There's been a buzz going around about the Curiosity rover making a "big discovery" on Mars.  Speculation includes finding surface organics.  Scientists at JPL will not release information until they are sure about the results.  A source that is close to the investigation has told me that they are 99.9% sure that the rover has found evidence for organic molecules.  Why is this such a big deal?  Organic molecules form the basis of life.  Simple organic molecules were probably deposited on the surface of Mars by meteorite impacts.  Meteorites found on Earth (likely from the Asteroid Belt) have been known to contain these compounds.  "Super complex" organic molecules like anthracene have been found in instellar space.  The complex molecules on Mars however may be the result of life forms that once existed there - or may still exist there today.  Water on Mars was once also abundant and still flows to the surface in areas near the equator.  Where we find water here on Earth we find life - even in the most improbable places. 
NASA will announce the findings at 12pm (EST) December 2nd.   An early Christmas present?  Let's hope so!    

Luck with clouds continue to be a royal pain when it comes to meteor showers/storms - and with planets transiting the Sun - which happens so infrequently as to be a "once-in-a-lifetime" event.  Take Venus' transit earlier this year.  The day started out relatively sunny then the clouds moved in.  There were several breaks however (see photo - front yard with family & friends 6/5/12) which allowed for everyone to get a short glimpse of part of the transit.  Venus looked to be a small dark disc that slowly moved across the Sun.  The transit occurs when Venus & Earth line up just right.  Last Venus transit was in June 2004 - didn't see it and you can probably guess why by now. The time before that was in 1874 (didn't see that one either :)  Next time to see Venus crosing the Sun will be in December 2117. 
So why do we care about a "little black spot on the Sun" today or any day?  Astronomers were able to figure out the size of our Solar System (mainly) by using simple geometry in the 18th century while observing the transit from different areas on Earth. 
The Kepler spacecraft is currently looking for extrasolar worlds using the same transit methods used to study Venus. So far Kepler has discovered over 800 planets orbiting other stars.  Earth-like worlds discovered in an earth-like orbit around other stars?  Not just yet but stay tuned.
Solar filters were hand-built to fit the telesopes for safe viewing. Glasses were surprising cheap to buy online (click here for website - highly recommended for the next total solar eclipse in North America 2017!).   

School newspaper interviewed me today for an article "The End Of The World?"  Students have been asking for awhile now - since the Mayan Calendar supposedly ends on December 21st, 2012. 
The questions went something like this:

1.  Is there another "unknown planet" named "Nibiru" that may collide with Earth?  (see below for answers!)
2.  Are there any currently known solar system objects that could collide with Earth?
3.  How will Earth eventually be destroyed?

Answers:
#1.  No.  Astronomers have gotten very good at detecting dwarf planets beyond the orbit of Pluto & they are discovering new dwarf planets (as technology improves) frequently.  No huge "Nibiru" or "Planet X" has been found nor likely will be found orbiting our Sun. 
#2.  Maybe.  The double-stadium-sized asteroid named "Apophis" will get very close to Earth in 2029 & again in 2036.  The 2036 date has a very small but real possibility of colliding with Earth (won't know until after 2029).  Even so - a collision of that magnitude - although large in consequence - would not cause the "End of the World (as we know it)."  However - NASA has been operating a program to detect other NEO's (Near Earth Objects) for years & have a pretty good grasp on asteroids/comets that may be coming our way (see website for a possible 2040 collision!) 
#3.  Several possibilities for Earth's destruction.  That means a complete destruction as in - no more planet Earth.  Most likely the Sun will start to run out of hydrogen fuel in it's core & expand.  This will swallow up Mercury, Venus & probably Earth - but there may be tidal interactions that will allow Earth to escape. Into what?  Maybe into a collision with Mars.  When will this happen?  About 5 billion years from now.  No need to pack your bags just yet.

My son asked a question at dinner tonight - "when are we (humans) going to Mars?"  A very good question with no definite answer.  I explained how difficult & expensive it is to send humans into space.  The Apollo Moon program of the 1960's was an incredible feat of engineering and daring.  Different times.  Today - if we spent the same amount of money - people could be exploring Mars before the end of the decade (I explained).  My son answered "but we don't have the money?"  Well we do have the money. Our priorities are different (unfortunately).  NASA has sent many successful robotic missions - including the Curiosity super-rover that landed a few months ago.  Robots are relatively inexpensive and can do great science.  However - 50 robot missions to Mars would not even come close to the amount of discovery that a single manned mission would/could accomplish.
Why go to Mars in the first place?  Mars was once a warm/wet planet like Earth.  It's the most earth-like planet in the Solar System.  Now Mars is very, very cold & overall drier than the Sahara desert here on Earth.  What happened?  Did life have time to evolve?  Is there still some kind of life on Mars (I say 99.9% chance YES!)?  By exploring other planets we learn so much about US and this planet that most people just don't get.
The most commonly heard criticism about the space program is that we should "spend our money" here on Earth.  That money IS spent here on Earth.  Employing thousands of high-tech positions creating cutting-edge technologies.  The United States - and the World - has benefited immensely because of the space program.  PC's; most modern electronics; the Internet; medicines; transportation etc. would not currently exist if not for our space program.  The $$$ payout was/is in the billions.  The payback?  Direct/indirect In the TRILLIONS.      

The image on the left depicts the Leonid meteor storm that occurred in Nov. of 1833.  People were amazed according to the accounts at the time when an estimated 200,000 meteors fell per hour!  Your average meteor shower averages at about 10-33 per hour.  The sky must have looked like it was on fire.  The Leonids occur every year around this time when Earth passes through the debris field or meteoroids left by Comet Swift-Tuttle's tail.  Most meteoroids are the size of dust grains and hit the Earth's atmosphere at around 70 km/s - creating a flash of light.  The Leonids usually follow a 33- year peak cycle.  The last peak occurred in 1999 - 2000 - 2001 where over 3,000 meteors per hour were observed. 

Try & catch the Leonid meteor shower the nights of Nov. 16-20th - 2012.  Meteors per hour (or ZHR) are tough to predict but two-peaks are expected.  The first "peak" will occur on Nov. 17th at 4:43 am Eastern Standard Time (EST) when a whopping 10 ZHR are predicted.  (I'm not personally holding out for that one.) The next peak with up to 15 ZHR occurs around 12:30 am EST Nov. 20th (which seems more reasonable).  Although its a fair bet you'll see some meteors - if the weather is clear - try and observe in a dark area.  You can still see a few meteor flashes if you live in the city/suburbs though. Naked eye &  binoculars are OK but a telescope isn't necessary.  Look for the constellation Leo - located just under the Big Dipper.

The full damage extent to the Northeast is still ongoing from the superstorm Sandy.  The damage where I live (Silver Spring, MD) has been relatively mild.  Power (from Pepco) which usually goes out for days - didn't this time. Friends in N. VA didn't fare as well but most still had power restored within 24 hours.  This storm was huge and will be one for the history books but -  there will be others unfortunately.  Global Warming?  Yes - GW predicts extremes in weather events.  Most scientists (95%) agree and some have been saying so since the late '80s.  Climate change is real.   

(On the lighter side!)
Disney will own LucasFilm Inc.  My son thinks it's the "End of Days."  Never really thought George L. would sell but it kinda makes sense.  Jim Henson wanted the Muppets to be a part of Disney.  Stan Lee & Marvel too as well as others.  
Lots of questions though - especially how the new Star Wars "Episode 7" will flesh out - and #8 ; #9 etc.  I'm for new actors playing the roles in the books that take place after Episode #6 "Return of the Jedi."  That trilogy includes the "Admiral Thrawn" series (by Timothy Zahn)  that takes place 0-5 years after #6.  Kinda like a reboot of the movies in the sense of "Batman"  - same characters but different actors.  Hopefully Disney/LucasFilm will get a better director and writers so we don't suffer through what happenned in Episodes #1 & #2 (#3 was OK though). 

Super "Frankenstorm" Sandy hitting now as I'm typing here in Maryland.  Meteorologists have been consistent with the predictions via computer models so far - about  5 or so models - but three in which they actually "trust."
Hoping the other two models - European and something else I can't pronounce - are right
and the other models  proves wrong but hey....riding it out anyway.
Wish astronomers had computer models to predict meteor showers.  Well I'm sure they do but just like the weather it's not really predictable (my pet peeve). 
The kids are all excited 'cause there's no school for the next two days - maybe more.  With the projected power outages they won't be happy with no X-box or computer/TV.  Guess we'll play Monopoly.

Yes - everyone loves a good meteor shower, right?  Well I've been trying to see one since I was 5 years old.  Meteors ("shooting stars" "falling stars" "fireballs" etc.) are fairly common and I've seen plenty of those over the years. But an actual "shower" as in the photo to the left?  Zero.  Zip. None.  Not for lack of trying.  Seems that luck just eludes when it comes to these events.  Take the last shower - the Orionids Oct. 21/22.  Saw one or two flashes before clouds moved in.  That's it.  Friends recorded dozens of flashes per hour.  One acquaintance even recorded the "sounds" meteors make as they burn up in the upper atmosphere.  A few years ago I tried dragging my kids out on a cold night to see what was supposed to be a "spectacular" shower.  Kids were wise enough to stay in bed.  I caught pneumonia after falling asleep on a local soccer field - while waiting for the clouds to clear.  Same friend (the guy with the sound recording device) was on a boat on the same (clear) night miles away from shore and any lights.  He saw the sky literally light up - as close to the picture posted as he can describe.
Still not giving up though.  Astronomers predict a once-in-a-lifetime event in 2014 so we'll see.  There will be many more opportunities before then I'm sure.