RichC | October 23, 2024
My daughter Katelyn forwarded me this impressive fireball image and earthsky.org article with a YouTube video captured by people from Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and even Western NY (she hinted that it was “blogworthy” … so what is a dad to do? Share it, obviously). 🙂 The meteor (??) was clearly seen streaking over Lake Erie […]
RichC | August 22, 2024
This past week the weather was cooler and clear … just right for evening and early morning skywatching. I didn’t bother to set up the Lumix GX8 camera on a tripod or use a different lens, but I did have the lightweight 14-140mm lens mounted and took a couple morning photos (above) and a photo […]
RichC | May 11, 2024
On Friday May 10, 2024, I started noticing the beautiful northern lights (aurora borealis) photos showing up on my X.com social media feed. They were so impressive that I told Brenda that we would need to go outside in the evening. While glancing at my skywatching info, I also notice that the International Space Station […]
RichC | April 24, 2024
RichC | April 9, 2024
Click images for larger images Our backyard may not have been the absolute best location to view a perfectly covered sun for the solar eclipse, but it was very impressive. Taylor took an afternoon off of work and came up with Gigi in the afternoon (we are north of Cincinnati), and I suspect he […]
RichC | April 7, 2024
Graphic at: https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety On April 8, 2024, much of North America will experience a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse (vs lunar eclipse) is an alignment of Sun, Moon, and Earth, verse the Sun, Earth and Moon. On Monday, the moon’s shadow path will make landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast, cross the United States from Texas […]
RichC | December 16, 2023
NASA’s Perseverance rover continues on its Mars exploration mission that I’ve followed from the start. The Twitter feed along with the geology exploration and rock sample collection is space science at its best. For those not following the mission as closely, a YahooNews/CNN story last week that summarized the 1000 days of “roving” and of […]
RichC | December 6, 2023
Read the full article in Phys.org Ok … so it is not “manned,” but check out these physics facts from Discover Magazine anyway 😉 Q: Why does the moon always present the same face to us? I find it impossible to believe that this could happen by chance. — Michael Connelly, Toronto A: Nope, not […]
RichC | November 25, 2023
This first story is from my son-in-law Drew, and highlights just how communication for doctors has changed throughout the years. The “pager” is synonymous with doctors as hospitals and medical offices have used them for years to communicate quickly. Sure they pretty much all have cellphones and smartwatches these days (they do also still use […]
RichC | October 20, 2023
At first glance, a comet THREE TIMES the size of Mount Everest speeding towards earth is enough to get my attention. After a little more reading about this “horned” cryovolcanic comet … it will supposedly pass us by without incident. Whew. That said, it will pass close enough to earth next year (closest point on […]
RichC | October 12, 2023
Mark your calendar for a couple of chances to see the Moon cast a shadow as it crosses the contiguous United States during the annular solar eclipse: October 14, 2023 and then a total solar eclipse in the spring on April 8, 2024 (images above from The Old Farmer’s Almanac). These dark paths across the […]
RichC | January 27, 2023
As a boy growing up enamored with the NASA Apollo program and going to the moon in the 1960s, I’m still a little peeved at Pluto’s demotion from planet status. Nevertheless, I’m amazed at the New Horizon spaceship’s video flying over the mountains of Pluto. Amazing and a worthwhile Friday Filler.
RichC | November 16, 2022
While talking with an aviation (and space) acquaintance on Twitter earlier this week, I mentioned that while playing “old-school” Battleship with my granddaughter, that I was teaching her the phonetic alphabet (military, aviation, nautical, amateur radio, etc). Thankfully while playing the game, we only made it to “K” since the grid on the game only […]
RichC | October 7, 2022
Not that I’m trying to promote astrophotographers (although have mentioned this photographer before) or the selling of things on my blog, but since I enjoy maps and space photography … check out this from Andrew McCarthy (see Sunrise on the Highlands).
RichC | September 27, 2022
After fixing “Arthur Avenue Pork Sausage and Pepper Heroes with Melty Mozzarella Cheese and Garlic Potato Wedges” … as the recipe card states on Sunday night, which was the last of our subscription meal for a while … my son Taylor called at 8PM after getting himself “in a pickle” (a perfect place for a Shakespearian […]
RichC | September 7, 2022
Be sure to click on the photo or download to see the larger version
RichC | July 19, 2022
This is what the Andromeda Galaxy would look like from Earth … IF it were a little brighter. Very impressive.
RichC | June 21, 2022
On Tuesday’s solstice, everywhere north of the equator will receive at least 12 hours of daylight and everywhere south of that point will get less than 12 hours. The continental U.S. will get 14 to 16 hours of daylight, compared with eight to 10 hours on the winter solstice. “All the planets orbit the sun […]
RichC | June 16, 2022
As the warm evening and nights of summer arrive, I catch myself looking up at the sky again. It may have started with a purpose back when Charlie (Kamikaze) and I were locally sailing the “Fiberpile” and studying celestial navigation before there was much more than radio directional finders (LoranC was too costly and wasn’t […]
RichC | June 9, 2022
There are days we humans need to be reminded that we are small in relation to the universe, but unique (Genesis 1:27) and loved (John 3:16) in relation to God’s magnificent creation. TIDBITS: Voyager 1 continues into heading into our outer solar system as the space probe continues to communicate with the Deep Space Network […]
RichC | May 22, 2022
It is difficult to ignore the success of the private space industry and admire companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX as it launches and re-launches rocket after rocket. From satellite launching to shuttling astronauts to and from the International Space Station, SpaceX definitely has the potential to land astronauts back on the moon and to be […]
RichC | April 17, 2022
No time for a post today so I’ll include an amateur astronomer’s photo of M51 – Whirlpool Galaxy from a space-oriented social network group that was impressive.
RichC | March 24, 2022
It was exciting to see the new Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion capsule move toward Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B this month as space-nerds anticipate NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission. The sight of such a large rocket “crawling” toward the launch pad brings back the Apollo program of my youth and the Space […]
RichC | January 23, 2022
Right-Click to download the full 2649 x 3288 Hubble photograph of spiral galaxy NGC 976. It’s located 150 million light-years away, in the constellation Aries.
RichC | December 26, 2021
Before the year 2021 disappears, it is worth highlighting Time magazine’s pick for Person of the Year – although I generally just roll my eyes. This time in picking Elon Musk, it is hard to disagree. The pick of Musk, the richest man on Earth, is a good one as he is not only an […]
RichC | December 21, 2021
The planetary astronomer and science guru, Dr. James O’Donoghue, that I follow on Twitter posted a great video illustration that explains today, December 21st … or more appropriately a couple of days that occur as the seasons change. Today is the winter solstice and it marks the shortest day in the northern hemisphere. On December […]
RichC | December 17, 2021
It has been interesting following NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover “virtually” since the launch on July 30, 2020 and landing on Mars February 18, 2021. Since that time, Perseverancehas sent back hundreds of photos from the surface, collected (core samples) rocks and spent time “off-roading” on the surface. The terrain photo above (click it for larger) […]
RichC | December 6, 2021
I took a quick photo as the Moon and Venus are lit up by the sun well down in our evening sky in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Cold, clear and beautiful. Be watching for Saturn and Jupiter!
RichC | December 4, 2021
The scientific community which tracks asteroids has known about the “potentially hazardous” asteroid 4660 Nereus, which is the size of the Eiffel Tower, since it was discovered in 1982. It will pass at its closest point in 20-years on December 11, 2021, although still a safe distance from earth. The “egg shaped” asteroid may contains […]
RichC | September 19, 2021
One of the more inspiring movies in the last decade or so was that based on the career of Katherine Johnson called “Hidden Figures” in 2016. It was compelling enough and about NASA and the Apollo space program that when I spotted the book “My Remarkable Journey: A Memoir” by Katherine Johnson, Joylette Hylick and […]
RichC | August 21, 2021
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RichC | August 21, 2021
The Milky Way Over Monument Valley, 2012. APOD/NASA This was a great Milky Way photo from 2012 and gives me inspiration if Brenda and I ever do a US road trip. I’d love to plan one once we are retired, but road trips and “the journey vs destination” (and inside joke) are really not Brenda’s […]
RichC | August 4, 2021
TIDBIT: Although Jupiter and Saturn can look “relatively close” from our perspective, they are actually 456 million miles apart. Saturn is nearly twice as far away as Jupiter. We have had a few unusually cool evenings for early August (50-60F degrees) and the clear skies have me looking up. For stargazers and amateur sky watchers, […]
RichC | July 20, 2021
Most news outlets are covering the Jeff Bezos and crew launching the few minutes delayed Blue Origin first crewed 11-minute space flight on the anniversary of Apollo 11’s moon landing in 1969. The New Shepard spacecraft launched flawlessly and was a beautiful site … although, shockingly short, for $28 million dollars per passenger. Interestingly, […]
RichC | July 7, 2021
One of the segments from the Wall Street Journal that I especially enjoy are the book reviews … or the “bookshelf.” I’m always intrigued by the history selections and the review on Stephen Walker’s book “Beyond” was no exception. It so happened that it is also a WSJ+ “free book club read” for the month […]
RichC | May 25, 2021
The final new “half-moon” window was installed on Monday this week with the proper wagon-wheel spokes (photo below) .. which coincides with this week’s “Super Moon.” What makes this one somewhat unique is that there will also be a lunar eclipse where the earth shadows the moon. A total lunar eclipse completely blocks the moon, […]
RichC | May 15, 2021
Yesterday was my “space-camp” and NASA Sharp daughter Katelyn’s birthday and I had been saving a link that I forgot about just for the occasion … so will post it a day late … along with an amazing 2020 photo of Jupiter and Europa from the Hubble Space Telescope. We share an interest in space […]
RichC | May 10, 2021
The Who was never at the top of my music listening list, but like all who grew up in the 1960-70’s era, we all knew the music. This past Wednesday was the 60th anniversary of Alan Shepard‘s flight into space and as a boy who grew up mesmerized by our NASA space program (still am) […]
RichC | April 13, 2021
You can take the boy out of school, but you can’t take school (and learning) out of the boy ( or older man at this point). Over the weekend, I was talking to Brenda about how I’ve been following the NASA feed (tweet below) and waiting for the helicopter to take flight on Mars. The […]
RichC | December 20, 2020
For those who enjoy astronomy, space exploration or just looking at the night sky, an event know as Saturn and Jupiter’s Great Conjunction is happening on December 21st (although look in the southern sky shortly after sunset any night this month). A “conjunction” is an event that happens every 20 years for these two planets […]
RichC | December 9, 2020
No … not a pandemic (like Covid19) … or 45 years of Global Warming … or the current adopted term – Climate Change – according to Green New Deal Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or environmental activist Greta Thunberg … but an asteroid concluded the late Stephen Hawking. Also, there’s some real history, not a political ideology, […]
RichC | September 28, 2020
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RichC | August 12, 2020
An image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is just too beautiful not to include on MyDesultoryBlog. I many not be the biggest astronomy or space geek, but I do spend time looking up at the stars in the evening. Although I didn’t get a good look at the NEOWISE comet last week (not for […]
RichC | July 30, 2020
The NASA liftoff of Perseverance (7/30/2020) was a great sight this morning as was hearing that the new new rover “phoned home” an hour later. Those who grew up with the space program are fondly remembering the race to the moon days as well as the excitement in man probing space. This trip to Mars […]
RichC | July 21, 2020
If you enjoy nighttime sky watching, the next couple of days will have Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) at its closest point for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Hopefully the sky will remain clear and you’ll be able to see the “beautiful crescent” of this 3 mile wide glow. I’ve personally yet to see […]
RichC | June 3, 2020
Every once in a while when seeing what cellphone cameras can do, I wonder why I even bother to ever grab my camera bag and relatively expensive DSLR camera anymore? Last night the weather in Cincinnati was clear and humidity low. The moon was large and rising in the sky in the southeast and looks […]
RichC | March 31, 2020
Olympus Mons is the tallest mountain and largest volcano on any planet in the solar system. It is about the size of France (or the U.S. state of Arizona) and is a shield volcano 624 km (374 mi) in diameter, 25 km (16 mi) high, and is rimmed by a 6 km (4 mi) high […]
RichC | March 25, 2020
It may not come from space in the form of meteorites as mentioned in the story below, but I think the biggest advancement in this decade will be in superconductivity. Physicists have made fantastic advancements in reducing electrical resistance ever since Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes experimented with ferromagnetism in 1911, but getting superconductivity state […]
RichC | March 9, 2020
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RichC | January 31, 2020
A wide-angle view of the solar surface from the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope is the highest-resolution image of the Sun ever taken, showing details as small as 30 km wide. Seen here are granules, the tops of giant convection cells. Credit: NSO/NSF/AURA Whether it is gazing at the millions of stars night sky (the […]
RichC | July 28, 2019
Who wants to go swimming? The Great White Shark can detect blood in the water up to 3 miles away! Just look at those expensive teeth. I watched several science programs regarding space and the Apollo 11 moon landing these past couple of weeks … and one the other night explaining the Big Bang theory […]
RichC | July 27, 2019
A lot of things needed to go right when NASA sent three astronauts rocketing towards the moon in July of 1969 … but one real close call happened after their safe return to earth. It seems, some of the iconic photographs were “almost lost to posterity,” explains Zeiss, the company that provided the lenses for […]
RichC | July 20, 2019
As has been highly celebrated and reported in every form of media this week (and mention in not just one, but two earlier blog posts), today is the 50th anniversary of the landing a man on the moon. It was the historic Apollo 11 eight-day mission to the moon and back with the goal of […]
RichC | July 16, 2019
In the space race with the Soviet Union (USSR) during the 1960s, the United States “rocketed” ahead on July 16, 1969 as NASA sent the three men of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins into space at 9:32AM EST. The Apollo command module and Lunar Module (LM) sat atop the huge 363-feet […]
RichC | July 14, 2019
As we approach the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon in 1969, I’ve been enjoying both television anniversary shows, articles and the book Moondust – In Search of the Men Who Fell to the Earth. The Andrew Smith book, in particular, has been enjoyable as it blends events from the author’s memory […]
RichC | June 15, 2019
Brenda and I watched the movie Interstellar (2014) once before, but we watched it again this past week, and as often happens, we picked up on a few more interesting facts that made our brains hurt … well at least mine: General relativity, The Science of Interstellar, Black Holes and Time Warps. Thankfully I could […]
RichC | June 14, 2019
With the colder weather and clear sky over Cincinnati late Thursday evening and Friday morning this week, I took my Lumix GX-8 camera and 100-300mm lens out in the backyard to see what I could photograph. Not much as expected from Jupiter, but I think I could make out a couple moons in the pixelated […]
RichC | June 12, 2019
Just north of Cincinnati the sky was perfect for viewing the rise of Jupiter as the sky darkened about 9:30PM. The bright dot (photo below from my iPhone) rose in the SE sky and arched slowly until reaching its highest point due south at about 12:30AM and then moved lower well after I was in […]