Physics reveals great truths about our Universe which are amazing when fully comprehended - its applications to cosmology and astronomy are exciting. In contrast, the manner in which the discipline developed seems dry and uninteresting. Anton Capri has written a book which shows it to be anything but. Brenda Culbertson read it and you can read her full review of Quips, Quotes and Quanta: An Ancedotal History of Physics.

Another tool for ISS sighting predictions: now countries around the world may use the SpaceWeather.com Satellite Tracker. The site has recently been updated to include pretty much the whole world.

Mars’ split surface personality: More on the topography from AAAS, NASA’s Phoenix Mission to the Northern Hemisphere, and more on Mars in general.

 …Gray Tape:Moondust and Duct Tape shows a video of the lunar dust clouds interfering with application of tape to a moonbuggy.

Extrasolar planets:More discoveries.

   I’m not into politics. Now that I’ve said that, I thought that I would make a political comment.

   I once thought that science advisors to the president were only used in movies, but it turns out that they are real… sometimes. Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed the first science advisor, James Killian, in the late 1950s when the space race began. Some presidents saw no need for science advisors and did not use them. George W. Bush’s advisor is John. H. Marburger III, pictured to the left.  
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   While sitting at my favorite coffee shop, using the high speed WiFi, I noticed that the barista had the movie ET on the big screen TV. Of all of the historic events, like the first space flight, landing on the Moon, and living in orbit that have been accomplished, humans continue to dream of future possibilities. Movies are entertaining, but they also provide us with a little foresight.
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   Super-high-energy solar flares have been documented since 1859, when Richard Carrington, solar observer, saw a super-bright effect on the Sun. Carrington was documenting sunspots when he witnessed a super bright white light flare; a supercharged energy outburst that is naked-eye visible. We now call these outbursts as the Carrington Effect.
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   Spaceweather.com has provided another tool for inhabitants of the USA and Canada to find out when ISS, the Space Shuttle, and a few other satellite objects can be seen passing over your location. The list is limited to the number of objects, so far, but that may change.  All you need to do is access the site, select your country, enter your zip code, and run through the list of objects to see when and where one is visible.
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   If you like to watch meteor showers, an opportunity is soon to arrive to view the eta Aquarids. Those of you in the Southern Hemisphere are favored for this year’s shower, which peaks on May 05 and 06. The peak hourly rate is 70 meteors per hour for the SH, but for the NH 30 per hour are expected.
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Citizen astronomers around the world measured sky brightness during an activity sponsored by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP). The activity, GLOBE, involved 62 countries and thousands of people who all went out in March 2008 and count the numbers of stars in the constellation Orion. A device was also used by some to measure the brightness of the sky in that area.
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Solar eclipses are to be experienced, not merely watched. If you have never experienced a total solar eclipse, you have one more thing to add to your “things to do before I die” list. If you are fortunate enough to have experienced one, then you know what I am talking about. I went to Mexico for the Total Solar Eclipse in July 2001, and it was truly great.
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   Star parties are generally casual gatherings of amateur and professional astronomers who congregate in an area, with the purpose of observing. Star parties come in all sizes, from the backyard with a handful of people, to the large internationally known, long duration events. No matter what the size, all who attend have a similar interest, and they meet others who usually have a new story to share. Let’s face it, some of us love a good astro story.

   No matter what the reason is for you to attend or host a star party, warm weather is a good time for outside events. If you know of a star party coming to your area (or your backyard), and you want to let everyone else know about it, please make a post in the comment section of this blog entry. I have invited a few folks to my backyard observatory tonight.