The Setting Sun....or Not?

The Sun rises and sets each day because the Earth is rotating on its own axis...or does it? :-) Some of you may seen this image below.

Some photographers are great at capturing photos such as this...or maybe this is a photo of NASA taking the Sun down for the day. Hmmm...!

This Blog's History: Heated Newsletter

In case you missed the original post, for This Friday in This Blog's History I point you back to the post I wrote describing the new "Heated" newsletter by science communicator Emily Atkin. It's a great newsletter sent to your inbox four times a week and filled with climate science news. A must read for those who care about the future of this planet.

Heated Newsletter

Trip to Maine - Post #10: Long Sands Beach

Between our visit to the light house in York and Mount Agamenticus, we took a few hours and enjoyed our time hanging out at Long Sands Beach.

Sorry, this is a stock photo too. Not sure what happened to our pictures of the beach or maybe we didn't take any. Long Sands Beach, as the name suggests, is a very long beach in York, Maine. There's plenty of beach area to find a place to relax but parking is an issue. You can park in the paid meters for relatively cheap, but we drove up and down the road a couple of times and every street parking spot was filled. We ended up paying $20 to park in someone's yard. Oh well. 

Our main reason for visiting the beach was my 9 year old daughter. She insisted on a beach visit and nothing was stopping her. LOL! She had a blast in the water. My wife and me? Well, damn that water was cold! LOL! It may have been July and hot out, but it's northern Atlantic water and it was pretty cold! Didn't seem to faze my kiddo though! 

You can bring food onto the beach, but obviously make sure to haul away everything you bring. Beware of the seagulls! If you leave your food unguarded they will take it. We had to shoo a few birds away at times as they kept creeping closer to our food at lunch! 

There are many beaches along the southern coast and Long Sands Beach was a pretty good one. 

Trip to Maine - Post #9: Mount Agamenticus

While exploring the southern coastline of Maine we took a nice drive to the top of Mount Agamenticus near York, Maine. It may only be a shade under 700 feet above sea level in elevation, but it gives you a great view of the surrounding region. It's a windy road to the top, but there is plenty of parking and several trails if hiking is of interest to you.

I had to post a stock photo of the view from the top as apparently we didn't take any pictures?!?!?! I'm not sure I believe that, but no pictures of Mount Agamenticus are on my camera!

If touring southern Maine, I highly encourage you to take a drive to the top of Mount Agamenticus and take some time to enjoy the view and the surrounding scenery. You can see down to the coastline and pick out the different towns dotting the ocean shore.

Liars & Thieves - Book Review

One of the reasons I have a to-read book list that far exceeds the average lifetime is my need to check out a new book by a new author any time I'm in a public library. Maybe not every trip to the library, but I too often finding myself wanting to check out something different. That's not a bad problem. I see it as a good problem, but it definitely makes it hard to keep up with everything else I want to read!

The latest trip to the library had me checking out Liars & Thieves by Stephen Coonts. This is the first book in this spy/thriller series starring character Tommy Carmellini. It's your typical spy/thriller book with corrupt politics, but the main character, Carmellini was a bit different that what I've typically read in this genre. Carmellini is a flawed character that makes plenty of mistakes, particularly in the relationship department. I don't mind the bad ass character that can do no wrong, but a character with the same attributes as everyone else that makes mistakes is a breath of fresh air.

All spy/thriller fans should check out this series. I found this book enjoyable enough that I plan on reading the other books in the series, adding even more books to my to-read list. :-)

Trip to Maine - Post #8: Cape Neddick Nubble Lighthouse

Our second full day in Maine took us on a lovely drive south of Portland to explore the southern coast of Maine. We stopped at several scenic areas, with our first stop at the Cape Neddick Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine. Actually our plan was to spend a few hours at York Beach first, then see the light house, but when we drove by the beach we couldn't find any immediate parking so we decided to check out the lighthouse first and then come back to the beach.

It takes a boat to get to the lighthouse, but it is still close enough to get some good views. As with most of the coast of Maine, the shoreline is a lovely area of large rocks and crashing waves. A great spot to pull out a book and enjoy some quiet reading time, or just observe nature in its raw beauty! For geocachers, there's a cache near this lighthouse. I parked the car in the perfect spot, directly in front of the cache without even realizing it until pulling up the geocaching app on my phone. 

If you are in York to spend some time at the beach, check out the lighthouse. Don't worry, it won't take away much time from the beach and the views are well worth the visit!

This Blog's History: What is the Vernal Equinox?

For This Friday in This Blog's History I point you back to the post I wrote in the vernal equinox. What is it? Why does it exist? What does it mean? Oh, and no, this is not the only day of the year you can balance and egg on its end. You can do that ANY day of the year. :-)

What is the Vernal Equinox?

Trip to Maine - Post #7: Commercial Street

Have I said yet that Portland, Maine is a great place to visit? :-) Amazing views. Plenty to do. Great shopping. And super delicious seafood. If you visit Portland you'll likely find yourself on Commercial Street at some point. This is the main street right down by the shore that is filled with shops and restaurants. Usually crowds like this are not my thing, but Commercial Street offers a wonderful walk and plenty of cool little shops to check out.

There are the standard touristy shops with souvenirs, like the store I found my lobster socks :-) There are also some cool chocolate/candy shops, art galleries, and a great liquor and spirits store where I picked up some "made in Maine" whiskey! I always like to pick up a bottle or two of local whiskey in the areas I visit. I couldn't pass up some maple flavored whiskey! We also found a store with tons of different varieties of locally made flavored olive oil. We picked up a few bottles!

One thing to note, however, is that parking in Portland is expensive. Portland has a small town feel to it but it comes with big city parking prices. Not much you can do if you have a car. Just pay the price and enjoy your time in Portland without worrying about how much it costs. Unless you live there you are probably there on vacation and my rule on vacation is to stop worrying about how much you are spending and just enjoy your time on vacation!

Passage to Dawn - Book Review

One of the classic fantasy series I'm working my way through is the Forgotten Realms universe starring the character Drizzt Do'Urden written by R.A. Salvatore. I started this series back in college and then re-started it a couple of years ago and am now working my way through. The books are not long and don't necessarily have the same detail and character development as other fantasy series, but I still find it great. I recently finished reading Passage to Dawn.

Passage to Dawn continues the story of Drizzt, Cattie-Brie, Bruneor, and the other characters in the series. This book is a bit different in that there is a big twist at the end! Not for me as I had read it before, but when I read it the first time I ended the book with a big "WOW"! It leaves you wanting to start the next book right away.

There are currently 31 books starring Drizzt, the drow, in this series, so I still have quite a few to go! This is a great series for a budding fantasy fan. Not difficult to read. Not overwhelming. Plenty of action. Magic. Elves. Drow. Drawves. Dragons. Can't beat it!

HEATED Newsletter

Last week I shared that everyone should be following Emily Atkin (@emorwee) on Twitter. She's a former staff writer at The New Republic but recently left and started her own newsletter focused on climate changed called HEATED.

HEATED

When I first heard this I signed up for a free subscription. Issues are released to your email every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. If upcoming issues are just as awesome as the very first issue, I'll be paying for a subscription when that time comes. It sounds like the newsletter is free for now, but in a couple of months, to receive daily updates, a fee is required. A once a week option will still be available for free.

I am super excited for upcoming issues of HEATED to come out. Atkin does a wonderful job discussing climate change in an easy to understand format. The newsletter is just another great example of that!

What Is #26: The Autumnal Equinox

The 'What Is' Series

Early this year I started a new series on this blog titled "What Is". Thus far the focus is on the field of astronomy where we hear all sorts of cool science taking place in space. The goal of this series is to explain the details of different objects we hear about relatively frequently.

What is the Autumnal Equinox?

Now that I've covered the summer solstice, winter solstice, and vernal equinox, it's time to cover the autumnal equinox. The word 'equinox' indicates something is equal. That something is the spread of sunlight across the northern and southern hemisphere. On the autumnal equinox, also called the first day of fall in the northern hemisphere, the Sun sits directly above the equator, providing an equal amount of light to both hemispheres. One day before the autumnal equinox the Sun sits just north of the equator and the northern hemisphere receives more light. One day after the autumnal equinox and the Sun has shifted to sit above a spot just south of the equator, giving the southern hemisphere more light. The vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox are the only two days of the year each hemisphere receives the same amount of light, thus the term 'equinox'.

What causes this? The reason we have the summer/winter solstice, and the spring/fall equinox, is due to Earth's tilt of about 23.5 degrees. Because Earth is titled with an axis always pointing in the same direction, the angle the Sun's light hits the Earth changes.

The next autumnal equinox occurs on September 23, 2019. Although the autumnal equinox is always near September 21, it can shift a day or two depending on the exact time it takes place. On the autumnal equinox, the Sun is working its way lower in the sky each day in the northern hemisphere until it reaches its lowest point on the winter solstice in December.

Earlier in this series on the summer/winter solstice, I noted that these days are not typically the hottest and coldest days of the year. Likewise, the vernal equinox and autumnal equinox are not typically equal in temperature. The vernal equinox is coming off winter and is typically colder than the autumnal equinox that is coming off summer. 

Now all of you readers are experts when it comes to the solstices and equinoxes. Go out and impress your friends at the next party! :-)

This Blog's History: Balancing an Egg

For This Friday in This Blog's History I point you to the very first post (aside from the introductory welcome post) I wrote on this blog way back in 2012.

The Famous "Balancing an Egg on the Equinox" Myth

Yes, the myth that you can balance an egg on its end, but only on the spring equinox! Test it out today, I dare you. With a bit of patience you can balance an egg on its end on ANY day. Want a challenge? Balance an egg on the small end. Much, much harder, but doable.

Trip to Maine - Post #6: Eastern Promenade

Another great area in Portland, Maine to enjoy nature and get a breath of fresh air is the Eastern Promenade. Granted, we didn't spend much time here. Okay, I'll be honest, we just drove through the area because we were lost trying to figure out where to park before our boat trip through Ribbit Adventures. But it looked like a great area to take a walk, watch the waves, and enjoy a picnic! The Eastern Promenade is located on the east end of Portland along the bay.

In the map above it is the green park area on the top part of this peninsula. There is plenty of eating and shopping nearby. So go visit Maine, go to Portland, eat some AMAZING seafood, and burn off those extra calories with a walk through the Eastern Promenade!

Trip to Maine - Post #5: Fort Williams Park

I've been slow writing about our trip to Maine this past July. Part of the reason is the busyness of the summer slowing down my blog writing. We had a blast in Maine and now it's time to get back on track writing about our experiences. We started our first few days in Maine staying in Portland and the nearby region. We took a boat ride and visited the Portland Head Light. We also stopped in Fort Williams Park, where the Portland Head Light is located if visiting by land.

The park is beautiful with great views of the waves crashing on the rocks, walking trails, old military bunkers, etc. A great place for a picnic and a great place to spend an evening near sunset. Portland at its finest! For geocachers out there, there are a few caches in this park!

Separation of Power - Book Review

I continue to work my way through the Mitch Rapp series written by Vince Flynn. I recently finished Separation of Power, the fifth book in this series. Mitch Rapp is once again called on to save the day in this spy thriller. Is the story realistic? Nope. Would Mitch Rapp have survived if this was real life? Nope. But is it an exciting read? You bet!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I don't agree with Vince Flynn's politics at all. But I can't deny that I really enjoy the books. They are exciting, thrilling, and yes, in some cases a bit predictable, but they are hard for me to put down!

If you like spy thrillers, I recommend checking out the Mitch Rapp books by Vince Flynn.

Emily Atkin on Twitter

Science on Twitter

There are many negatives with social media but also many positives. Among those positives is the great number of amazing scientists using Twitter to share science news! Not only are there scientists, but there are telescopes and rovers with their own Twitter accounts sharing their findings. You just have to use social media in such a way the positives outweigh the negatives. Following scientists is a great way to gain those positives.

Emily Atkin on Twitter

Emily Atkin (@emorwee) is someone you should definitely follow on Twitter! She is a former staff writer for The New Republic where she focused on climate change. I've followed her on Twitter for quite some time. Although I never subscribed to The New Republic, I thoroughly enjoyed her contributions on Twitter focusing on the facts of climate change in what is too often a fact-free world.

More recently she has started a newsletter focused on climate change that publishes its first issue...TODAY! It's called HEATED and I signed up when I first heard about it. It's free for now, but I anticipate it being too great to not pay for when it moves to a pay-model in a couple of months. You can check out HEATED and sign up here:

HEATED

In Emily's own words, HEATED is:

"a newsletter for people who are pissed about the climate crisis."

I can't wait to read the first issue! So sign up for HEATED and follow her on Twitter for some fantastic climate change science!

This Blog's History: Hurricane Dorian

In case you missed it earlier this week, for This Friday in This Blog's History I point you back to the post I wrote on Hurricane Dorian and climate change. Dorian is still a major threat to the eastern U.S. seaboard and we'll know more soon on the damage it inflicts. Climate change plays a great role in magnifying the damaging effects of hurricanes and Dorian is another example of this relationship. For more detail, read the original posted linked below.

Hurricane Dorian and Climate Change

What Is #25: The Vernal Equinox?

The 'What Is' Series

Early this year I started a new series on this blog titled "What Is". Thus far the focus is on the field of astronomy where we hear all sorts of cool science taking place in space. The goal of this series is to explain the details of different objects we hear about relatively frequently.

What is the Vernal Equinox?

The last two posts in this series took a look at the summer solstice and the winter solstice, but what is the vernal equinox? The word 'equinox' indicates something is equal. That something is the spread of sunlight across the northern and southern hemisphere. On the vernal equinox, also called the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, the Sun sits directly above the equator, providing an equal amount of light to both hemispheres. One day before the vernal equinox the Sun sits just south of the equator and the southern hemisphere receives more light. One day after the vernal equinox and the Sun has shifted to sit above a spot just north of the equator, giving the northern hemisphere more light. The vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox are the only two days of the year each hemisphere receives the same amount of light, thus the term 'equinox'.

What causes this? The reason we have the summer/winter solstice, and the spring/fall equinox, is due to Earth's tilt of about 23.5 degrees. Because Earth is titled with an axis always pointing in the same direction, the angle the Sun's light hits the Earth changes.

The next vernal equinox occurs on March 19, 2020. Although the vernal equinox is always near March 21, it can shift a day or two depending on the exact time it takes place. On the vernal equinox, the Sun is working its way higher in the sky each day in the northern hemisphere until it reaches its highest point on the summer solstice in June.

In the last two posts in this series on the summer/winter solstice, I noted that these days are not typically the hottest and coldest days of the year. Likewise, the vernal equinox and autumnal equinox are not typically equal in temperature. The vernal equinox is coming off winter and is typically colder than the autumnal equinox that is coming off summer. 

Next up is the autumnal equinox. 

Bad Astronomy Joke :-)

Today's post is a short one. It's a meme with a bad astronomy joke.

See, told you it was a bad joke, but making it through grad school gives me the right to post bad astronomy jokes. :-)

Hurricane Dorian

It is very difficult, if not impossible to argue that any given hurricane is caused by climate change, but what science can tell us is that climate change has an effect on the strength of hurricanes, damage done by hurricanes, rainfall produced by hurricanes, etc. And the science on this is very clear. An excellent review of climate change and hurricanes can be found here by the Union of Concerned Scientists:

Hurricanes and Climate Change

As of this writing there is currently a hurricane, Hurricane Dorian, sitting off the east coast of Florida and slowly turning northward. It is uncertain where or if this hurricane will make landfall, but it has the potential to cause tremendous damage. This hurricane started as a tropical storm in the east Atlantic and slowly worked its way west. It reached Category 5 status for a period of time, meaning sustained wind speeds exceeded 157 mph. Although it is only a Category 2 hurricane right now, with sustained wind speeds of 110 mph, the strength could increase again, or if not, it could still cause tremendous damage to the coast depending on how slow it moves and how much rain it dumps.

For hurricanes, wind speed is not the most dangerous or damaging aspect. Rainfall, ocean waves, and flooding is a greater concern. The latest update by The Weather Channel can be found here:

Hurricane Dorian Finally Moving Away From Grand Bahama Island

The damage to the Bahamas is yet to be determined, but it must be tremendous. This hurricane stalled to a near stop for 24 hours directly over the Bahamas.

Hurricanes are a devastating force and they are a natural part of Earth's climate. Climate change, however, is raising sea levels, resulting in greater flooding when hurricanes occur. Climate change is also changing the water temperature conditions to produce stronger hurricanes with more devastating effects and greater produced rainfall and flooding. There is no doubt about it. Climate change did not cause hurricanes and it may not be increasing the number of hurricanes, but there is no doubt it is increasing the damaging effects of hurricanes. This results in more property damage, lost homes, and lost lives.