover is NASA

The NASA team did a brilliant job designing, implementing and then getting the two rovers to Mars. To their credit, these two have lasted more then the supposed 3 month span. Now in the fourth year and still truck'in, the only thing that stands in the way for more marvelous research is budget cuts. JPL plans to appeal thought. Stay tuned and see more at
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080324-mars-rovers-update.html

Ocean possibly exists beneath the crust of moon Titan

The pictures of Titan below its smog clouds, organic dunes, lakes, channels and mountains were stunning. Considering all the things that had to go right to accomplish the feat. Now more data that there might be oceans of water and ammonia under the crust of Titan.
The findings were discovered using radar measurements of Titan's rotation.


http://www.saturndaily.com/reports/Ocean_May_Exist_Beneath_Titan_Crust_999.html

Its not beer but an organic brew erupting into the skies above Saturn's tiny moon

The Cassini spacecraft orbiting the planet Saturn has now found evidence of organic brew erupting in a geyser-like manner from Saturn's moon Enceladus. On 12 March, scientists are happy about this tiny moon is its apparent inclination for such great and mysterious active.

Full story:
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Cassini-Huygens/SEMHFYQ03EF_0.html

Gorgeous photos of two galaxies in Ursa Major

This is a magnificent photo of two galaxies M81 and M82, each how to millions and billions of start. While I have taken photos of both, the detail and color in this photo is better showing more detail.

picture at 3/25/08 (if not this date use archives)

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

Googling to find new meteor craters

Using Google Eearth, a new crater has been found.
Satellite image reveals new crater
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
ScienceNetwork WA By Michelle Ridley
The Hickman Crater as seen on Google Earth

Next time you’re virtually roaming Google Earth, make sure you take a
close look at any unusual landforms
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20081803-17058-2.html

Found:organic molecule in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star

The Hubble Space Telescope has made the first discovery of an organic molecule in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star. This will help identify signs of life on a planet outside our Solar System.

More at:
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMTZ1N5NDF_index_0.html

Workers Uncovering rare Mummified Dinosaur

Mummufied dinosaurs happen when the animals are covered soon after their demise. Possibly one of the best was uncovered and workers are now trying to uncover its secrets.

By BLAKE NICHOLSON,

Filed Under: Science News

BISMARCK, N.D. (March 18) - Using tiny brushes and chisels, workers picking at a big greenish-black rock in the basement of North Dakota's state museum

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/workers-uncovering-mummified-dinosaur/20080318125409990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

---

Stunning photo of Space Shuttle going into space

This is a stunning photo of Space Shuttle going into space
3/14/08 ( if not this day go to archives on the bottom of this webpage
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Latest meteorite news Peru and Ontario, Canada

Astronomers searching for meteorite that crashed in Ontario
When there is a big fireball, many people think that meteorites landed. Not always true but it happens. We will shall see if something turns up.
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/03/11/science-meteor.html
How The Peruvian Meteorite Made It To Earth

By RSS on March 11th, 2008
The strange Peruvian meteorite has yielded some interesting conclusions that could change the what we know about the size and type of meteorites that can strike Earth. The Carancas fireball was a stony meteorite and kept on going at a great speed ( 15,000 miles per hour). The impact however was different because of this. More information about conclusions.
http://www.physorg.com/news124466115.html

There is a curious ozone haze which has enveloped the upper atmosphere of Venus

There is a curious ozone haze which has enveloped the upper atmosphere of Venus. Here is also more information about this newly found strange phenomenon on Venus.


http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080226.html

Weather on all the planets (depends if you still consider Pluto a planet -its here too)

Here is more about bad weather and other weather phenomenon on other planets

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/solar_system_weather_010306-1.html

www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/www.windows.ucar.eplanets/95-31.html

school.discoveryeducation.com/school.discoveryeducaplanetaryweather/


Why Do Planets Have Weather?
http://lithops.as.arizona.edu/~jill/EPO/Solarsystem/weather.htm

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:
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