Shoot!!

This might just scrap my plan to buy southern Arkansas real estate that will soon be beach front property due to AGW... We may be headed for a second Little Ice Age:

The Canadian Space Agency’s radio telescope has been reporting Flux Density Values so low they will mean a mini ice age if they continue.

Like the number of sunspots, the Flux Density Values reflect the Sun’s magnetic activity, which affects the rate at which the Sun radiates energy and warmth. CSA project director Ken Tapping calls the radio telescope that supplies NASA and the rest of the world with daily values of the Sun’s magnetic activity a “stethoscope on the Sun”. In this case, however, it is the “doctor” whose health is directly affected by the readings.

This is because when the magnetic activity is low, the Sun is dimmer, and puts out less radiant warmth. If the Sun goes into dim mode, as it has in the past, the Earth gets much colder.

Tapping, who was originally from Kent, says that “Typically as you go through the ten or eleven year solar activity cycle you see the numbers go up or down. The lowest number is 64 or 68. The numbers 71 or 72 are very low, but they usually start to go up. We are at the end of a cycle, but the numbers still haven’t gone up. We have been joking around coffee that we may be seeing the Sun about to shut down.”

Dammit!!! Doesn't the sun know it should only do what Al Gore tells it to!!

Gleaned from Stubborn Facts.

Sky Watch Redux

Last night's meteor watch was a little frustrating. Oh, the sky cleared nicely after midnight and the rate of meteors was the best yet, but there were few really good ones and the ones that did show came in fits and starts. I watched until about 2:00AM or so and saw a peak rate of about 50-55 per hour. The dark of the sky was nice and I saw some in parts of the sky that would have been too bright given any sort of moon, but they were all quick and not many were bright at all.

We are supposed to have storms in the area tonight, so that might but an end to my Perseid viewing at least until tomorrow night.

Perseids

Lots of folks are finding me looking for meteor shower info....so...here it is:

Where: In the sky of course, but the North Eastern sky should be where the greatest number originate.

When: Tonight should be the peak, but they can be off 24-36 hours on that. So, if you don't have good clear conditions tonight you should still be able to see a good number on Monday and Tuesday nights. The lead in nights have been pretty good, with 15-20 per hour on Friday evening, and 20-25 per hour last night.

The best hours are usually between 3:00 and 4:00 in the morning, but really anytime after midnight and until dawn should offer good viewing.

Type: A lot of these meteors have been quick moving and fairly faint, so folks near large light pollution sources will see fewer. Every 1 out of 7 or 8 was slower and brighter on average, so if we get near the 100 per hour peak tonight (or tomorrow) you can still expect to see 12-15 brilliant meteors in most every area. (Even a downtown Chicago roof deck.)

Have fun folks.