From Spaceweather.com
Yesterday, Nov. 18th, something exploded in the atmosphere above the western United States. Witnesses in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho say the fireball “turned night into day” and issued shock waves that “shook the ground” when it exploded just after midnight Mountain Standard Time. Although the fireball appeared during the Leonid meteor shower, it was not a Leonid. Infrasound recordings of the blast suggest a small asteroid hitting Earth’s atmosphere and exploding with an energy of 0.5 to 1 kiloton of TNT. Experts liken the event to the Park Forest fireball of 2003, which scattered dozens of meteorites across a suburb of Chicago. Meteorites are likely from this fireball as well. Stay tuned for developing information about the possible fall zone. Click here for more information on the fireball.

Here is some infomration from KSLA-TV. Click here.

Posted under Astronomy, Video

Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew of six astronauts are headed for space, ready to begin their 11-day mission to the International Space Station.

Posted under Astronomy, NASA, Video

This year’s Leonid meteor shower peaks on Tuesday, Nov. 17th. If forecasters are correct, the shower should produce a mild but pretty sprinkling of meteors over North America followed by a more intense outburst over Asia. The phase of the Moon will be new, setting the stage for what could be one of the best Leonid showers in years.

“We’re predicting 20 to 30 meteors per hour over the Americas, and as many as 200 to 300 per hour over Asia,” says Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Posted under Astronomy

The sky will be clear this evening giving us a chance to see the International Space Station (ISS). It will appear in the SW sky at 5:59 PM and move toward the ENE sky. The ISS will for 3 minutes. We will have more chances this week to see the ISS with clear a clear sky.

Posted under Astronomy, NASA

Full Beaver Moon is the name of the full Moon in November. This was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

Posted under Astronomy

Courtesy: NASA
Just imagine. A spaceship plunges out of the night sky, hits the ground and explodes. A plume of debris billows back into the heavens, leading your eye to a second ship in hot pursuit. Four minutes later, that one hits the ground, too. It’s raining spaceships!

Put on your hard hat and get ready for action, because on Friday, Oct. 9th, what you just imagined is really going to happen–and you can have a front row seat.

Click here for the complete story.

Posted under Astronomy

This Evening

Time: 7:37 PM
Duration: 3 minutes
Location: NNW to NNE (it will be low in the sky…about 10-15 deg. above the horizon)

Posted under Astronomy

Tonight

Time: 8:48 PM
Duration: 2 minutes
Location: NNW to NNE (it will be low in the sky…about 10-15 deg. above the horizon)

Posted under Astronomy

Wednesday, September 16

Time: 8:23 PM
Duration: 3 minutes
Location: NNW to NNE (it will be low in the sky…about 10 deg. above the horizon)

Posted under Astronomy

Tonight you could see the ISS.

Time: 9:09 PM
Duration: 2 min
Location: From NNW to N
It will be low in the sky. About 10-20 degree above the horizon. So you will need to stay away from trees.

Posted under Astronomy