Earliest Sunset This Week

The earliest sunset for the year will occur on Monday, December 7th at 4:29pm, The latest sunrise will occur on Jan 5th when the Sun comes up at  7:21am. The shortest amount of daylight (first day of Winter) will occur on December 21 this year.  By the way, the date the Earth is CLOSEST TO THE SUN this year is January 4th which is over 4 Million miles closer than we were in July!

NEWS: Global Temperatures and the "Earth Like" Planet

For those who still question if the Earth is warming, 

Temperature Trends 

NOAA: world wide data last 100yrs

NJ temperature data (trends) for the past century is posted at the bottom of this page

For those who believe (or heard) that there is another planet with trees and planet, the facts are there is not.  Planet "Corot 7B" ESS press release on Planet Corot 7B

Lunar Lander Simulator

Try your skill at landing the Lunar Modular ( LEM ) on the Moon before you run out of fuel.  This is a "upgrade" of an video game / "simulator"  from the early 1980s ( it cost 25 cents for a landing or two)

CLICK TO TRY TO LAND THE LEM ON THE MOON

President Obama and the White House "Star Party"

Shuttle's "Light Show" over NJ

The Space Shuttles pass over NW New Jersey last week provided a unusual light show. As the shuttle (followed closely by the space station that night) passed over it was in the process of dumping over 150 pounds of "waste water." The photo from space.com was taken of the event that night. I happen the see the pass from my driveway that night and did not know what it was till news stories about it came out a week later.

In Florida Waiting on the Shuttle

Lisa and I are in on Florida's east coast waiting on the shuttle launch. Yesterday's launch was canceled due to a lighting strike near the launch pad. Hopefully it goes off tonight at 7:19pm. You can follow the launch on the local papers great site FLORIDATODAY.COM. The photo I took was taken in August 2007 from across the river in Titusville. Today we will be a bit further down the coastline in Cocoa Beach.

My Tribute to New Jersey's Spacemen and Women

Comet Visible over New Jersey

For the next week or two a comet will be visible in the evening sky's over NJ. Look to the east after 7pm and next to the bright "star" which is the planet Saturn, comet Lulin should look like a greenish smug.
Binoculars will show a sort tail or "halo" around the comet Lulin which is about 38 million miles away. For more information go to skyandtelescope.com

3rd Quake Strikes Morris County !

A third small earthquake to strike Morris County in less than 3 weeks hit this morning. The quake occurred at 1:42 in the morning on Wednesday the 18th. The epicenter to this quake was located only about 1/4 of a mile east of CCM underneath Route 10. this was very close to the first quake on February 2nd.. For exact positions go to the USGS Web Site linked to the right on this page.

The magnitude of the quake was reported at 2.3.

An Astronomer in Love by Bruce Springsteen

On Bruce Springsteen's new CD, Working on a Dream, he writes a love song from an astronomer's point of view. Now that may be a first!

On track 6 of the album is, " This Life," which goes in part...A bang then stardust in your eyes, A billion years or just this night, Either way it'll be all right, A blackness then the light of a million stars..(it continues)...
At night at my telescope alone, This emptiness I've roamed, Searching for a home... A beauty in the neighborhood, This lonely planet never looked so good...(the song ends with the line)...This life, this life and then the next, I finger the hem of your dress, My universe at rest.

Well, in my point of view it beats lines like, "Ground control to Major Tom." Give it a listen.

Small Earthquake Hits NJ

A Small Earthquake struck Northern New Jersey on Monday Feb 2 at 10:34 pm. The Earthquake had an MM intensity of II-III . It was felt thoughtout most of NW New Jersey. The epicenter was just off Route 10 and Franklin Rd about two miles East from County College of Morris.