tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13077522208753875102024-03-19T05:07:54.907-07:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the UniverseAndrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.comBlogger223125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-49318819445167970452020-07-30T20:28:00.001-07:002020-07-30T20:28:56.087-07:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: Hot Blob Signals Presence of Long-Awaited Star Corpse<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2020/07/hotblob-signals-presence-of-long.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: Hot Blob Signals Presence of Long-Awaited Star Corpse</a>: Astronomers have just announced the first indication that a star seen to explode in 1987 has left behind a “neutron star” – a kind of weird ...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-77825268399521561652020-07-30T20:21:00.002-07:002020-07-30T20:27:54.125-07:00Hot Blob Signals Presence of Long-Awaited Star Corpse<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Astronomers
have just announced the first indication that a star seen to explode in 1987
has left behind a “neutron star” – a kind of weird star corpse that is more compressed
than any other structure in the universe.
It’s a discovery that has long been hoped for by astronomers to confirm
that our ideas about the deaths of massive stars are correct.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Smaller
stars, like our Sun, die a relative peaceful death, where they simply collapse
under their own weight until they become kind of solid. But the bigger stars become unstable and blow
up at the end of their lives, in an explosion astronomers call a <i>supernova.</i> Most such explosions leave behind a core so
compressed that, in it, atoms as we know them cease to exist. Instead, electrons are squeezed into protons
to make neutrons, essentially removing all empty space within each atom. The
result is a tight ball made mostly of pure neutrons. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
make something this dense on Earth, we would have to take all the people in the
world and squeeze them into one raindrop!
An entire star collapses to be about the size of a small U.S.
suburb. How could we find such a “squozen”
star corpse? It turns out these neutron
stars are very hot after they form and can heat any left-over gas and dust
around them. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
most recent nearby supernova explosion that astronomers know of was seen in
February 1987 in a satellite galaxy that orbits our Milky Way. It is given the very unimaginative name <i>Supernova 1987A, </i>being the first one
seen in 1987. Searching the central
regions of the remnant of this supernova, astronomers, using the big array of
radio telescopes called ALMA, have recently found a super-hot blob of material
right where the neutron star was expected to be. All the characteristics of the blob indicate
that is a heated cloud of dust and gas hiding a hot neutron star within. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><p style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
will be decades before the material around the neutron star is cleared out and
we can get a glimpse of the star corpse itself.
But for now, the detailed properties of the blob tell us that it is most
likely hiding just the kind of neutron star astronomers were hoping to see.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIzJdciYne6xMZUL7YjxR1IgWy3dKcr4ha-iU1iG9NrEwBoiGNF4bRXrb-O9YRT6rkWh-xNtGrvP65VKLBKAJky647XaWAPCWGschnX5yKwDZbAcE1JPjZ9LC94cnhs7YJwGI6HMGAi8/s2048/Supernova+1987A+Blob+with+Neutron+Star.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIzJdciYne6xMZUL7YjxR1IgWy3dKcr4ha-iU1iG9NrEwBoiGNF4bRXrb-O9YRT6rkWh-xNtGrvP65VKLBKAJky647XaWAPCWGschnX5yKwDZbAcE1JPjZ9LC94cnhs7YJwGI6HMGAi8/s320/Supernova+1987A+Blob+with+Neutron+Star.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;">(In our radio image, you see a wide ring of
material around the dead star, set to glow by the particles of the explosion
that reach it. The inset shows the central region, with the hot blob glowing
bright in radio waves.)</span></span></p>
<br />Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-29770194982365861282020-05-27T18:14:00.001-07:002020-05-27T18:14:22.308-07:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: SETI Pioneer Frank Drake Celebrates His 90th Birth...<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2020/05/seti-pioneer-frank-drake-celebrates-his.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: SETI Pioneer Frank Drake Celebrates His 90th Birth...</a>: This week, Dr. Frank Drake, the pioneer in the scientific search for intelligent life elsewhere in the cosmos and one of my favorite a...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-46167418725162364632020-05-27T18:05:00.000-07:002020-05-27T18:07:37.881-07:00SETI Pioneer Frank Drake Celebrates His 90th Birthday<div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This week, Dr. Frank Drake, the pioneer in the scientific search for intelligent life elsewhere in the cosmos and one of my favorite astronomers, turns 90. He has been a really important mentor in my life, with good advice at several crucial career points, and I want to wish him all the best on this occasion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He is perhaps best known for the ”Drake Equation,” a formula for making estimates of the number of technological civilizations in the Galaxy that are capable of communicating with us. To read an article in which he wrote up “The Origin of the Drake Equation” (for a column I was editing at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific), go to: </span><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fdrakearticle%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3tfqtyQ5JjDHDb6FYitXvVZvm_Yavpg8G65kgU2MUO0yMDWLOFsQGoZdw&h=AT0MMISmgygsyumhO1Ibk-yU6I8bWGcEpeVxw8-JjThl_5N6-H-lVzlUunFbsE9b10zDly62JaEFaTgRxDyZQVwfyBT_-w0vTU5jowiOuCsGMHjhMsLSVD3KjfzwkD8X7lv06zCrCGT9vBUn&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT1eJMV7CdIZaBp-HFIJzdt8alCOY8WzdR5uYxKxxNFUR7XPHUNFTHL22Z6F-4NyuINepmTdMVrfSJv7TQ8wUpTt3wxmsNEG90IxlH_uUfP41jGrlxrj0tYWO_y-2s9ugoQN7AOPIOJ8clY5DscsGD7wpvIzc2tjrlyGPWB8cwVgMwsfd3tnZM5rlEXk" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="background-color: transparent; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/drakearticle</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For my 2012 interview with Drake, where he reflects on his work over the years, see: </span><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DHPQz-kdaxNo%26t%3D536s%26fbclid%3DIwAR0g6fBUKVPIYjgmZBJrsIC0_Ks6h3nSNBB_zZx2la3WMX0_dJevCnHJZEU&h=AT1o7g9Rxgk2wcaD3n7tDnIJhv_KMvW1Dg7j3bGifA3fdsyXUArZEgTEROTl87PZNN4Z8cSylxvv6J3H530JfFkaZknaQTd_Uw5fGWa8lINufdji_XPZ9LBpetjjnokSSiB1pXMyh8QPyMQp&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT1eJMV7CdIZaBp-HFIJzdt8alCOY8WzdR5uYxKxxNFUR7XPHUNFTHL22Z6F-4NyuINepmTdMVrfSJv7TQ8wUpTt3wxmsNEG90IxlH_uUfP41jGrlxrj0tYWO_y-2s9ugoQN7AOPIOJ8clY5DscsGD7wpvIzc2tjrlyGPWB8cwVgMwsfd3tnZM5rlEXk" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="background-color: transparent; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPQz-kdaxNo&t=536s</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The accompanying picture shows us on that occasion, at the SETICon convention organized by the SETI Institute, where he and I have been on the Board of Trustees. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With all the reasons to despair of intelligent life here on Earth, I hope we can soon realize Drake's dream of finding it among the stars. A number of projects are carrying on the search he began, and a success would be a great present for his next birthday.</span></div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-64199540116485362912020-05-08T16:33:00.001-07:002020-05-08T16:33:20.674-07:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: Radio Interview (with Discussion of the New Black ...<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2020/05/radio-interview-with-discussion-of-new.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: Radio Interview (with Discussion of the New Black ...</a>: Today, I was interviewed on the Pat Thurston Show on KGO Radio for an hour, with a good discussion of the recent discovery of the close...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-42781931805762793952020-05-08T16:32:00.001-07:002020-05-09T16:25:48.874-07:00Radio Interview (with Discussion of the New Black Hole Discovery)<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today, I was interviewed on the Pat Thurston Show on KGO Radio for an hour, with a good discussion of the recent discovery of the closest black hole to Earth ever found (it's still not THAT close, so don't worry!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />You can listen to the podcast of the show <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/the-pat-thurston-show/may-8-2020-andrew-fraknoi">https://omny.fm/shows/the-pat-thurston-show/may-8-2020-andrew-fraknoi</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Please stay safe and distanced (just as the stars are)!</span></div>
Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-1374413656464378342019-12-30T16:04:00.001-08:002019-12-30T16:04:23.249-08:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: My Humorous Science Fiction Story (about SETI) Rec...<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2019/12/my-humorous-science-fiction-story-about.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: My Humorous Science Fiction Story (about SETI) Rec...</a>: A brief short story I wrote -- about the first message we receive from an extra-terrestrial civilization -- has recently been publishe...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-17825450432355284462019-12-30T16:02:00.000-08:002019-12-30T16:02:13.485-08:00My Humorous Science Fiction Story (about SETI) Recently Published<div class="_5pbx userContent _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_46" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 6px;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A brief short story I wrote -- about the first message we receive from an extra-terrestrial civilization -- has recently been published by the "SciPhi Journal" (an on-line magazine that specializes in philosophical science fiction.) You can read the story for free at: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/2019/12/20/the-unwelcome-reply/">https://www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/2019/12/20/the-unwelcome-reply/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Perhaps the story can provide a touch of humor during these days of so much dark news. All the very best to everyone for a "cosmic" new year: may our planet becomes a better world for all of us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">More about my ventures into the world of science fiction -- after having dealt with science fact for more than four decades -- can be found at: </span></div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-49410364113701105642019-07-28T20:18:00.001-07:002019-07-28T20:18:31.864-07:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: My Second Published Science Fiction Story Now Avai...<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2019/07/my-second-published-science-fiction.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: My Second Published Science Fiction Story Now Avai...</a>: As some regular readers know, one my recent projects is writing short science fiction stories based on good astronomy. After a...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-2668660316737797652019-07-28T20:17:00.000-07:002019-07-28T20:17:50.779-07:00My Second Published Science Fiction Story Now Available Free On Line<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a ajaxify="/Fraknoi/photos/a.242853449124281/2307361092673496/?type=3&eid=ARCDB26LQlcFS_BpEfYdi7Ar1rjpm8fjgOA8HHWH8vd8GOlT1Y28TDhg4F28QcguD8z-HIe2yGroGMgB&size=1024%2C819&fbid=2307361092673496&source=13&player_origin=unknown&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB-UD0Qbqr7PhZ1x0uQF1fJppWKFkCeNAwMD0LF-v7W3KdlDnwZf7fjK4FV_mtfRfTrBsZ3umdCYigdtpOXgaz3c685ygRO_xhP1EhlJ51z8h82kxe86M0aYhs5PLtRyqcuZoQ1kC-FYoyjEQLT8EFjelzyYdhSFCdyycuBaJsQ6t-PN-TVEyYrPNvdqcQZYDaBstV2JZAveKtu3wgCVdU_7kBIx1i7wb3npEXNE9bmtadmb2EfQyOQ9HFvD67cRcEm3IEQL5C2XlNs95dAbNNKshGiyCagJeVTTKC_NcV31Vy6IGAN9FdW-oPCVW2Gi5l2F4HuXcvfXOhTw1cTdydUfg&__tn__=EHH-R" class="_4-eo _2t9n" data-ploi="https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/67317873_2307361096006829_4651838967598022656_o.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_oc=AQk33bABMoGtw9GhERUcbj6SOfwnYy8pxYEVxOcLJDTzROj3NrI_gV0d7zZBxZEQapc&_nc_ht=scontent-sjc3-1.xx&oh=4e529fe84b6cb59a5e38b9dea259ea0e&oe=5DAB9AF2" data-plsi="https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/67381901_2307361099340162_3750413099824316416_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_oc=AQkGcWq_2gjxvbVv2DWF3oy8BWW04VJvs2HCmTXKxk0arZIMD0g5H7qqV9EsC5Z0HBw&_nc_ht=scontent-sjc3-1.xx&oh=b738173ca43ebb10b3088facb1edea6c&oe=5DE22B3D" data-render-location="homepage_stream" href="https://www.facebook.com/Fraknoi/photos/a.242853449124281/2307361092673496/?type=3&eid=ARCDB26LQlcFS_BpEfYdi7Ar1rjpm8fjgOA8HHWH8vd8GOlT1Y28TDhg4F28QcguD8z-HIe2yGroGMgB&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB-UD0Qbqr7PhZ1x0uQF1fJppWKFkCeNAwMD0LF-v7W3KdlDnwZf7fjK4FV_mtfRfTrBsZ3umdCYigdtpOXgaz3c685ygRO_xhP1EhlJ51z8h82kxe86M0aYhs5PLtRyqcuZoQ1kC-FYoyjEQLT8EFjelzyYdhSFCdyycuBaJsQ6t-PN-TVEyYrPNvdqcQZYDaBstV2JZAveKtu3wgCVdU_7kBIx1i7wb3npEXNE9bmtadmb2EfQyOQ9HFvD67cRcEm3IEQL5C2XlNs95dAbNNKshGiyCagJeVTTKC_NcV31Vy6IGAN9FdW-oPCVW2Gi5l2F4HuXcvfXOhTw1cTdydUfg&__tn__=EHH-R" rel="theater" style="box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05) 0px 1px 1px; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; position: relative; width: 474px;"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">As some regular readers know, one my recent projects is writing short science fiction stories based on good astronomy. After a long learning period, two of my stories have now been published in science fiction anthologies. The second one, which is about exploding stars and music, just had its rights returned to me, a</span></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">nd so I am happy to put it up free on the web for everyone's enjoyment at: </span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310397794_Supernova_Rhythm">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310397794_Supernova_Rhythm</a> </span></span></div>
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After the short story, I have put a non-technical explanation of the science behind the fiction.</div>
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The accompanying photo is a NASA composite showing the remnant of Tycho's Supernova, a star seen to explode by the great astronomer Tycho Brahe in October 1604. In this image, blue and green colors shows what the remnant would look like if you had x-ray eyes, the yellow shows what it looks like in visible light, and the green shows the heat rays (infrared) coming from the object. Blended together, all the colors show where this remarkable "left-over"of a star that blew itself to bits is still glowing brightly more than 400 years later.</div>
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By the way, if you also want to read my first published science fiction story "A Cave in Arsia Mons" (about a surprising discovery on Mars), you can do so at: </div>
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<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282914928_The_Cave_in_Arsia_Mons">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282914928_The_Cave_in_Arsia_Mons</a></div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-85266029865875774052019-07-18T16:42:00.001-07:002019-07-18T16:42:02.857-07:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: My Talk to the Commonwealth Club on the Moon<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2019/07/my-talk-to-commonwealth-club-on-moon.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: My Talk to the Commonwealth Club on the Moon</a>: The Commonwealth Club of California invited me to give an illustrated public talk about the Moon on the occasion of the 50th anniversar...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-5247801755840921922019-07-18T16:41:00.001-07:002019-07-18T16:43:11.490-07:00My Talk to the Commonwealth Club on the Moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Nxnb_GesqUfRJxTH4uzhObrglLOvvP56uBzH4xllA_4ptbHAF4SJ0l5JTtPyK-ZMdX3Aml6P6TdiA1R5oKDQcEqxq0XsK_2IKB2kvfX09N6BPkTn_tF9Q2pUFffjAKd6KiiwlP293is/s1600/Full+Earth+and+Full+Moon+%2528Deep+Space+Climate+Discovery+2015%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Nxnb_GesqUfRJxTH4uzhObrglLOvvP56uBzH4xllA_4ptbHAF4SJ0l5JTtPyK-ZMdX3Aml6P6TdiA1R5oKDQcEqxq0XsK_2IKB2kvfX09N6BPkTn_tF9Q2pUFffjAKd6KiiwlP293is/s320/Full+Earth+and+Full+Moon+%2528Deep+Space+Climate+Discovery+2015%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Commonwealth Club of California invited me to give an illustrated public talk about the Moon on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the first human steps on our neighbor world. The video record is now available free on the Web, so if you are any of your friends (or students) are interested, you can find it at: <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commonwealthclub.org%2Fevents%2Farchive%2Fvideo%2Fastronomer-andrew-fraknoi-50-years-our-first-step%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR32sFgyj1wRWBqDkeRq-ixRj5s5H5lNVEe5ex2_eyhu8S2hSBMjOjdjzF0&h=AT0nbLc4Ec8LdwUEPXEBUiCSpmNTfVvOj7IiczH9e4rFHesC7w9biL7HM1-J-eKiUK9Bqz_RQjEpWrlTYgnzFFIAuheynZSnVoAspeXz3W1CdMr4InySH50qipupy8RBqDCoD0yeGars2IiijBGox5wWUZOcUSv6eUmNX1HnYr9G5hq111lMIy3rWwM9beEn8Axf2fpSuzmKFXMus1pHVhkUF2nWeLeAW_Q-FMa9Zd7dR_8z70elIWEuMvlkbmOHQ6xtKjUcalwg4SSEH9ih8be7L6Q4ealB5o_cREUAfb8FT_xlptKetjxCF1iqMtC6ydzobpH3bQfhXdPs_CFvS5HxyNnSYVcVokH9uBs8InLfI0hVk9n2pphZ4yCHrvaMbje3NYAy06IZjxyyzjJxQju44_Vs6zteQobZZZi0d28XUlDUU2c7f3lkdG4CdNmtNVhOxg1ptMl4KlLFpx0AQWJ1moYGuB3VUor6ZPewBvw7GZC9v-9G-JJc0uchQXcPxg04bbZ4foRlXcOLwEYD7Aghi1rXUgHytUelfQ9SUiY0zK-0Ae2Y0ZgvpGnvKHMoA5334hKNFgdkajiZGfOvVcyfvLRsnzCRqTBaAgQAbvb6K4hyED1Y4A5IiGHE0-2k" href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/archive/video/astronomer-andrew-fraknoi-50-years-our-first-step?fbclid=IwAR32sFgyj1wRWBqDkeRq-ixRj5s5H5lNVEe5ex2_eyhu8S2hSBMjOjdjzF0" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.commonwealthclub.<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">org/…/astronomer-andrew-frakno…</span></a><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
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I wanted to speak not so much about the astronauts and their journey (which so many other media and articles are covering in vast depth) but about the Moon itself, and what we now know about it, 50 years later. Hope you enjoy.</div>
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An audio-only version of the talk is also available as a podcast, at: <a href="https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/archive/podcast/astronomer-andrew-fraknoi-50-years-our-first-step">https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/archive/podcast/astronomer-andrew-fraknoi-50-years-our-first-step</a></div>
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The photo shows the Moon in front of a full Earth as seen from millions of miles away by the Deep Space Climate Discovery Spacecraft in 2015.</div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-63328487710317960392019-07-01T12:18:00.001-07:002019-07-01T12:18:09.437-07:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: Total Eclipse of the Sun in South America July 2; ...<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2019/07/total-eclipse-of-sun-in-south-america.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: Total Eclipse of the Sun in South America July 2; ...</a>: Tomorrow, July 2, there will be a total eclipse of the Sun visible in Chile and Argentina. A live webcast is planned at: https://www.ex...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-24805368147217636822019-07-01T12:13:00.002-07:002019-07-01T12:15:56.362-07:00Total Eclipse of the Sun in South America July 2; Future U.S. Eclipses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tomorrow, July 2, there will be a total eclipse of the Sun visible in Chile and Argentina. A live webcast is planned at: <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.exploratorium.edu%2Feclipse%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0EQHnTL-a_8kTO6t1rJipNTaTBiCoEWDtRFcCvoCDazslSZjYuL_tj14w&h=AT3zkmZlcCjgop1c3HtYV4TVurHwKV7r5bQ1q7GEO7nO778415cSYNU101ameQH-8ELQcHlH9Xow9e3qUTOIkJYCm1fz0Rj3OsNrchYnYlUJinKInbExiKorlKgvJfGAajD_6ceRSAi1VXo5wz3H75KPKOvlM6kaAeaxp4OAY8Iv-JRbTXFPQ6KoBkImqGVa04HII78Kv3c7haw_1imVem0WxINANouRRTgIYcqAg0hM2juHsWludLFBEW2ezPHaGk2DvfxDmVI1Ao2wSVOFo1P680fPs5as8eHKsHI-np0yT-nxLM3v5VhpUcgwu5ra82qLsORvoe0PACRIQMCnlISat2OsQb2Rnz1JtAwPyLu3tgI6L5RHfNlJPeSLIaQqDrvn9IdwIXZE20Be_BR7yoIDMf0U2S3k-IwOdRxVi40TunpksNDH34vGmrsNmN0mLcToiKPTKhQ4bkxxDsacH-XVCGXBvvKV0tfMIbYSVOZGv7zegdO0yOJvhXUYTvR9P_SaOdhdaVMXvk5bUO8bhuO7zvqTnCI5QIY6uoDlfImVCY_s2LqtyJvIZF5kefbWmSfs2I-pflhUCEjTVBs9R422CwsQb_6d6b0fow" href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse?fbclid=IwAR0EQHnTL-a_8kTO6t1rJipNTaTBiCoEWDtRFcCvoCDazslSZjYuL_tj14w" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another total eclipse will be visible from southern South America on Dec. 14, 2020.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Looking further ahead, an annual eclipse will be visible on a path that goes across the U.S. on Oct. 14, 2023.</span></div>
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And Apr. 8, 2024 another total eclipse will sweep across the U.S. from Texas to New England. For a clear map of this eclipse, see: <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.greatamericaneclipse.com%2Fapril-8-2024%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2sWJw3hb6Z_KXcxKtQaQwyMnTS0N3U-xw1V2lp0EIEDs6nQcX-5dRXYjM&h=AT0it-Hrzax1S50m1Bmh_g_HVCathkpUUpYfm7omr_BNcefrUU2cgx4vguzh7eHWg3gI7auSio7icBKtpSxVoeufTaFnkXMxd-3Tf_0RP-T7dioCjyGaFltDof_gDrRAhwj1d0Y59wrfjKrfC4LjB-Vmxb1Yf3ZTEobN1yIad_7QTcRMyqjFHcLBOJud4kCuSpxWUoC0HGpkxuOSyWT_67RDEa6ErnDDSTSTGgwGKEvln9oS2lJ2nDBWtRd0td6xHncMCL17R08oFijj6IrzSuDiTKxbdtSe-yhAwYiG6Awy3R1epIfKLgiBsFSpOtpY9T9OyM3gjEepGS2m5zDoiXnOTKenfzi1eYDQQ-OFeQyM7FAOrWOinegsJnIOtGYwyai1fkvmQZ3hhr66_Y7d73GEYgPD8a9Z3GyMKzG4EaVqirOlzXG0065x5dKmdjUq1sY7D19ERbuuoWyyU6COfPy-TUCSmepqA2f4t6VHcn23FIW93enX0WqOfq6-ArwpFM0Em_9EW-P3vXFoXBzQoJKoRriwP5wg7JrEJ4lOwj2wv1DtqI-hdCIntdeXi1JfiBsc9ky-z_hDK5C5e0o6otdsofZXTokJboehMA" href="https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/april-8-2024?fbclid=IwAR2sWJw3hb6Z_KXcxKtQaQwyMnTS0N3U-xw1V2lp0EIEDs6nQcX-5dRXYjM" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/april-8-2024</a></div>
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(Shameless plug: Dennis Schatz and I have written a children's book all about eclipses, called "When the Sun Goes Dark," for the non-profit National Science Teachers' Association Press. See: <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nsta.org%2Fstore%2Fproduct_detail.aspx%3Fid%3D10.2505%252F9781681400112%26fbclid%3DIwAR3GLn-iD7jk4-Nvp1eWX9K49pn-zVXBB5ERwN4kPYvTUCoEiODPZqNBb4w&h=AT3qY63dVTk42Dm_5XF8NxEHlwF-0i5m9Y1yalU-XyKKEijLyM9Ei2fboQPW0Ym7TCvI_4BJqq07ck9VpdcKhgw3wbTvvINIMkxaFpYi8VlKNr2YqtldYzb4PsTvUXykUArtMzQmZJQo9ifxTQ8xhrJCqnZ6p_uGIL0twmmo0KmDhKlg4bhR55GkY6hVaddNl-r0fsx2zT1p_4rZEWHG5HXlTrtgbPy4BUonnXHijLEVp2FtMt6BKQjYlqLqOoGdaMsUBT3LgJ2QT4EUNq1D69BBIhiuRKBbzD1ZDbROspg5fxOaPJjrPPAbXjUeB441FeTF1CfOGKIioZhA1ROZ4YGOExM6B3_mgONL6cXfLmybSRZc9xIv9ol0BqBGt6UjVTc-VujGinKsxGV2vbtUhB59DMP4YoTA_MONtFcq54s3y6ISsUsitFImvwkQxNkuN34KdmOs14UMsO1SMAoYZG04o2wdWIbb4PvKaAU8Xr2liMVnTil6S9rdSvgmQrKQjktxc2uxCzD4WThRWpPi7wY2TZ6CqfjF8o3kZknz45LpEIsE7HGVeg0J0K9ezVv6wXUl65fZLLmol2L2BgdNuZAgi7fFNfNZylzDSg" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx…</a> )<br />
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A free app about eclipses, called "Totality" is available from astronomer Jeff Bennett, at: <a href="https://www.bigkidscience.com/eclipse/" style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.bigkidscience.com/eclipse/</a></div>
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[Our photo is by astronomer Rick Fienberg and shows a sequence of images before, during, and after a total eclipse.]</div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-24048578381970931892019-06-14T11:27:00.002-07:002019-06-14T11:27:53.529-07:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: A Blog Features my New Catalog of Music Inspired b...<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2019/06/a-blog-features-my-new-catalog-of-music.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: A Blog Features my New Catalog of Music Inspired b...</a>: Over the years, I have collected many examples of music inspired by astronomical ideas and discoveries. (I did this with help from stud...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com130tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-24166552016796264052019-06-14T11:27:00.000-07:002019-06-14T11:27:16.536-07:00A Blog Features my New Catalog of Music Inspired by Astronomy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfx_NPEXRQxXzQFZMtGh97cwvcys1S7_i5p3MRMUcOeQ8enzQCRFLbp5-0b1hOu6yPjKJ0LlnBVjCzeOXauHsKYokXDDS0S1tGR_CIq3tQ7oxYvltKPJc66r0_zkDnRiaQZB7g_HUqMtg/s1600/Supernova+Sonata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfx_NPEXRQxXzQFZMtGh97cwvcys1S7_i5p3MRMUcOeQ8enzQCRFLbp5-0b1hOu6yPjKJ0LlnBVjCzeOXauHsKYokXDDS0S1tGR_CIq3tQ7oxYvltKPJc66r0_zkDnRiaQZB7g_HUqMtg/s1600/Supernova+Sonata.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Over the years, I have collected many examples of music inspired by astronomical ideas and discoveries. (I did this with help from students and colleagues.) Now I blush to report that <i>Sky & Telescope</i> magazine has done a blog post on my latest catalog of astronomical music (with over 250 pieces listed.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can read the post (and get a link to the catalog) at: <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.skyandtelescope.com%2Fastronomy-news%2Fpeople-places-and-events%2Fmusic-astronomy-catalog%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3m367SK2Pmngv_H4DVb97SA5E0l1hsylhAVfSKaw6dThiniuSrzSv1kgs&h=AT0cqLIZsGJkn2HRJueZ_9MqGNEsh0HKF0Gp59wFPxuMEnGVL5H5Dtp7lvYKZqKU80o_diKkFPBCk1M8ijWQRJ7RAUYYE58dzgD5oAy8pv8HoTYhj_J7xQXroLFyT7GP5DO1gr295jKxRLUYxE2-sKuCm71XkTOfmrGqw9yspb2wfXh8uRZZ-C0Svk7yS6E-2UiX5YP5xE52rWFSQ2Ey7Xc3dJugNfR8mLNWwaGQhwpe5SO7MCDdqMA0JNqORuSOkUkV4dfGtdsRbzdzE3v46PGOhpdlfDPTz2lsyCx8XT2h1-qlmkUQx4CTWAdw27vZr8KxAEAWecY8VWSfqsXaMQBzv28tF-kZxCoSllMKga9e1oHxeh1-bc5CHK9KIh11Mas2ZDCfzIzxLDNi7Jwh9Xx1Gzfp57Q4nvbhQtCG5u_msflXn3LHsOpWrjBgDXfaqqM7Lq5krhXVJjyveBxyH6q5aQJ8vQn7zuuTj8LyPwFP25zl7LOJAObSr-18ZeqV5Pojcsxo-GX9CvHrAIYuLBXYE7NhcQaDO2V6tXV9L7UUOEuoGzjU9iH_zPZgLQPD9EScqu3J0ldUZKbSV7Kla3EVdTMC0FEu_7HVEXOJRhVl0SaOjppOJQtcQ8fv2s6K" href="https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/people-places-and-events/music-astronomy-catalog/?fbclid=IwAR3m367SK2Pmngv_H4DVb97SA5E0l1hsylhAVfSKaw6dThiniuSrzSv1kgs" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.skyandtelescope.com/…/…/music-astronomy-catalog/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I hope some of the pieces listed might bring you some musical pleasure.</span></div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-8398679881463113472019-01-20T09:52:00.003-08:002019-01-20T09:52:57.982-08:00Government Shutdown Expands: Moon Goes on Furlough Tonight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5gzS-J6yrBAAineyP6WBdb1a1a5rYcarTTg_UtbDpjGaQWuQkRuHOCuEE2njh0P_lCt0-7GA0_wXZmaZ4iVCMPs_biQnQlf8DaJAfiJaymfXN7ZOJXfJ0rXSx5qJ9nqKZfHjTqqLOmk/s1600/Lunar-Eclipse-Jan-20-2019.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="1600" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5gzS-J6yrBAAineyP6WBdb1a1a5rYcarTTg_UtbDpjGaQWuQkRuHOCuEE2njh0P_lCt0-7GA0_wXZmaZ4iVCMPs_biQnQlf8DaJAfiJaymfXN7ZOJXfJ0rXSx5qJ9nqKZfHjTqqLOmk/s320/Lunar-Eclipse-Jan-20-2019.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In the above table, you can see the timing of tonight total eclipse of the Moon for all the North American time zones. Click on the image to see it bigger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Don't worry about the first and last rows of the table. Just focus on when the partial eclipse begins (when the Earth's shadow first starts to move across the Moon) and when th<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">e total eclipse begins (the Moon is full covered by shadow and turns red.)</span></span></div>
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Remember, if there are clouds, this eclipse last a long time, so come back out after a few minutes and see if you can glimpse the Moon. Often the Moon plays hide and seek with layers of clouds, and patience will pay off.</div>
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Full details of the eclipse and what to watch for are here:<br /><a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fmooneclipse2019%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3p3AiDbCga7Jh_wZdk5GpIHHiwulZ0NgfxbNeR0L8KeeJWubCfbxK-P4Y&h=AT19jcP6A8QqnLh8rZ4xFEB5n1jdUqX4u3MWOrRPQ5KGVff3u6jKaBGVQG_vmxNZSypl9vqAj49kAE5BN0Gx-DGbHok0jMs3T0YtOj1GzeMEscxBqjuS2XxNgI2BPd1mJHTAIg76Q-HFqOXYY8vGbNKQ1O5Hp9-7R_-3dnI-I6lP8qeMxgnPsyTjlOIfWG7Kbf8zMW5fRcwVgBYzmXdGXBjZItcRmbh3eVD074mAxdnoZBGV9rRSd1JoYV84Z7HXlrAeMBrzoTU6ZhuJus3fx7G6wSKqqSpZwUitW567NA7NwnZhRT9Vbw3fCPYodPWw5Ds24cBM5Y9CmXoIQUy8PISxDxG9sVMW9bkoeIluaqKVR1aJPXN4LXSllkppF94msYjCHTigD1qFD5eQUtsEgWsPAwz2lmLeZPToRg3d1D9fZ-UCHYfTHEutyfGyqqtNed4tQXvz-QrLotPyw5aGop-0K8R4VF_mx7D-YKgjtT2MntXQ6tU8PHQMOLbYWl--vaEu9PiyvQoKQzNYukN4clRWdY_Jx2eESMCe3bqjPehUHYuLuipUhNYmZpNeC09-0As18q811XLQ7ZYpN5sF93dM7-mfCiSRnnfMFR2ziHbTA15s-zKS-iCXJIJDRBQT" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/mooneclipse2019</a></div>
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Thanks to Sky & Telescope magazine for the table. The composite photo below is by amateur astronomer and NASA educator, Brian Day. Note the Earth's round shadow in the outer images and the coppery red color of the eclipsed Moon (the Earth's atmosphere bends red colors of light more effectively than other colors on to the shadowy face of the Moon.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhufOll5xu57W_z7AkAyb3dY_YFtWXkvzjf8mgFScaxgPhRt2_1-ytAbY4PSiB4KNigkP0GQJuZLVqKM-ueBRV8xPqBXSRdtdE8uaNN_6ZUDKWyPUpW060o0a3y0u-04Tra-DgwQZx04E/s1600/Lunar+Eclipse+Jan+31+2018+%2528Brian+Day%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhufOll5xu57W_z7AkAyb3dY_YFtWXkvzjf8mgFScaxgPhRt2_1-ytAbY4PSiB4KNigkP0GQJuZLVqKM-ueBRV8xPqBXSRdtdE8uaNN_6ZUDKWyPUpW060o0a3y0u-04Tra-DgwQZx04E/s320/Lunar+Eclipse+Jan+31+2018+%2528Brian+Day%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-6638649577043211102019-01-12T12:35:00.000-08:002019-01-12T12:35:12.789-08:00Heads Up: Total Eclipse of the Moon Sunday Evening January 20<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On Sunday evening, January 20, there will be a nice total lunar eclipse (where the Earth’s shadow darkens the full moon) visible in all of North America. Since this is the day before Martin Luther King Day in the U.S., many students will not have school the next day and can stay up to enjoy the celestial spectacle with their fam</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">ilies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Total eclipses of the Moon are perfectly safe to look at, don’t require special viewing equipment, and are visible all over one hemisphere of planet Earth. Your eyes are just fine to see the show. This is quite a contrast with the total eclipses of the Sun, where viewing can sometimes hurt your eyes, special equipment is a big help, and the best show is only visible in a narrow path. As Bernie would say, the lunar eclipse is for the 99%, not just the special 1%!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A more detailed information sheet I put together (with questions and answers, plus the timing in each time zone of the continental U.S.) can be found at:<br /><a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fmooneclipse2019%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1DQq0RH-wrI4I9MBnJCoujS1Se-daQtvADa_SB3_jHNIcWo_qOHmxF4lE&h=AT3Q9XRb9dh8NZ1gyMUGBPIt5uaW5aV4dnzEEDIeJY4cEykPRfEQ358ltsYaX66iv7MJ53j9DXO_5Dc4vkhMRJVR_nSoU1yc4HB7Ulg4WPoA86UN0Rn4iwr3I-Cix4bUZKC3MFDpuzIjNb2Pi38YKnZDYriKZovJEsnXcBw6ds0Mrc7638aX91_Xm1G2G9VLVLaR1HFLCzVdrYkE4Xaz0KN117MEhrrmN05IpXo7GxchXX-cGljKibRJ7CKClbYpVnRXZ3h6sReyRq5ZtKtKsUdmchXc_b6a-bfwSMoxcy13EBijoWlz-pVRPcxQWiWN_H32_WyYHN8LVw8vDzh5-YeQZLLKErl0hX539aVxhH5HtTdm2kL3Lf6lWZV0izoie-PLfES91XG6YhllIFtuBYfObF1Suxb7XkFbNz2ZW1IFutAX_tcM4_AykNkKQi0xUUkoBzV7UQtMiswNYxldL7nOmEDObWpgjn6pZFN0xSj1U20KFlgPHJBmMIPZU8uHsN5L-yGaJZFCpozttWSJPIuEzEgShLfa7PAtnxoP-w_VzMxBuFPr1Ys1VN39gYFLDbvkio2ZvAJy3AwLVQFojmYDBknkotmh_Tm0w8vqEQ_k_Cn4Ls3y1nY3eSrp4ERt" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/mooneclipse2019</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here is wishing you a cloudless evening, and a few hours thinking about the heavens and not the craziness in Washington.</span></div>
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[Our beautiful photo is by Conrad Jung of the Chabot Space and Science Center, 2007]</div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-7798083831086379762018-12-31T10:45:00.001-08:002018-12-31T10:45:53.994-08:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: Encounter with the Furthest Object Humanity Has Ev...<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2018/12/encounter-with-furthest-object-humanity.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: Encounter with the Furthest Object Humanity Has Ev...</a>: Tonight, the New Horizons spacecraft will fly by a chunk of ancient ice and dirt nicknamed "Ultima Thule." 4.1 billion miles ...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-72837780204643711472018-12-31T10:23:00.000-08:002018-12-31T10:23:19.389-08:00Encounter with the Furthest Object Humanity Has Ever Explored<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSPIRLQ8dxwjrf1Vj_qu6N8j5Iqa2NBFjmp9PCGiREi_XxvNdaZiBGiJYPpNZH45yhbweOBF1q3pseQdO5u83jS9br-AJep_Tcjl2xtSpUEtStTn71Z_ho_5CdDDRE3D4RgAxMnQ9soA/s1600/Ultima+Thule+Flyby+Artists+Concept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="738" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSPIRLQ8dxwjrf1Vj_qu6N8j5Iqa2NBFjmp9PCGiREi_XxvNdaZiBGiJYPpNZH45yhbweOBF1q3pseQdO5u83jS9br-AJep_Tcjl2xtSpUEtStTn71Z_ho_5CdDDRE3D4RgAxMnQ9soA/s320/Ultima+Thule+Flyby+Artists+Concept.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tonight, the New Horizons spacecraft will fly by a chunk of ancient ice and dirt nicknamed "Ultima Thule." 4.1 billion miles distant from us, this small world, estimated at perhaps 20 miles across, is the the furthest object ever visited and examined by human technology. We should have first pictures and other information about<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"> it by Wednesday, when NASA plans a press conference.</span></span></div>
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The accompanying image shows an artist's attempt to draw this minor member of the zone beyond Neptune we call the Kuiper Belt. Pluto is also a member of this belt, but with far better property and voting rights than little Ultima. Several observations from afar have suggested that Ultima is elongated (maybe even two chunks that might just barely touch) and reddish. Its orbit indicates that it may well be very ancient, one of the first building blocks from which our solar system (the planets and moons that accompany the Sun) was assembled more than 4 1/2 billion years ago.</div>
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Moving at 32,000 miles per hour, and with sunlight only 1/2 of one percent as bright as it is at Earth, New Horizon's cameras will be put to the test to take pictures. The power (from radioactive materials) available to power the spacecraft is now only 190 watts! We will get within 2200 miles of the Ultima, closer than we got to Pluto with the same spacecraft in 2015.</div>
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New Horizons can either point at its target or at Earth. So it will at first send very little information and spend most of its time as it whizzes by pointing at Ultima. When it has gone by, it will point back to Earth and take 20 months to send the encounter data back to Earth (it's transmission rate is slow, but steady, much like this Facebook page.)</div>
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By the way, the term Ultima Thule means "Beyond the Known World"; it was term used on medieval maps to mark parts of our planet that were not yet explored and thus were veiled in mystery. (It was a nickname suggested in a public naming contest run by the SETI Institute.)</div>
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Keep your fingers crossed that things go better 4 billion miles from Washington DC than they have gone at home! </div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-4146468366365408622018-12-11T17:38:00.001-08:002018-12-11T17:38:42.775-08:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: A New Selfie from Mars<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2018/12/a-new-selfie-from-mars.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: A New Selfie from Mars</a>: NASA's InSight lander on Mars has sent back its first "selfie" -- a great mosaic of 11 images, taken by the color camera o...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-86888816362146731572018-12-11T17:37:00.000-08:002018-12-11T17:37:56.251-08:00A New Selfie from Mars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwZxXmVCS6IFT1Vrwjt26Lhj_ceUO9KlMB06wa03Wvq3sdemUQ28oNQvbXp0CjYkMuXiAbecjvc0E66aUbJqvJw-eaME2aphMOO1ai8r5KGbh29mJpGwQfqFf33mT8lkzgAmmsHs1KJo/s1600/Mars+InSight+First+Selfie+Dec+2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1600" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwZxXmVCS6IFT1Vrwjt26Lhj_ceUO9KlMB06wa03Wvq3sdemUQ28oNQvbXp0CjYkMuXiAbecjvc0E66aUbJqvJw-eaME2aphMOO1ai8r5KGbh29mJpGwQfqFf33mT8lkzgAmmsHs1KJo/s320/Mars+InSight+First+Selfie+Dec+2017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">NASA's InSight lander on Mars has sent back its first "selfie" -- a great mosaic of 11 images, taken by the color camera on the "elbow" of its robotic arm. You can clearly see the round solar panels (7 feet wide) which collect power for the lander, and, between them, the instrument deck for measuring weather, marsquakes, and other conditions on Mars. Eventually, the instrument package nicknamed the mole will try to dig a hole 16 feet deep and see how heat flows inside the red planet. It's terrific to see InSight's systems slowly being tried out and working so well.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Click on the picture to see it larger.</span></span>Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-55054433121296942252018-11-14T22:11:00.001-08:002018-11-14T22:11:21.417-08:00Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: A Possible New Planet Around the Second Closest St...<a href="https://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-possible-new-planet-around-second.html?spref=bl">Andrew Fraknoi: Exploring the Universe: A Possible New Planet Around the Second Closest St...</a>: A Possible New Planet Around the Second Closest Star System to Earth An international team of astronomers is announcing the possible d...Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-41687820804232863472018-11-14T22:10:00.000-08:002018-11-14T22:10:42.569-08:00<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Possible New Planet Around the Second Closest Star System to Earth</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7LEO48wsqr7E8Az1IsVzXOcfbaQGm1yWp0709Lkba-I70h7AiT0hnsanMEy_gaJAaWdiCMu21PBTmIqGeHe1BajFbV4pRN_diBbuPjay8-GmmljKmbAFz90Fsk3LfLm6DtXn6D3hIYA/s1600/barnards+star+planet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7LEO48wsqr7E8Az1IsVzXOcfbaQGm1yWp0709Lkba-I70h7AiT0hnsanMEy_gaJAaWdiCMu21PBTmIqGeHe1BajFbV4pRN_diBbuPjay8-GmmljKmbAFz90Fsk3LfLm6DtXn6D3hIYA/s320/barnards+star+planet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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An international team of astronomers is announcing the possible discovery of a planet around the second closest star system to us, Barnard’s Star. A mere 6 light-years away, the star is a faint red dwarf which gives off only four hundredths of a percent of the Sun’s light energy. The planet, which could be as massive as 3 Earths, i<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">s orbiting at the same distance as Mercury is from the Sun, but is still colder than Saturn and unlikely to harbor life as we know it.</span></div>
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Since the closest star system to us also has a known planet in it, this discovery (if it is confirmed) would make it even more likely that planets are “more common than dirt” out there. Four planetary systems would then be known among the stars 10 light-years or closer. Some 2900 planetary systems (containing almost 4,000 planets) have now been found in our galactic neighborhood.</div>
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The new planet, which takes 233 days to orbit, was detected from the very slight “wiggles” that the planet’s gravity (as it goes around) gives to the motion of its star. The wiggles are so small that it took 20 years of observations, using special equipment on various telescopes around the world, to identify them. While it’s still possible that their combined observations have another explanation, the 63 authors on the paper announcing the planet have dug deeply into their data statistics and claim that the planet idea is the most likely explanation. Not all experts in the field agree that this is a definite detection. Instruments of the future, with better ability to detect tiny star wiggles, will ultimately decide if the planet is real.</div>
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Our image shows an artist conception of what the the “cold, hostile desert” surface of the planet around Barnard’s Star, with a temperature of -270 degrees Centigrade, might look like. (You will need to take your parka if you go.)</div>
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Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307752220875387510.post-13511314168259164362018-08-09T09:41:00.001-07:002018-08-09T09:41:45.992-07:00Perseid Meteor Shower This Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cdb5LYrAeDWzXLM5rOiFth0wyhwFaYVcrco5j4bSxB5hQ7gbIj7yLKWBm9tio7Q0aGydRVuhccmPBmZ_K0aRMh6E7BHM8jCvoxBgjudbV_dvN6iwcQOrjlrcmiZtJl0zv1nQ9QNIixA/s1600/Perseids+over+VLT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cdb5LYrAeDWzXLM5rOiFth0wyhwFaYVcrco5j4bSxB5hQ7gbIj7yLKWBm9tio7Q0aGydRVuhccmPBmZ_K0aRMh6E7BHM8jCvoxBgjudbV_dvN6iwcQOrjlrcmiZtJl0zv1nQ9QNIixA/s320/Perseids+over+VLT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This Sunday evening and Monday morning, there will be one of the
best meteor showers you and your family can watch – the Perseids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And since the Moon will not be in the sky
during this shower, dark skies will make it easier for even casual viewers to
spot a good number of “shooting stars.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The best night is the evening of Aug. 12<sup>th</sup> and morning
of Aug. 13<sup>th</sup>, although there could be significantly more meteors in
the sky on the night before and the night after too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Meteors</i>
or “shooting stars” (which have nothing to do with stars) are pieces of cosmic
dust and dirt hitting the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and making a flash
of light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These flashes could happen
anywhere in the sky, so it’s best to view the shower from a dark, wide-open
place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See the list at the end for
viewing suggestions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Perseid meteors are cosmic “garbage” left over from a
regularly returning comet, called Swift-Tuttle (after the two astronomers who
first discovered it). The comet itself returns to the inner solar system
every 130 years or so; it was last here in 1992. During each pass, it
leaves dirt and dust behind and it is this long dirt and dust stream that we
encounter every August. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Each flash you see is a bit of material from the comet hitting the
Earth’s atmosphere and getting heated up (and heating up the air around it) as
it speeds through our thick atmosphere. Both the superheated dust and
dirt and the heated air contribute to the visible light we observe. Since
comets are left-overs from the early days of our solar system, you can tell
yourself (or your kids) that each flash of light is the “last gasp” of a bit of
cosmic material that formed some 5 billion years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">MY EIGHT HINTS <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">FOR “TAKING
A METEOR SHOWER”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1. Get away from city lights and find a location that’s relatively
dark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2. If it’s significantly foggy or cloudy, you’re out of luck<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">3. Your location should allow you to see as much of the dome of
the sky as possible<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">4. Allow time for your eyes to get adapted to the dark (at least
10 -15 minutes)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">5. Don’t
use a telescope or binoculars – they restrict your view (so you don’t have to
be part of the 1% with fancy equipment to see the shower; this is a show for
the 99%!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">6. Dress
warm – it can get cooler at night even in August (and don’t forget the insect
repellent while you are outside)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">7. Be patient (it’s not fireworks): keep looking up & around
& you’ll see flashes of light<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">8. Take someone with you with whom you like to spend time in the
dark!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">[The photo shows a Perseid meteor over the Very Large Telescope at the European Southern Observatory in Chile.]</span></div>
<br />Andrew Fraknoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14859563138031801612noreply@blogger.com48