2015 A Banner Year 2015 was quite the year for space exploration with the New Horizons Flyby of Pluto to the December 21st successful launch, reentry and landing of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 ORBCOMM-2. Congratulations to Elon Musk and SpaceX! It was a banner year not so much for the number of missions launched, but for … More 2015 Was Quite The Year!
Tonight, Christmas night, 2015, we are witness to a rare event, a Full moon! Yes, a full moon on Christmas! This has not happened since 1977 and won’t occur again until 2034. As it happens, also, 1977 was the release year and beginning of the Star Wars Saga! May the clear, bright light of the … More Rare Christmas Full Moon!
In 1977, as an undergraduate physics student I had very little time to do much of anything outside of my studies. The May 25th, 1977 release of the original Star Wars movie coincided with the final exam schedule that Spring semester so perfectly that it seemed either that Hollywood was deliberately trying to sabotage the … More Star Wars, The Force Awakens
Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 22nd, is the Winter Solstice for this year. You may have heard this term used quite often, perhaps in newscasts, newspapers or magazines. Just what is the Winter Solstice and, the question may occur to you, are there analogs to this phenomenon for the other seasons. Well it turns out that there … More Winter Solstice 2015
Originally posted on Speaking of Geoscience:
By Elizabeth Goldbaum, Science Policy Fellow Washington, D.C. – The House and Senate approved two resolutions that would halt the president’s plan to regulate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. S.J.Res.23 is a “joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval” to nullify the Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules…
Who would have thought that Clyde Tombaugh’s discovery of the long sought trans-Neptunian planet in February of 1930 would have us flying by that feeble speck 85 years later! What were two separate, minute points on Clyde’s January 1930 discovery plates are now resolved with unprecedented clarity and detail to be an ice world of … More NASA Releases Highest Res Images From New Horizons Pluto Flyby
Early risers on Monday, December 7th in the US, Canada, and Central America will wake up to witness the Moon pass directly in front of, or occult, Venus after sunrise! With Virgo placed prominently in the southeast in the early morning hours, the occultation occurs after sunrise amid a brilliant, early morning display prominent just … More Moon Occults Brilliant Venus in Spectacular Early Morning Sky
Astronomy Topic Of The Day 