Casual Astronomy, Spaceflight News and Lower California Weather

Pat Thanks for the visuals and the story on the cosmic zoom lens.

A new theory that *might* resolve the awkwardness of ideas about dark matter, dark energy and "missing" antimatter in our universe.

Repulsive gravity as an alternative to dark energy (Part 1)

(PhysOrg.com) -- When scientists discovered in 1998 that the Universe is expanding at an accelerating rate, the possibility that dark energy could explain the observation was intriguing. But because there has been little progress in figuring out exactly what dark energy is, the idea has since become more of a problem than a solution for some scientists. One physicist, Massimo Villata of the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) in Pino Torinese, Italy, describes dark energy as “embarrassing,” saying that the concept is an ad hoc element to standard cosmology and is devoid of any physical meaning. Villata is one of many scientists who are looking for new explanations of the Universe’s accelerating expansion that involve some form of repulsive gravity. In this case, the repulsive gravity could stem from antimatter hiding in voids.

.... Villata has calculated that it could be responsible for the accelerated expansion of the Universe, eliminating the need for dark energy and possibly dark matter.

.... antimatter would act like dark energy in our local neighborhood. On a large scale, numerous antimatter voids could drive the expansion of the Universe without the need for dark energy, and possibly even without the need for an explosive Big Bang (perhaps implying a cyclic Universe). The theory also implies that we live in a Universe with equal amounts of matter and antimatter, as expected by standard theories. ....

The following precipitation graphs are for the current Woodland Hills rain year.

We had a little early season thrill in  June  July. Then November really got our hopes up. However you can see that the first two of the three most important months (Dec-Feb) have been a real disappointment. Even if the remainder of the rain year months deliver the recent climate average we'll still end up with a desert year (less than 10"). Yep, a just like a desert but with extra dead vegetation left over from the non desert years. :^\




Source data: Los Angeles Pierce College Weather Station


The green still left on our hills is going, going...

Rob If it verifies it would simplify our current view of the universe.

Pat We honor the sacrifice of those brave pioneers on the final frontier.

Pat I would have to give some consideration to a one-way trip to Mars but I would do that dive in a heartbeat. Yeehaa!

GG :^)

I added a Moon photo of spectacular resolution at the bottom of the blog entry.

Skye Very dramatic performance! I like his idea of the minimum standard for product safety.

Rob Yep, we'd like keep that as just a myth that promotes tourism.

Pat The shuttle was a unique vehicle with some unique safety challenges. If anything like it is built again we've learned some important lessons.

Thanks for the awesome almost-a-planet Vesta video! I keep my 3D glasses right on top of my monitor. :^)

GG Thanks for the smile. Roxy really is "Hollywood". :^)

An Atlas V launch from Cape Canaveral AFS, Florida is scheduled for Thursday evening in a 5:46-6:30pm EST time window. The launch vehicle will have five smoke producing solid rocket boosters and local sunset is 6:11pm EST.

A slight chance of showers and some cloudiness are expected during the launch window so there is also a chance of a spectacular photo op.

As Skyepony has mentioned elsewhere the timing is right for noctilucent cloud creation. If NLCs are produced they would be visible if more conventional clouds don't block the view.

You can find current status updates and live launch coverage at

Spaceflight Now | Atlas Launch Report | Mission Status Center

Rob You've given me an inkling of a possible big market opportunity - replacement backspace and delete keys.

Ylee That's one of the retired space shuttles at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) being prepped for a new home in a museum.

For today's launch check out the "Cape Canaveral AFS" cams at floridatoday.com | Space Web Cams.

Pat It's been half a century already! There's a thought that brings conflicting emotions.

Fueling of the upper stage of today's Atlas V launch vehicle is now underway. Link

Fueling of the first stage is now set to begin.

Half an hour until the launch window opens.

The Atlas V will not launch at the beginning of the window.

The countdown is at T minus 4 minutes and holding in what was planned to be a 10 minute hold. The hold has been extended to make adjustments for the current upper level winds.

The new T zero (liftoff) is now scheduled for 5:51pm EST.

T zero has been moved back again to 5:56pm EST. All is "GO" except for upper level wind beyond constraints.

Hi, Rob! :^)

T zero is now 6:01pm EST.

New balloon data is in for the upper level winds. Adjustment to the flight profile should be accomplished shortly.

More balloons have been released. Data may require further adjustments to the flight profile.

New T zero is 6:06pm EST.

Rob, how are the clouds in the direction of the Cape from where you're at?

New T zero is now 6:11pm EST which I believe is local time of sunset.

:^) If they do manage to get it off by 6:30 the smoke column should be showing some spectacular sunset shades.

Rob, should be a pretty sight if it goes. They're still teasing you though.

New T zero is 6:16pm EST.

Rob, I can see your house from here! LOL

The suspense is killing me.

Last chance T zero is 6:29pm.

The Atlas looks beautiful illumnated in the gathering dusk. Link

Rob, the next window would be tomorrow at nearly the same window times.

Rob, you're right. They will restart the count with upper winds "RED" in hopes they go "GREEN" before ....

Scratch that, winds have gone "GREEN" and they are counting.

Oh, that was close! "SCRUB" at T minus one minute fifteen seconds I believe.