ring of fire

Starting 2018 with a bang! Lots of unrest along the Pacific "Ring of Fire".

Here is a map of tectonic plates and active volcanoes (red dots). ~ US Geological Survey

sh*thole | Donald Trump

In the clear words of Anderson Cooper -

Not racial. Not racially charged. Racist.

The sentiment the President expressed today is a racist sentiment.

back to ordinary time

The holidays are now over. Epiphany marks our return to Ordinary Time beginning the Monday following the Sunday after January 6. In 2018 this falls on January 8.

The festival of the Epiphany - the word stems from the Greek verb epiphainen, “to shine upon”- or the manifestation of Christ as represented by the Magi commemorates this stellar event.

Color sketch of the Orion Nebula by Howard Banich

It signifies the end of my tropical holiday and imminent return to the freezing temperatures of the East Coast.

Here are some cosmic events to look forward to this January. 

• Best Night Sky Events of January 2018 (Stargazing Maps)
• Quadrantid Meteor Shower 2018: When, Where and How to See It
• Brightest Planets of January's Night Sky: How to See Them
• January's Supermoon Guide: When and How to See Them
• What Is a Blue Moon? It Arrives January 31
• Lunar Eclipse 2018 Guide: When, Where & How to See It
• January Full Moons 2018: See the 'Full Wolf Moon' and a Blue Moon, Too

byebye 2017, hello 2018

After an unusually warm tropical December the weather has finally cooled this January. 

Unfortunately it was brought on by the first tropical storm of 2018. 

Tropical Storm Bolaven, known in the Philippines as Tropical Depression Agaton, spanned two calendars - 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Formed near Palau on December 30, 2017, Typhoon Signal #1 is raised in Southern Negros Occidental now.

Be well. Stay safe. Enjoy this. 

Happy 2018 to all!