"Tea Party" victories in the Republican primaries.

Here's my take, which I'm not hearing on the news: Republicans are sick and tired of the Do-Nothing-Know-Nothing Party (aka "Republican Party") of the last few years and are sending them a message: "Get out." I have serious trouble believing any of the whackadoo Tea-Baggers will actually win, and I'm sure most of the Republican base is also aware of this.

So this is just the opposite of what the press is making of it: Tea-Party primary victories mean fewer Do-Nothing-Know-Nothing seats. It's a good day in politics!

Chris

"Tea Party" victories in the Republican primaries.

Here's my take, which I'm not hearing on the news: Republicans are sick and tired of the Do-Nothing-Know-Nothing Party (aka "Republican Party") of the last few years and are sending them a message: "Get out." I have serious trouble believing any of the whackadoo Tea-Baggers will actually win, and I'm sure most of the Republican base is also aware of this.

So this is just the opposite of what the press is making of it: Tea-Party primary victories mean fewer Do-Nothing-Know-Nothing seats. It's a good day in politics!

Chris

Astro-Porn of the Day: Jupiter at closest approach

You've probably noticed a star rising in the east at about sunset and standing overhead at midnight, a blazing beacon brighter than any other star. Well, it's not a star at all; it's Jupiter. The golden disk hovering in the black of space to Jupiter's right is the moon Io, and even in the smallest telescope or binocular you can see four moons aligned in a row near their parent, the Galilean moons. In order: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto - only Io is close enough to see in this photo:


Click the image to see the story about Jupiter's close approach.

Jupiter: god of the planets, banded by atmospheric streamers whipping the cloud-tops at hundreds of miles per hour in opposite directions, resulting in amazing storms - including the famous Great Red Spot and now the Little Red Spot as seen in this photo:


Click the image to see the story about the Little Red Spot.

We'll not be as close to this mighty planet until 2022, so get out there and look for it! If it stops storming sometime over the next few days, I'm thinking of doing an astronomy camp-out and spending some quality time with my favorite planet.

Chris

Astro-Porn of the Day: Jupiter at closest approach

You've probably noticed a star rising in the east at about sunset and standing overhead at midnight, a blazing beacon brighter than any other star. Well, it's not a star at all; it's Jupiter. The golden disk hovering in the black of space to Jupiter's right is the moon Io, and even in the smallest telescope or binocular you can see four moons aligned in a row near their parent, the Galilean moons. In order: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto - only Io is close enough to see in this photo:


Click the image to see the story about Jupiter's close approach.

Jupiter: god of the planets, banded by atmospheric streamers whipping the cloud-tops at hundreds of miles per hour in opposite directions, resulting in amazing storms - including the famous Great Red Spot and now the Little Red Spot as seen in this photo:


Click the image to see the story about the Little Red Spot.

We'll not be as close to this mighty planet until 2022, so get out there and look for it! If it stops storming sometime over the next few days, I'm thinking of doing an astronomy camp-out and spending some quality time with my favorite planet.

Chris