NW NJ Weather Nov 23-28th

Tuesday @ 6am:
A Rather Dry Week Ahead
Chance of snow this week:: near 0%

Monday- Thursday: Dry most of the week 
below average temperatures first part, warming up later in the week.
Chance of rain, late Friday into Saturday

Averages: 48 highs, lows 28

Check back for daily updates and changes
Mw

Welcome Back to School...(Fall Outlook)

woroworld will start its weekly snowday/ sports afternoon weather forecast next week!
Long range fall outlook:  near normal precipitation and slightly above temperatures for NJ.

Temperature outlook for Sept,Oct & Nov.

Check back for updates !!

GOOD PASSES OF THE SPACE STATION OVER NJ next 2 weeks

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR UPDATES TO WHEN TO SEE THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION OVER NJ and PA.

http://heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&lat=41.0393&lng=-74.8088&loc=Fredon+Township&alt=219&tz=EST

WILL UPDATE  Mw

Fall prediction: Above Normal Temperatures:

N.O.A.A. prediction for this fall is ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES and average precipitation:

NOAA's long range "prediction" is for a normal winter

"NORMAL WINTER" is for ~60" of snow in northern Sussex/ Bergen Counties and about 40" in southern  Warren / Morris counties. This would translate to 2-5 Snow Days for the season. Mw

NEXT WEEK'S WEATHER: (but first: A moon attack.... sort of)

video (45sec): FUNNY- ENJOY !   * weather forecast posted just below *


Astronauts Attacked By Monster On The Moon... by mistersexybuzz 

                           Weather Forecast BELOW 

The Old Famer's Almanac "predictions" for the winter 2013-2014

The 2013 Old Farmer's Almanac's predictions for snow for north-western New Jersey (Sussex County) & surrounding areas. NOTE: This is a "prediction" based on sunspots, past weather patterns & a current understand in meteorology. It is NOT a weather forecast based on current weather conditions

OCT: Above average temperatures, no snow predicted.
NOV: Chance of cold rain or snow showers beginning and end of the month, no major snow events
DEC: No major snow events: but multiple days of rain/snow followed by very cold conditions
JAN: Above average temperatures, no major snow events.
FEB: (1-3) Heavy rain or snow followed by very cold weather, (16-18th) another storm with snow possible, (21-22) another chance of snow
MARCH: snow showers early in the month, (17th) heavy rain

Overall: Winter should be cooler and drier than normal. Best chance of snow is in December and February. 

Graduation: JUNE: (22-30) Sunny & Hot with T-storms then cooler temperatures

Mw 

FEMA: "Winging it is not a plan"

(Update) Coming this winter: "Comet Of the Century" ?

Updated:  As of September 15, 2013: Comet ISON does not expect to be a "Spectacular Comet"

 

Video: "The Final Countdown" (for those who like watching rockets go wrong! )

In the sky this week: Comet panSTARRS + SPACE STATION

LINK TO: http://www.universetoday.com/100589/a-guide-to-help-you-see-comet-panstarrs-at-its-brightest/  

LINK TO: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/ 

ISS PASS LINK: http://www.heavens-above.com/ 

Use link ^above^ to find the Space Station ( ISS) in the morning sky !
UPDATE 3/15 at 8am:  A Rain/Snow mix is forecasted for during the day Monday into Tuesday.    (next update by Sunday...TGIF Mw ) 

                                            Yikes....Well tonight I hope I can do better.  

(Thursday @8pm):  Snow SHOULD begin by 6pm. 2-4"**  expected, mostly on grassy areas. **Temperatures need to fall below 30F for greater amounts, this may occur above 800' (top of Glen Rd and West Mnt. Rd) in elevation.  FRIDAY DELAY = 60%   NO SCHOOL =33%  Snow should end during the day on Friday.  NEXT UPDATE  if forecast changes  Mw

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

My Video Tribute to My Hometown; Garwood, NJ

                                             My Video Tribute to Garwood, New Jersey.

My Video THANK-YOU Card to SHS !

30 Years as a Teacher: Thanks for the Memories !

(1986) My second year at Sparta HS

(2011) My Last Day, My Last Class

October 2007  Mrs Wilson and me

 (1998) Teacher Friends at My Wedding:
(b) Mr Karlberg, me, Mr Smith,  Mr Domareki
(f) Mr. Flanagan, Mr Peat and Mr. Yorkston

(2010) on Broadway with Mr Jarrell, Ms Wille, Mr Hardy, me, Lisa, Mrs Brokaw and Ms Wisniewski

Aurora possible 9/8-9

There was a large solar explosion on the Sun this week, this could result in some satellite disruption and a possible Aurora ("North Lights") over NJ this Wednesday and Thursday nights. 
Link to story of the solar flare   
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ (space weather now link)

Before / After damage photos from Joplin Tornado

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/05/25/us/joplin-aerial.html?ref=us

Space Duet, Friday Night on the Boardwalk and new poll question

A space duet on the flute with astronaut Cady Coleman on the space station and Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson.  They played together in celebration of "Yuri's Night", in honor of the first human space flight on April 12, 1961 of Yuri Gagarin.


This Friday (weather permitting) there will be an night observation session on the Lake Mohawk Boardwalk of Saturn and it's rings and also our Moon.  Time: 7:45-8:45.  Check this blog for updates on Friday.

New poll question:  Should Mr Worobetz shave off his beard before the end of the school year?

Periodic Table Activity: activity ES0501 classzone       http://periodic.lanl.gov/index.shtml

Weather on Earth and in Space: Feb 14-18

There was a rather large explosion on the Sun this weekend (Coronal Mass Ejection, CME) this could result in a aurora (northern nights) in the night sky.  The chances are small 20%,  but it is well worth the look over the next 2-3 nights. The news article
Daily Space Weather Reports:  http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/SWN/index.html

The weeks weather should give us ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (45-50F) with little to no chance of snow.(see links to the right for daily weather in Sparta)

Geophysics: FIRST TEST of the 3rd marking period last day of the cycle starting on Wednesday.

Astronomy:  Astronomical Distance Activity

Geophysics next class and Rutgers Open House this Saturday

Geophysics: Bring your textbook to the next classes.  Please have section 22.1 pg.773-777 ( Earth's Atmosphere) read before class.
Rutger's Geology Open House: This Saturday (1/29) , rock-mineral sales, museum open. lectures...it's free!  http://geology.rutgers.edu/2010-OpenHouseflyer.pdf

Astronomy reading: exoplanets (nasa)

2010 Warmest year ever in the Northern Hemisphere

This should warm you up, NOAA's climate report for 2010 reported the planet's temperature (both land and sea) were tied with 2005 for the warmest ever.  In Northern Hemisphere the average temperature were the highest ever recorded in the past 120+ years.  NOAA's 2010 climate report

Sparta's Climate: The last two weeks in January are statistically the coldest in NW NJ. Also, the days are now getting longer by about a minute per day, this will increase as we head toward spring.

Geophysics activity site: www.classzone.com

Total Lunar Eclipse Tonight

There will be a total lunar eclipse tonight over Sussex County.  The eclipse of the Moon will begin at at 1:33 am (Tuesday morning) and end at 5:01am.  The Moon will be totally eclipsed by the Earth's shadow from 2:41am till 3:53.   Some other interesting facts: The afternoon have begun to get a little longer (about a minute each day or two) since the earliest sunset occurred two weeks ago on Dec 9th.
Astronomical winter begins today (Dec 21)
December's Sky Chart

Geophysics: Links for class

1.  Classzone.com site:  http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/navigation/home.cfm

2.  "Name that Rock": (answer questions 1-10 in your notebook): http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/name.html

3. Rock "Scavenger Hunt" (questions 1-10 in your notebook    NOTE: go to bottom of page, then click on "Fun Activities" then find and click on Scavenger Hut) :  http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/rocks.html
4. Site to help you with "Matching Rock Properties" section of the worksheets: http://geology.com/rocks/igneous-rocks.shtml

Drake's Equation: Is there life out there?

Use the link provided to calculate "your" probability of intelligent life else where in our galaxy. There is a short video to help you. video: youtube video The Calculator: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/origins/drake.html  

1. Right ascension / declination link: https://student.boyertownasd.org/UserFiles/pdetterline/Equatorial%20Star%20Maps%20website.pdf

2. Constellation and your zodiac sign article:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41062376/ns/technology_and_science-science/

Oldest Rocks in NJ Dated at 1.37 BILLION Years Old

This past week the state of New Jersey released information that the oldest rocks in NJ dated at 1.37 Billion years old. The geology of NJ rocks have never been dated to such a high degree. The rocks in Sparta seem to be dated at over 1 billion years old too.  For more information: http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2010/10_0137.htm

How to find the Andromeda Galaxy ( 2 1/2 million light years away)

Use the star chart above and the link provided   ( how to find M31 ) to find the Andromeda Galaxy (also known as M-31) which is a large (200,000 light years across) spiral galaxy near our own.  That's if you consider ~ 2.5 million light-years away, close.  This is the most distant object you can see with a telescope. The link to identify satellites and the space station is located to the right of this page (heavens-above).

Geology and Astronomy Internet Lab Activities (moon landing sims)

Lab activity site: :http://www.classzone.com   type in "keyword block" the activity number in the upper left of your worksheet.

VIRTUAL EARTHQUAKE ACTIVITY:  Calculate the epicenter and the magnitude of an earthquake in the United States.   http://www.sciencecourseware.org/virtualearthquake/VQuakeExecute.html?x=153&y=55 

MAKE A EARTHQUAKE  (simulation) : Questions in notebook:   1.What type of building construction is the best in a major earthquake?  2. Which type of ground is the worse even in a "minor" earthquake?  3. What type of construction is the worse, even in a minor quake?  http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/quakes/interactives/makeaquake.html

Rock and Mineral Identification Activity:  Place all answers in your notebook.

http://www.mcsdk12.org/curr/webquests/rocks/rockswebquest.htm 

LUNAR LANDER SIMULATIONS:
1) http://lander.dunnbypaul.net/
2) http://www.sebleedelisle.com/games/moonlander/

Friday Night Observations on the Boardwalk

There will be a night observation session on the Lake Mohawk boardwalk this Friday, Nov. 12 (weather permitting) from 5:30-6:30. We will observe the planet Jupiter and it's 4 large "moons" along with the first quarter Moon through an 8 inch telescope.  Also at 6:28 there will be a pass of the International Space Station.

Shuttle passes of NW New Jersey Tonight (@ 7:12pm) and this weekend

Tonight: Thursday the space station will come out of the SW (at 7:12) and head overhead passing the bright star Vega and then disappear (at 7:17) into the Earth's shadow just after it passes by the constellation Cassiopeia (see chart above).  For more information (times /directions and star charts) on tonight's pass and other passes the next few nights: click on the link: http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&lat=41.033&lng=-74.639&loc=Sparta&alt=254&tz=EST   or click on Heavens Above link to the right of this site.

Shuttle's Toilet Requires Special Training

Summer 2010: tied for Warmest Ever !

The summer of 2010 tied for the warmest summer in the past 130 years. For more information: (Click Here)

Astronomical Calculator

Use this link to answer questions in Lab:

(astronomical calculator) 

Meteor Shower in the morning sky over NJ...Oct 18-20th for more information Click Here!

Project Echo 1960 (video)

A video of the first communication satellite and New Jersey's role  http://vodpod.com/watch/4188271-the-big-bounce-1960#

The Sunspots are Back

After about a year delay, the Sunspots are back!  For the latest /realtime images: (Click here) For Live Solar Images

60 Minutes: Report on Haiti

Warning: This video is rather dramatic, showing death and horrendous conditions.  The purpose of posting it is to give you an idea of the conditions after a major disaster and the people who try to help.  Watching this video is at your own discretion and NOT Required.

2000-2009 warmest decade in past 120 years !

The decade from 2000 to 2009 was the warmest in recorded history.

(Click) To Read Yahoo Article 
(Click) To read NOAA Report

NEXT TEST- Skin Cancer (reading)- NJ Climate

1) Link to article about the dangers of sun tanning and skin cancer.
CLICK for READING  
2) Practice test to be given in class this week

3) NEXT TEST: Monday 1/25:  Chapter 22.1 / 22,2 + ozone depletion and skin cancer.   
4) This week is "on average" the coldest in Sussex County, starting next week the average temperature begin to increase by 1-2 F per week till the warmest weeks in mid to late July.

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