International Space Station Crew Images Sarychev Volcano

Image source NASA
The International Space Station Crew (ISS) got a truly amazing birds eye view of the Sarychev Volcano as it just began erupting on on Jun 12th, 2009. The ash plume from the volcano actually punctured the tropopause and ejected matter in the stratosphere of the earth's atmosphere. Gas and ash plumes are now circling hte globe and will lead to enhanced sunsets in the northern hemisphere of the earth. The image shot above show many features, such as pileus cloud formation at the top of the plume and pyroclastic flows ejecting out the of side of the volcano. More information about the image and volcano can be found at NASA's Earth Observatory

Summer Meteor Showers

Warm muggy nights, open fields, dark skies, and large blankets on the grass - These are the best way to enjoy summertime meteor showers and UFO searches. I have spent many nights and hours under dark skies of summer. I have seen many meteors, auroras, comets, planets. Even saw the Goodyear blimp that I mistook for a UFO for a minute. But never an object that I could not identify!

Below is a schedule of some of the larger meteor showers that occur during the summer time months. For most of these showers, you will need to check on moonrise and moonset times since it will have at least a quarter of its disk showing. Some darker skies will be available later in the year. Also, do not forget to bring along some bug spray!

Lyrids

June 14-16

Delta Aquarids

July 28-29

Capricornids

July 29-30

Perseids

August 12-13

And in the fall...

Draconids

October 8-9

Orinids will offer one of the best chances for dark skies for 2009...

Orionids

October 21-22

Meteor Hits Boy

Wow! Talk about the ultimate star gazing experience! Here is a story about a bot that was hit by a meteor while walking to school. Luckily it only hit his hand and then into the pavement. The force of the impact was enough to knock him over and leave a 3 inch scar on his hand. Most meteors are not much larger then a grain of sand. Lucky for this fellow it was not any larger.

Here is a link to the story: Meteor Hits Boy - SkyNews