Witchy weather musings

Haven't you wondered why, too? (A tale of planetary woe)

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 13:05:00 GMT

From NASAA Tale of Planetary Woe 11.06.2009Nov. 6, 2009: Once upon a time — roughly four billion years ago — Mars was warm and wet, much like Earth. Liquid water flowed on the Martian surface in long rivers that emptied into shallow seas. A thick atmosphere blanketed the planet and kept it warm. Living microbes might have even arisen, some scientists believe, starting Mars down the path toward becoming a second life-filled planet next door to our own.But that's ...
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A New Look at Mercury (it has a tail!)

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:08:00 GMT

(Who knew?) From NASA Hidden Territory on Mercury Revealed 11.03.2009Nov. 3, 2009: The MESSENGER spacecraft's third flyby of the planet Mercury has given scientists, for the first time, an almost complete view of the planet's surface and revealed some dramatic changes in Mercury's comet-like tail."The new images remind us that Mercury continues to hold surprises," says Sean Solomon, principal investigator for the mission and director of the Department of Terrestria...
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Asteroid Explodes Over Indonesia!

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:39:00 GMT

INDONESIAN ASTEROID: Earlier this month, with no warning, a ~10-meter wide asteroid hit Earth's atmosphere above Indonesia and exploded. The break-up was so powerful, it triggered nuclear test ban sensors thousands of kilometers away. A just-released analysis of infrasound data shows that the asteroid detonated with an energy equivalent of about 50 kton of TNT, similar to a small atomic bomb. This significant impact has received relatively little attention in Wes...
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Sneaky Sun

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:34:00 GMT

[ I know it's sure been hiding out around HERE lately....] From NASA The Sun's Sneaky Variability 10.27.2009October 27, 2009: Every 11 years, the sun undergoes a furious upheaval. Dark sunspots burst forth from beneath the sun's surface. Explosions as powerful as a billion atomic bombs spark intense flares of high-energy radiation. Clouds of gas big enough to swallow planets break away from the sun and billow into space. It's a flamboyant display of stellar power....
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And the night sky watchers rejoiced!

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:16:00 GMT

From Space Weather [dot] comBIG SUNSPOT: The sun is showing signs of life. Sunspot 1029 emerged over the weekend, and it is crackling with B- and C-class solar flares. The active region's magnetic polarity identifies it as a member of new Solar Cycle 24. If its growth continues apace, sunspot 1029 could soon become the biggest sunspot of 2009. Check http://spaceweather.com for animations and updates.MONDAY NIGHT SKY SHOW: When the sun sets on Monday, Oct. 26th, go...
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