Of the 19 million or so people who likely made it to the path of totality for today' solar eclipse, I doubt I have much unique to share. But I have to share my thoughts. I'd read and prepared quite a bit, and I have to now echo the sentiment - you OWE IT TO…Read more Quick, Totally Unique Thoughts on Totality
Andromeda (Astronomy: Week of 8/20/17)
I can't possibly say anything on the subject of astronomy (in the U.S.), during the week of Aug 20, 2017, without mentioning the total solar eclipse. BUT, what else is there left to say? This will be by some accounts the most-viewed natural phenomenon, EVER, and I think by now everybody has gotten the message…Read more Andromeda (Astronomy: Week of 8/20/17)
Lunch and Learn
One of the reasons I haven't been posting a lot lately is that I've had another outlet, and I wanted to take a moment to thank St. Mary's County Public Schools and the wonderful staff that keep school programs going over the summer. (And for giving me pretty much ALL the Twitter traffic I've had…Read more Lunch and Learn
Alarming News (Astronomy: Week of 8/13/17)
I don't mean to cause a panic or otherwise worry anybody, but I've noticed something. For the past few mornings, I've been able to see the Sun coming up in the east, and the Moon setting towards the west - both in the same sky. Over the course of a few mornings, of course, the…Read more Alarming News (Astronomy: Week of 8/13/17)
Paddling Mallows Bay
In April, 1917, US President Woodrow Wilson issued a challenge to his country. World War I was raging in Europe, and Allied shipping was being torn apart by German surface ships and submarines. As a result, the US churned out over a thousand wooden-hulled cargo ships in about 18 months. The war ended in November,…Read more Paddling Mallows Bay
Lighthouses and Lobsters
The last time we visited downeast Maine was about 12 years ago. Now we've got a new generation to raise, and exposing them to New England, to lobster, to people who lengthen A's and drop R's completely, to granite carved by glaciers, beaches made of rock instead of sand, and plants and animals they've never…Read more Lighthouses and Lobsters
Perseids and Lunar Geometry (Astronomy: Week of 8/6/17)
Hey folks, I'm back from a week rambling around Downeast Maine, so while the frequency of posts has suffered, the material is overflowing! More to come on that later, but for now, it's time for a weekly snapshot of astronomical items of interest. This week, it's the Perseid meteor shower - peaking (unfortunately) during daylight…Read more Perseids and Lunar Geometry (Astronomy: Week of 8/6/17)
Galactic Center (Astronomy: Week of 7/30/17)
Better late than never. Who would have seriously thought that the east coast of the US would have crystal clear skies at the end of July? Saturday we had a drenching weather pattern akin to a winter nor'-easter. Sunday, no humidity, clear skies and temps in the 70's. My chance to complete a self-imposed homework…Read more Galactic Center (Astronomy: Week of 7/30/17)
St. Mary’s Wilderness
East of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, but west of the main Blue Ridge, there's a jumble of rugged mountains marked by cliffs, steep-sided gorges, and crystal clear streams. This area contains the St. Mary's Wilderness, the largest Wilderness Area in Virginia, and one of my favorite spots for over 30 years. Like most designated Wilderness Areas,…Read more St. Mary’s Wilderness
Respect
Things have been really busy over the past couple weeks. Work and kids' schedules have made it really hard to keep up with writing. I've had a couple good events, and another teaching opportunity, thankfully - it's just a matter of catching up. So while I know I'm running behind on my usual posting,…Read more Respect
Sundial, Plus! (Astronomy: Week of 7/23/17)
I am so behind! A lot of stuff has been going on for the past week, I've actually generated quite a backlog of things to write about - but finding the time to write and get it out there has been a challenge of late. This week's astronomy tidbit is a little different... I ran…Read more Sundial, Plus! (Astronomy: Week of 7/23/17)
Screwpile ’17!
I am beat up. My arms, shoulders, and back are particularly sore, from hoisting sails, climbing up a slanted deck, and shoving a spinnaker pole around against a powerful 'chute. My legs ache from balancing on a half-inch toe-rail, changing headsails while the boat plows through waves that occasionally lift me off the deck. And…Read more Screwpile ’17!
Sagittarius and Juno (Astronomy: Week of 7/16/17)
Beginning with my own homework assignment, I did finally capture southern Scorpius. As you can see, it's REALLY low from my vantage point (any picture of stars that also features trees is a pretty good indicator of that). Not only was I able to catch the two "Cat's Eyes" at the end of Scorpius's tail,…Read more Sagittarius and Juno (Astronomy: Week of 7/16/17)
Berries, Snakes and Schools
Last weekend, as we were finishing our quest for blackberries, leaving the farm shop with buckets in hand, we met a middle-aged couple walking in from the parking lot. The woman asked, "Were they easy to pick?" We had to say yes to that - we'd picked far more than we intended, actually. The berries were big and ripe,…Read more Berries, Snakes and Schools
Flying Squirrel Outdoors 