Tag Archives: star gazing

Google Earth and the Universe – Space Travel Fun

A few months ago, Jeff talked about Google Earth and how much fun it was to explore the program in one of his blogs. Now, with their latest version, Google Earth has gone into space. Now, not only can you type in San Francisco, you can type in Andromeda, Horsehead Nebula, or Orion. Google and NASA have compiled over a million Hubble Space Telescope and satellite images into a map of space. The project is mind boggling. And so is traveling through the universe! It’s so fun! You can type in an address and view the night sky from that … Continue reading →

Amazing Meteor Showers

The Perseid meteor shower is coming! Best viewing times are supposed to be near midnight, or right before dawn. The Earth will be cutting through the densest part of the debris stream this Sunday night, August 12th. So break out your lawn chairs and let the kids stay up late, or plan on waking them up for this magical sight. This meteor shower has an amazing one or two meteors per minute during peak hours, so you won’t have to wait long to see one. Viewing this year is supposed to be extra good because the new moon will not … Continue reading →

Star Gazing In Hawaii

In a previous blog I shared my opinions regarding the state of Hawaii’s helicopter tour operations. The blog came on the heels of a number of fatal helicopter crashes that took place over the Islands. Recently, the national news picked up another story originating from one of the “Aloha State’s” other star attractions—-Mauna Kea. Mauna Kea is a massive dormant volcano that towers nearly 14,000 feet above the Big Island of Hawaii. Its height makes it prime real estate for astronomers and scientists. In fact, Mauna Kea’s summit is home to the planet’s largest collection of astronomical observatories. This, of … Continue reading →