Blogs

The IAU has designated "Makemake" a dwarf planet, with Ceres, Eris and Pluto, that brings the total to
four. Makemake (pronounced MAH-kay MAH-kay) is named for the Easter Island creator of humanity.

We are digging in!!.. Trying a fork poke first....        

How would you feel getting poked in the side! LOL    

Not concerned about the lack of Sunspots but more so as to where are the bats, mosquits, and flying insects in general.  Since the report of bats having a white substance on their nose and wings which seems to be the cause of their dying, I have notice that the bats normally flying in my area are no longer here.  They definately kept the mosquitos away.  Last week there were some mosquitos flying around my head (at night), that's when I noticed that the bats were gone.  A couple of nights later, no flying insects.  The street lights had no flying insects around them

Galileo wasnt the first to have or use a telescope, but the first to put it towards the heavens and make use of it for studies in astronomy

The attached power point file offers a great explanation of the evolution of the early use of the telescope.

Sure now I have a solar telescope, a solar shield for my other telescope and the Sun is in the duldrums!!! The last one last 500 years!!!! (Maunder Minimum)   

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/11jul_solarcycleupdate.htm?list880574     

I dont have 500 years to spare !!!

During the May meeting several members suggested we have a party again.  Phil, Jim P, and I have been looking at several restaurants for ideas.  The plan was to decide by the July meeting.  If any of you folks have an idea, please share it with us. 

John

LOS ANGELES (June 25) - Why is Mars two-faced? Scientists say fresh evidence supports the theory that a monster impact punched the red planet, leaving behind perhaps the largest gash on any heavenly body in the solar system.

See full article:

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/scientists-think-big-object-whacked-mars/20...

FORMER miner Trevor Barry scanned the night sky with his backyard telescope and became a star.

The passionate amateur astronomer caught the instant attention of NASA when he observed and photographed an extremely rare celestial event.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23901831-2862,00.html

As we now have news of ice on mars in what is believed to be water ice. there are photos in the galleries, showing the latest finds, and a gif showing the evaporation process!

http://njastro.org/agx/image/a-gif-image-showing-disappearance-exposed-i...

 Enjoy

10:15 PM, 6/19/08, Update: Ice indirectly confirmed at Phoenix landing site

Scientists examining photographs from the Mars Phoenix lander say the disappearance of clumps of material in a trench dug by the spacecraft's robot arm provides convincing evidence of exposed ice that subsequently vaporized. The robot arm, meanwhile, digging a nearby trench, ran into a hard layer of material that scientists believe may be a subsurface layer of ice at the same depth where the now-vanished chunks were uncovered.