on Creation and all living things
The chief astronomer at the Vatican says the possibility that “extraterrestrial brothers” exist in the universe isn’t incompatible with belief in God. He says they may be in greater harmony with the Creator than humans and they may be higher evolved. (Not that that the latter would be particularly difficult. I would hope they include sisters as well.)
Posted on May 15th, 2008 by larryhol
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It’s National Dark Skies Week. It’s a week to consider how we use, or abuse, artificial light in a 24/7 world as Sky and Telescope write Kelly Beatty notes.
The more we install outdoor lights without appropriate shades and aimed to the sky, the less night sky we see. It’s a form of pollution that is often overlooked except for amateur or professional astronomers.
But the skies are becoming less accessible to all and our ability to see the beauty of the galaxy and beyond is being slowly and almost imperceptibly being destroyed.
National Dark Skies is an attempt to create awareness and to provide information about options to install lights and also protect the view of the heavens.
Posted on March 30th, 2008 by larryhol
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The destruction of Monarch butterfly habitat by illegal logging has been documented by satellite photos.
The conclusion drawn by researchers is grim.
“The researchers are greatly concerned that the entire monarch butterfly migration and overwintering phenomenon in eastern North America may collapse in the near future if the Mexican government does not fully enforce the logging ban.”
Posted on March 8th, 2008 by larryhol
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While searching for astronomy information I stumbled upon this website http://www.solarviews.com/eng/earth.htm which offers views of the solar system from various sources. I’ve not happened upon this site before and was pleased to find earth views (among many other great photographs) that I haven’t seen before.
Most views in publications and other media in the U.S. place North and South America in the center of focus. I’d actually looked for other views and found only partial views of other regions of earth.
Solarviews offers continental views as well as partial views of regions.
A view of eastern hemisphere.
The composite images are the result of digital stitching. This is explained on the site in more detail. The considerable work that went into creating these images is transparent to us when we see the finished image. But it’s quite an interesting process.
The African continent from 700 kms. above. The African view seems clearer to my eyes, perhaps because of contrast between earth and water. But from any view it lives up to its nickname, big blue marble.
Posted on December 31st, 2007 by Larry
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The Orionids meteor shower was clearly visible this morning from four until dawn. Even with light pollution the meteors were striking as they blazed the morning sky. The Orionids are cast-offs from Halley’s Comet which is making a pass toward the sun. Sky and Telescope isn’t impressed with this year’s shower but from my vantage point it has been far more impressive than other recent showers. The meteors leave a bright, wide, eye-catching trail. We saw five in an hour, which isn’t an impressive number, but their blazing trails certainly are.
Venus, Saturn and Regulus remain fixtures in the eastern sky before dawn. Viewing this morning was good and both planets are sharp and crisp in the telescope. The three are widening distance between them. Their triangle is becoming more elongated.
Saturn’s rings are more vertical so their features are less visible right now. But Saturn is always a pretty sight regardless of its position. At least one of its moons was also visible this morning, I believe it is Enceladus.
The Orion Nebula was also sharp and clear. It’s an old stand-by that still leaves me feeling a bit awe-struck. Seeing it always brings to mind the forces at work giving birth to stars. We are part of a living, dynamic universe still in creation.
Remembering this sparks my curiosity, inspires a sense of wonder and gives me hope.
Posted on October 21st, 2007 by Larry
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The morning sky was cloud-free and the temperatures mild. We had a clear view of the crescent moon just before sunrise within a triangle including Venus, Regulus, and Saturn.
In this photo, Saturn is in the lower left, Regulus is directly above the moon and Venus is to the right. It was quite a beautiful sight.
Posted on October 7th, 2007 by Larry
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I like to sit on the deck in the pre-dawn hours with a cup of coffee and the open sky beaming overhead. It’s a glorious sight this fall. The last few mornings have been crisp and clear, perfect for star-gazing.
A planetary exhibition is developing in the eastern sky. It will be at its full glory on Oct. 7, but you can seen it forming now. It’s the near proximity of Venus, Saturn, Regulus and the crescent moon. It’s perfect naked eye astronomy. Sky and Telescope provides a helpful chart.
On Oct. 7 the crescent moon will be inside a triangle formed by Venus in the east, Regulus slightly higher and to the northeast and Saturn at the lowest point of the triangle, slightly north and below Regulus. The moon will be closest to Saturn at an hour before sunrise.
I peaked at Saturn and Venus this morning through a telescope. Venus is in a crescent and the rings of Saturn are on edge but clearly visible. It’s a great morning view.
Posted on October 2nd, 2007 by Larry
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A Gulf Fritillary came by a couple of days ago and returned yesterday. While common in this area, the colors of this butterfly add sparkle to our normal visitors who are yellow and black swallowtails and an occasional monarch.
I was unsuccessful capturing a good shot of this visitor with his wings open, but was fortunate to get a snapshot of him as he left the nectar plant.
Posted on September 30th, 2007 by larryhol
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I thought we might start seeing the daily emergence of butterflies since many of the caterpillars started forming chrysalises a couple of weeks ago. And they are pupating and emerging on time. The last three days we’ve released a butterfly.
It’s time. Autumn will be making nights cooler in a short while. Daytime temperatures remain warm, so the four remaining caterpillars are eating and growing. I don’t know if they can grow fast enough, or what triggers some chrysalises to winter over and others to hatch in two weeks.
This male worked out of his chrysalis before dawn this morning and was hanging on the netting when we got up. He was a bright spot in the morning as I’m battling the worst head cold I’ve had in a long while and he brightened the early morning which, otherwise, was forgettable.
Posted on September 25th, 2007 by Larry
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I got up early Sunday morning because I was going to Atlanta. Just after sunrise I checked the caterpillars, as I do most mornings when I’m not traveling. And all was OK.
But as I was just about to walk out the door, Sharon called me to look at the moving little crumpled mass on a fennel plant. It was walking, falling to the earth in the container, climbing back up the stalk and generally flailing.
It was a male swallowtail that had just emerged from its chrysalis. Much as a newborn calf trying to get its bearings this butterfly was walking for the first time, dropping off the plant stalks and finding its way back up. It looked like a wet mushy mass of black cloth with a black and white body, long legs and a pair of antennae.
In a matter of a few minutes, however, it began to get its bearings and its wings unfurled. Perhaps in no more than ten minutes it had found a place to hang quietly as its wings filled with the fluid necessary to give them form and substance.
I had to leave before he was ready to fly the coop, but later that morning Jinny let him go. This male, by the way, was in the chrysalis that was so active. He did a hula dance throughout his pupation. We’re glad he’s free of his container and dancing across the blossoms drinking nectar.
Posted on September 24th, 2007 by Larry
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