ASTRONOMY UPDATES (24 December 2013)
Dennis Mammana
To all: Our tiny blue world has completed yet another journey around its life-giving star, and I’d like to wish each of my readers, fans and friends a happy and healthy holiday season—in whatever way you wish to celebrate. I truly hope that your stars shine ever more brightly in 2014, and that our paths cross many times during the new year! -- Dennis
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FINAL OPPORTUNITY! If you’ve got the aurora borealis—the northern lights—on your celestial bucket list, this is it. Only two rooms remain on each of my two Alaska Aurora tours coming up soon; they will go quickly! Remember the sun is now in its "solar max" phase and, with it, auroral displays are reaching their best. The next solar max? Maybe in 2025. Maybe. There's debate in the astronomical community if it'll even happen. So don’t delay… make your reservations now and don’t miss out on Nature’s greatest light show! http://melitatrips.com/destinations/2014/alaska/alaska2014.html
Fun activities & events…
01) Follow ol’ St. Nick’s journey tonight!
02) “A Stellar Winter Wonderland” dinner/lecture/stargazing (Dec. 29)
03) Celestial Overnight (January 4/5, 2014)
04) “2014: A Year of Cosmic Wonders” dinner/lecture/stargazing (Jan. 5)
05) Looking for a unique and cosmic holiday gift idea?
06) Arrange for popular presentations in your area!
On the web…
07) Subscribe FREE to my “Stargazers” column
Come along with me, I’m on my way to a star!
08) Alaska Northern Lights tours filling fast! (Feb 28 – Mar 6 and Mar 6-12)
09) Other Cosmic Adventures…
Follow my celestial antics…
10) Keep up with me on Facebook
11) Bloggin’ across the cosmos…
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01) Follow ol’ St. Nick’s journey!
Tonight’s the night! The jolly ol’ elf has set off from the North Pole on his annual round-the-world journey. Thanks to the good folks at NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command), their watch for intruders in our skies will also allow them to show the path of Santa in real time. This year, track Santa’s voyage tonight so you’ll know when he’s getting close! (http://www.noradsanta.org) Ho Ho Ho!
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02) “A Stellar Winter Wonderland” (Dec. 29, 2013)
During wintertime, the sky over Borrego glistens with the most brilliant and colorful stellar canopy of the year. From colossal glowing clouds where new stars and planetary systems are being born, to the shattered remains of once-mighty suns, all make winter nights a true spectacle for desert stargazers.
The evening begins with a light buffet dinner, followed by the presentation; then it's out to the Springs’ Astronomy Park for some telescope viewing of the magnificent desert sky (weather permitting) with expert amateur astronomers. For more information and reservations, call the Springs at Borrego RV Resort at 760.767.0004 or visit: http://www.springsatborrego.com/stars.php No RV is necessary to join the fun, but programs do fill up quickly, so make your reservations today!
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03) Celestial Overnight (January 4/5, 2014)
Spend the weekend in the Anza-Borrego Desert enjoying my exciting Celestial Overnight campout, and find out why Borrego Springs has been designated as California's first (and only) official International Dark Sky Community. Sky watching follows a stirring excursion through the ruggedly beautiful Borrego Badlands in open-air jeeps and former military vehicles, a mouth-watering chuck wagon dinner, toasty campfire and S'mores. All camping gear is included, as is a full hot breakfast the next morning… and more. All you need to bring is a pillow and a sense of adventure! For more information or reservations, call Joe Raffetto toll-free at 866.6.EXPLORE or 760.767.1232, or visit http://www.californiaoverland.com.
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04) “2014: A Year of Cosmic Wonders” dinner/lecture/stargazing (Jan. 5, 2014)
As we once again turn the page on the calendar, an exciting new year of celestial events comes into view: eclipses, lunar and planetary conjunctions, meteor showers and more. Don’t miss this fun-filled preview of what promises to be another fascinating year of cosmic wonders!
The evening begins with a light buffet dinner, followed by the presentation; then it's out to the Springs’ Astronomy Park for some telescope viewing of the magnificent desert sky (weather permitting) with expert amateur astronomers. For more information and reservations, call the Springs at Borrego RV Resort at 760.767.0004 or visit: http://www.springsatborrego.com/stars.php No RV is necessary to join the fun, but programs do fill up quickly, so make your reservations today!
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05) Looking for a unique and cosmic holiday gift idea?
This year, don’t just promise the sun,
moon and stars… deliver!
Treat your family or that special someone to a unique and personalized
tour of the universe above Borrego Springs, California's first and only
International Dark Sky Community, with the power of a telescope and one of
America's favorite celestial tours guides. Check out this unique opportunity
here: http://www.stargazeborrego.com Due to the
program’s popularity dates are limited, so reserve your spot
today!
Or take the cosmos home with you with my unique archival photographic prints of the “Stars over Borrego.” “Stars Over Borrego” features the past decade of my photography of the stunning and ever-changing Borrego night sky; it captures the color, motion and majesty of the heavens in ways one rarely sees and, by blending the terrestrial with the celestial, offers the viewer a unique sense of perspective and wonder—all from California’s only International Dark Sky Community. The exhibition and prints will be available now through winter at the ABDNHA Nature Center (http://www.abdnha.org/store/index.html).
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06)
Arrange for popular presentations in your area!
Many of my fans have expressed disappointment that they cannot attend some of my astronomy programs and night sky photography workshops here in Southern California... but don't despair. Groups such as photo clubs, camera stores, astronomy associations, schools, etc. often host such programs, and if you know of organizations in your area that might be interested, please email me at mam...@skyscapes.com, and perhaps we can put something together in your area!
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07) Subscribe FREE to my
“Stargazers” column
Keep up with the starry
heavens in my weekly column, now in its 22nd consecutive year. And remember,
you can subscribe free to the column via e-mail or RSS
feed… just click the appropriate box at the bottom of the column to do
so. Or if
you’re more “analog” than digital, click the box to let your
local newspaper editor know you’d like them to carry it. http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/astronomy/stargazers.html
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08) Alaska Northern Lights tours filling fast! (Feb 28 – Mar 6 & Mar 6-12)
The lights are kicking up, and you know it's on your cosmic bucket list. But time and space is running out. Barely two months remain—and only two rooms remain on each of my two Alaska aurora borealis tours--one with moonlight, the other moonless. Don't miss out—act now before space is filled! http://melitatrips.com/destinations/2014/alaska/alaska2014.html To learn more, call 877.707.7827 toll-free, or visit the link above. And be sure to mention my name to receive top priority!
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09) Other Cosmic Adventures…
While I’d love to have you join me on my cosmic adventures—we always have such great fun—many other astronomically-related travel options are also available. MWT Associates is one of the best tour companies who specializes in astronomical travel, and features a stable of some of the world’s finest and most popular lecturers. I’m honored to have been part of this “stellar” team for the past 19 years, and I encourage you to check out which other exciting celestial programs might interest you: http://www.melitatrips.com
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10)
Keep up with me on Facebook and Twitter
To receive more immediate details about celestial events, new
photographs, cool astronomical discoveries and discussion (if you so
choose)—more than I can possibly include in this newsletter—I hope
you’ll join the increasing number of fans that “like” my
official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DennisMammana. Just look at the top near my name and
click the “Like” button; that’s it! And if
you’re not a Facebook member, you can still visit and check out my
postings—but you won’t be able to post comments or receive news as
I post it.
Or keep up in even more real-time with my Twitter feed
@dennismammana. Just go to https://twitter.com/dennismammana
and click “Follow”.
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11) Bloggin’
across the cosmos…
Lots of things to write about… so I’ll hope you’ll check out my blog at http://dennismammana.blogspot.com. And, in the meantime I’d like to invite your thoughts on what you’d be most interested in reading about. Just drop me a note at mam...@skyscapes.com..
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___________________________
DENNIS MAMMANA
(TWAN)
DennisMammana.com
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