Taiwan PC makers Acer and Asus on Monday took another shot at gaining a foothold in the tablet market, unveiling several new products running on Microsoft's much-anticipated Windows 8 operating system.
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Monthly Archives: June 2012
Evolution Well Services Advances Fracturing Operations with an Electrically Powered System
CALGARY, June 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - EVOLUTION WELL SERVICES offers a new system and method of providing on-site electrical power along with a totally electrically powered frac spread. A patent pending technology allows for the use of electrical power to deliver fracturing fluids to the wellbore during fracturing operations. This process technology eliminates the use of conventional diesel engines, transmissions along with their associated emissions, eco-footprint, maintenance issues and manpower.
Eldon Schelske, President, says, " A natural gas turbine generator provides the source of electrical power. This process allows us to power the entire system electrically, including our blenders and auxiliary equipment, giving us unprecedented levels of control during the fracturing process as well as enhanced safety features."
Todd Coli, Senior Vice President adds, "Natural gas is considered to be the cleanest, most efficient fuel source available. By designing and constructing "fit for purpose equipment", using a system that is powered by natural gas, it is expected that the fracturing footprint, manpower, and maintenance requirements can be reduced by over 60% when compared with traditional diesel-powered operations."
The advantages of electrically driven equipment become readily apparent when compared to conventional diesel powered fracturing assets. Safety concerns such as the need to "Hot Fuel" equipment are eliminated, manpower requirements are reduced dramatically, the overall footprint of the equipment package is reduced dramatically and the efficiency of the operation is increased exponentially. These advantages and others, along with an eco-friendly fuel source, give Evolution Well Services the ability to provide our customers an economical solution to the issues associated with large scale Fracturing operations worldwide.
About Evolution Well Services
Evolution Well Services is an oilfield technology company that provides the industry with state-of-the-art mobile, modular, electrically powered systems for use in hydraulic fracturing.
Image with caption: "Evolution Well Services advances fracturing operations with an electrically powered system (CNW Group/Evolution Well Services)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120604_C5530_PHOTO_EN_14585.jpg
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Evolution Well Services Advances Fracturing Operations with an Electrically Powered System
Taiwan's Acer unveils tablets that use Windows 8
Taiwan's leading personal computer maker Acer Monday took another shot at gaining a foothold in the tablet market, unveiling two new products running on Microsoft's much-anticipated Windows 8 operating system.
Originally posted here:
Scott Coker on Ronda Rousey vs. Cyborg: "Cyborg Is a Whole Other Level"
Ronda Rousey and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos are on a collision course.
The top two female stars have exchanged jabs on Twitter and in interviews. Will the social media trash talk eventually lead to a showdown between champions?
In an interview with Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker weighed in on quite possibly the "biggest Strikeforce bout of the year."
I think [a bout between Ronda and Cyborg] is gonna be inevitable. I think that fight will happen at some point. We're just waiting for Cyborg to get off her suspension, but that conversation will happen once she's back and ready to fight because her and Ronda at 135, I mean, that might be the highest rated show on Showtime for the year or for the past fights we've done.
Cyborg was suspended and stripped of her Strikeforce women's featherweight title in January after testing positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol.
With Cyborg out of the picture, Rousey ascended the female ranks to not only capture the Strikeforce women's bantamweight title, but she has also become the new face of women's MMA.
She has been a perfect 5-0 in her professional career, and all of her fights have ended in the first round by armbar.
With that said, Rousey has never faced anyone like Cyborg, who is known for tossing grown men around in training camp.
During the live broadcast in December for Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal, Strikeforce commentator and MMA legend Pat Miletich put it best: "You don't know how hard a woman can hit, until you've been hit by Cyborg."
Coker seems to lean along the same lines. While he's been impressed with Rousey's handiwork up to this point, it's tough to bet against the nightmare that is Cyborg.
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Scott Coker on Ronda Rousey vs. Cyborg: "Cyborg Is a Whole Other Level"
Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg: Is the Biggest Fight Strikeforce Can Make
It's no secret that one of the few remaining big-ticket fights that Strikeforce can put togetherat least at the momentis a women's title fight between bantamweight champion and rising superstar Ronda Rousey and former featherweight champion Cris Cyborg.
Cyborg, of course, can't fight at the moment. She's currently serving a one-year suspension for testing positive for stanozolol, after thoroughly dismantling poor Hiroko Yamanaka last December. Cyborg was stripped of her title, leaving the Strikeforce female featherweight division on the verge of extinction.
Rousey's rise to the top coincided with Cyborg's fall from grace, but there's still plenty of interest in seeing the two best female fighters in the world collide. Part of that comes from a technical perspective, but mostly it's due to Rousey taking every chance she can get to issue derogatory remarks about Cyborg.
Female fighting at the highest level hasn't really caught on with the public, but Rousey vs. Cyborg is the exception. Rousey's personality, and the fact that she's utterly destroyed every opponent she's faced thus far, has helped turn her into Strikeforce's biggest star. And Cyborg has a wealth of footage of her destroying one opponent after another. It's truly a gold mine.
Cyborg took the time toissue a challenge to Rouseyfor the 135-pound belt after winning gold at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships over the weekend.
The main question that remains is this: Can Cyborg actually make 135? She's a massive woman, all rippling muscles and very little body fat. And according to Cyborg herself,she won't be able to make the weight.
Can the fight actually happen? Rousey's mom, Dr. Ann Maria Rousey, says that Rousey might consider a catchweight bout, but she indicated that Rouseyshouldn't compromise for someone who was caught doing steroids.
As a fight fan, I hope we do see Rousey vs. Cyborg down the road, even if it takes place at 140 pounds or another agreed-upon catchweight. They're two of the most compelling characters in the sport, and they're also the best female fighters in the world.
It would be a shame if they're kept apart by weight issues, but I also understand that Rousey has no incentive to move up to featherweight. She's the champion, she's the one who has stayed clean thus far throughout her career and there's no reason for her to risk her marketability by moving to a weight she isn't completely comfortable in against an opponent who might run through her quite easily.
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Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg: Is the Biggest Fight Strikeforce Can Make
Would Ronda Rousey Beat Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos in a Fight? Fan's View
With Scott Coker's announcement that a fight between Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos and "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey is "inevitable," some would say that matchup represents a changing of the guard as "the face of women's MMA."
Rousey took the fight community by storm over the past year, but Santos has been overwhelming opponents since 2005.
Is this a clash of the present vs the future?
"Cyborg" has been a dominating figure in the sport for so long that many forget she's still just 26 years old and should have plenty of gas left in the tank. Even without performance-enhancing drugs, I believe she'll be a force in women's MMA for the long haul.
"I think that fight will happen at some point," Coker told MMAFighting.com, referring to a future tilt between Rousey and Santos. "We're just waiting for Cyborg to get off her suspenion but that conversation will happen once she's back ready to fight because her and Ronda at 135-pounds? That might be the highest rated show on Showtime for the year or for the past fights we've done."
He added that "Women's fights always rate well on Showtime and Ronda's always delivered. That armbar is unbelievable. She's proved with Miesha, she's proven with other girls, that she can fight a kickboxer, she can fight a wrestler. Fighting Cyborg? That's a whole other level. It's just a fight I would really like to sit down and watch and just be a fan but I think that Sean is going to try to put that fight together at some point."
But before Rousey gets a crack at Santos, she is expected to defend her Strikeforce women's bantamweight belt later this summer against Sarah Kaufman.
As for Santos, she is suspended until December, and there's no way Rousey is going to wait that long without notching at least one fight under her belt.
If Rousey fights Kaufman in July or August, that would set up the perfect timetable for an early-2013 bout between her and Santos.
Many speculated that Rousey would be fighting on the "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy" card on July 14, but the UFC posted the press release about the card onto their website on May 29 and her name was nowhere to be found on it.
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Would Ronda Rousey Beat Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos in a Fight? Fan's View
Thanet beaches closed after Southern Water sewage pump discharge
THANET beaches have been closed after a sewage discharge at Foreness Point.
A Southern Water pumping station spilled waste onto the foreshore and Thanet council decided to close all Thanet beaches for bathing as a precaution.
The public are advised to stay landward of the high tide line and refrain from entering the water until further notice.
Beach cleaners and litter pickers are on the Thanet coastline whilst council and Environment Agency offices work with Southern Water Services fully assess the situation.
It is likely that beaches will remain closed for at least two days.
Red flags have been placed on beaches and RNLI Lifeguards are informing visitors of the closures.
Jon Griffin, Senior Environment Officer at the Environment Agency, said: "We are carrying out a full investigation and are working with Southern Water and Thanet District Council to reduce the impact of the spillages as much as possible.
"We will continue to monitor the bathing water quality over the coming days and will advise Thanet District Council accordingly."
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Thanet beaches closed after Southern Water sewage pump discharge
Ottawa beaches seek bounce-back season
The City of Ottawa's five beaches open June 16 but water experts hope they will remain open more this summer with lower E. coli levels and fewer wildlife feeding on leftover food.
Ottawa riverkeeper Meredith Brown says the city is not doing enough to stop rainwater running into sewers. City officials blame the E. coli problems on patrons who feed the wildlife.
That has pushed city workers to install low-fencing along Mooney's Bay beach to keep geese off the grass.
Click the video link above for a report from the CBC's Ashley Burke.
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Pictures: Top Ten Beaches of 2012 Named
Photograph by Christian Heeb, LAIF/Redux
San Diego's Hotel del Coronado is the cornerstone of Coronado Beach, which tops a list of the top ten U.S. beaches for 2012, as chosen by coastal scientistStephen Leatherman, aka Dr. Beach.
Leatherman's annual ranking rates 650 public beaches on 50 criteria that include the presence of native plants, water quality, and overcrowding. Most of the 2012 beaches were also listed in the best beaches of 2011.
(See National Geographic Traveler's best summer trips of 2012.)
A 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) stretch of flat, sandy shore, Coronado Beach is great for skim-boarding and walking-plus, the mineral mica lends the sand a silvery sheen, according to the Dr. Beach website.
"Dr. Leatherman's annual list does a service by providing an incentive to keep American beaches clean and enjoyable for all," Jonathan Tourtellot, the geotourism editor for National Geographic Traveler magazine, said by email.
However, "his methodology does tend to give high weight to family friendliness and a bit less weight to the character of the beach locale," Tourtellot said. (Related: top ten U.S. family beaches.)
"Thus an urban beach like Kahanamoku Beach at Waikiki gets equal billing with more pristine surroundings like those at Coast Guard Beach in the Cape Cod National Seashore."
Leatherman noted by email that he also takes into account the "overall environmental quality and scenic aspects of the surrounding areasthese are factors in my 50 criteria."
Christine Dell'Amore
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Watching the Rare Transit of Venus from 1639 to Today
A period lithograph showing urchins permanently damaging their eyes for astronomy (Harper's).
This is a big spring for amateur astronomy. The annular solar eclipse of two weeks ago captivated watchers around the Pacific Rim. And I hope you saved your solar shades and pinhole projectors: This week, on June 5th and 6th, Venus will pass in front of the Sun, in the last Transit of Venus in our lifetimes (unless you plan to be alive in 2117).
It's also been a big spring for public-facing projects at science museums and historic observatories. Transits of Venus happen at intervals of either 105.5 or 121.5 years, in pairs that are eight years apart -- but the scientific work of transit observers leaves traces. The 1631 transit was predicted by Kepler, though the 1639 transit was the first observed on Earth. The 1761 and 1769 transits of Venus became enormous, globally coordinated projects that used a network of natural philosophers and their transit observations to help calculate solar parallax and celestial distances. (These two Venus transits have become so famous indeed as some of the first examples of global research work that many of the historians of astronomy I know are weary of talking about them.) The 1874 and 1882 transits were popular phenomena as well as astronomical ones (as evidenced by, for instance, this Harper's cover of urchins watching the transit through [the inadequate eye protection of] smoked glass.) John Phillip Sousa even wrote a march for the 1882 transit. And the 2004 transit, though no longer vital for measuring astronomical distances, was an opportunity to produce digital historical content, like the Smithsonian did with this great online exhibit.
Museums around the world are commemorating historic transits. The Australian National Maritime Museum has a replica of Captain James Cook's HMB Endeavour, which was dispatched to Tahiti for the 1769 Venus transit. The reproduction ship has been sailing from Sydney to Lord Howe Island to view this year's transit; you can follow along on their ship's blog. In the UK, the Science Museum has a number of artifacts from transit observations, and the Royal Observatory installed an exhibit called Measuring the Universe which discusses the transit.
The University of California's Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton participated in the 1882 Transit of Venus observations. Volunteers at the observatory are digitizing, slowly but surely, an amazing collection of manuscript observatory logbooks and journals, as well as scientific instruments. Tony Misch of the Lick Observatory Historical Collections Project and transit of Venus expert William Sheehan used photographs from Lick astronomers' observations of the 1882 transit to make this stop-motion video of Venus moving across the sun.
Most of North America should be able to see the transit of Venus on Tuesday. This handy tool will tell you when it will be visible in your area. (Transitofvenus.nl and transitofvenus.org are both great sources for transit info.) There's even an app to gather distributed observations of the transit. Every science museum worth its planetarium lens has developed a transit of Venus exhibit or public program; check your local for opportunities to learn more and see the transit in excited and learned company. And don't forget your smoked glasssolar shades.
More From The Atlantic
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NASA gets two military spy telescopes for astronomy
The secretive government agency that flies spy satellites has made a stunning gift to NASA: two exquisite telescopes as big and powerful as the Hubble Space Telescope. Theyve never left the ground and are in storage in Rochester, N.Y.
Its an unusual technology transfer from the military-intelligence space program to the better-known civilian space agency. It could be a boost for NASAs troubled science program, which is groaning under the budgetary weight of the James Webb Space Telescope, still at least six years from launch.
Or it could be a gift that becomes a burden. NASA isnt sure it can afford to put even one of the two new telescopes into orbit.
The telescopes were built by private contractors for the National Reconnaissance Office, one of 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. The telescopes have 2.4-meter (7.9-foot) mirrors, just like the Hubble, but they have 100 times the field of view. Their structure is shorter and squatter.
Theyre space qualified, as NASA puts it, but theyre a long way from being functioning space telescopes. They have no instruments there are no cameras, for example. More than that, they lack a funded mission and all that entails, such as a scientific program, support staff, data analysis and office space. They will remain in storage while NASA mulls its options.
Its great news, said NASA astrophysics director Paul Hertz. Its real hardware, and its got really impressive capabilities.
The announcement Monday raised the obvious question of why the intelligence agency would no longer want, or need, two Hubble-class telescopes. A spokeswoman, Loretta DeSio, provided information sparingly.
They no longer possessed intelligence-collection uses, she said of the telescopes.
She confirmed that the hardware represents an upgrade of Hubbles optical technology.
The hardware is approximately the same size as the Hubble but uses newer, much lighter mirror and structure technology, DeSio said. She added, Some components were removed before the transfer.
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Rocky Mountain (very) high | Bad Astronomy
I dont have a lot to add to this incredible picture taken by astronaut Andr Kuipers of the Dragon capsule as it approached the International Space Station on May 25:
[Click to embiggen.]
Isnt that spectacular? Actually, I will add something: the caption for this post indicates its over the Rocky Mountains. I got excited for a second, thinking maybe it was near my neck of the woods. But then I realized the icy mountaintops look nothing like they do here in Boulder. I checked anyway, and on Wolfram Alpha I found the picture was taken over Vancouver Island, which is where my friend Fraser Cain from Universe Today lives!
Huh. Small planet.
[P.S. Speaking of Fraser, I'll be doing a live video star party with him, Pamela Gay, and many others for the Transit of Venus Tuesday. We have telescopes lined up all over the world to view this last-chance-in-a-lifetime event! Stay tuned for more info, but I'll have the chat embedded here on the blog when the time comes.]
Image credit: ESA/NASA
Related Posts:
- When a Dragon mated the space station - Update: the Dragon capsule as seen by the ISS - SpaceX Dragon on its way to the ISS! - Dragon hunting above, dragon hunting below
Continued here:
Big Country Astronomy Club Offering Chance to See Venus
KRBC PM Forecast: Monday, June 4, 2012
A wet and cooler weather pattenr will unfold across the Big Country the next few days...
It's an exercise that claims to help you lose wait by simply breathing and there is a group of Abilene senior citizens who say it...
We have a 30% chance for thunderstorms overnight, some possibly severe with large hail and damaging winds. Overnight lows will be near 71 degrees.Tuesday we...
The Big Country Astronomy Club is providing a chance to see Venus on the move.
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How to safely watch the transit of Venus
Many people are planning to watch the transit of Venus on Tuesday, but it's extremely important that prospective viewers be warned to take special precautions (as with a solar eclipse) to view the silhouette of Venus against the brilliant disk of the sun.
For the United States and Canada the transit will begin when the dark disk of Venus first touches the outer edge of the sun, an event that astronomers call Contact I. From the Eastern U.S. and Eastern Canada, Contact I should occur around 6:03 p.m. EDT. From the Western U.S. and Western Canada, Contact I should occur around 3:06 p.m. PDT.
It will take about 18 minutes for the black disk of Venus to move completely onto the sun's face; ultimately bringing its black disk just inside the sun's upper left edge. If you imagine the sun's disk as the face of a clock, Contact I will occur between the 11:30 and 12 o'clock position. Venus will then progress along a track that will run diagonally from the upper left to the lower right.
If you wish to generate predictions for the transit times from where you live, the Astronomical Applications Department of the US Naval Observatory has produced an online Transit Computer at: http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/transit-us
Unlike transits of the sun involving the planet Mercury, those of Venus are readily visible with the unaided eye; the planet appears as a distinct albeit tiny black spot with a diameter just 1/32 that of the sun. This size is large enough to readily perceive with the naked eye. [Venus Transit of 2004: 51 Amazing Photos]
But again . . . be careful! Eye safety is always a prime concern when dealing with the sun. Observing a transit is a lot like studying sunspots because, after all, you are looking at a dark spot on the sun.
But trying to see a transit is also like trying to view a solar eclipse. You have to be ready at a particular time, and you may have to travel far from home. For the transit of Venus, however, your exact location is much less critical than it is for a total solar eclipse.
In particular, observers in Eastern North America, where the transit will happen in the early evening, your observing site should have a low horizon to the east-northeast. It is a good precaution to check the sun's setting point, to verify that trees or buildings do not block your view. As Venus moves across the face of the sun, it will appear absolutely jet black in contrast to the lighter gray of any sunspots that may also be present on the solar disk.
By far, the safest way to view the transit is to construct a so-called pinhole camera. A pinhole, or small opening, is used to form an image of the sun on a screen that is placed about three feet behind the opening. [Video: How to Make a Solar Eclipse Viewer]
Binoculars or a small telescope mounted on a tripod can also be used to project a magnified image of the sun onto a white card. Just be sure not to look through the binoculars or telescope when they are pointed directly at the sun! Venus should appear as a distinct, albeit tiny, dot on the projected image.
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How to watch the transit of Venus without blinding yourself
The transit of Venus across the solar disk won't make it okay to stare into the sun. Here's how to watch this rare astronomical event safely.
Many people are planning to watch the transit of Venus on Tuesday (June 5), but it's extremely important that prospective viewers be warned to take special precautions (as with a solar eclipse) to view the silhouette of Venus against the brilliant disk of the sun.
For the United States and Canada the transit will begin when the dark disk of Venus first touches the outer edge of the sun, an event that astronomers call Contact I.From the Eastern U.S. and Eastern Canada, Contact I should occur around 6:03 p.m. EDT (2203 GMT).From the Western U.S. and Western Canada, Contact I should occur around 3:06 p.m. PDT.
It will take about 18 minutes for the black disk of Venus tomove completely onto the sun's face; ultimately bringing its black disk just inside the sun's upper left edge. If you imagine the sun's disk as the face of a clock, Contact I will occur between the 11:30 and 12 o'clock position. Venus will then progress along a track that will run diagonally from the upper left to the lower right.
If you wish to generate predictions for the transit times from where you live, the Astronomical Applications Department of the US Naval Observatory has produced an online Transit Computer at:http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/transit-us
Unlike transits of the sun involving the planet Mercury, those of Venus are readily visible with the unaided eye; the planet appears as a distinct albeit tiny black spot with a diameter just 1/32 that of the sun.This size is large enough to readily perceive with the naked eye. [Venus Transit of 2004: 51 Amazing Photos]
Eye safety is always a prime concern when dealing with the sun. Observing a transit is a lot likestudying sunspotsbecause, after all, you are looking at a dark spot on the sun.
But trying to see a transit is also like trying to view a solar eclipse.You have to be ready at a particular time, and you may have totravel far from home.For the transit of Venus, however, your exact location is much less critical than it is for a total solar eclipse.
In particular, observers in Eastern North America, where the transit will happen in the early evening, your observing site should have a low horizon to the east-northeast.It is a good precaution to check the sun's setting point, to verify that trees or buildings do not block your view. AsVenus moves across the face of the sun, it will appear absolutely jet black in contrast to the lighter gray of any sunspots that may also be present on the solar disk.
Original post:
How to watch the transit of Venus without blinding yourself (+video)
The transit of Venus across the solar disk won't make it okay to stare into the sun. Here's how to watch this rare astronomical event safely.
Many people are planning to watch the transit of Venus on Tuesday (June 5), but it's extremely important that prospective viewers be warned to take special precautions (as with a solar eclipse) to view the silhouette of Venus against the brilliant disk of the sun.
For the United States and Canada the transit will begin when the dark disk of Venus first touches the outer edge of the sun, an event that astronomers call Contact I.From the Eastern U.S. and Eastern Canada, Contact I should occur around 6:03 p.m. EDT (2203 GMT).From the Western U.S. and Western Canada, Contact I should occur around 3:06 p.m. PDT.
It will take about 18 minutes for the black disk of Venus tomove completely onto the sun's face; ultimately bringing its black disk just inside the sun's upper left edge. If you imagine the sun's disk as the face of a clock, Contact I will occur between the 11:30 and 12 o'clock position. Venus will then progress along a track that will run diagonally from the upper left to the lower right.
If you wish to generate predictions for the transit times from where you live, the Astronomical Applications Department of the US Naval Observatory has produced an online Transit Computer at:http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/transit-us
Unlike transits of the sun involving the planet Mercury, those of Venus are readily visible with the unaided eye; the planet appears as a distinct albeit tiny black spot with a diameter just 1/32 that of the sun.This size is large enough to readily perceive with the naked eye. [Venus Transit of 2004: 51 Amazing Photos]
Eye safety is always a prime concern when dealing with the sun. Observing a transit is a lot likestudying sunspotsbecause, after all, you are looking at a dark spot on the sun.
But trying to see a transit is also like trying to view a solar eclipse.You have to be ready at a particular time, and you may have totravel far from home.For the transit of Venus, however, your exact location is much less critical than it is for a total solar eclipse.
In particular, observers in Eastern North America, where the transit will happen in the early evening, your observing site should have a low horizon to the east-northeast.It is a good precaution to check the sun's setting point, to verify that trees or buildings do not block your view. AsVenus moves across the face of the sun, it will appear absolutely jet black in contrast to the lighter gray of any sunspots that may also be present on the solar disk.
Read this article:
How to watch the transit of Venus without blinding yourself (+video)
How to Safely Watch the Transit of Venus on Tuesday
Many people are planning to watch the transit of Venus on Tuesday (June 5), but it's extremely important that prospective viewers be warned to take special precautions (as with a solar eclipse) to view the silhouette of Venus against the brilliant disk of the sun.
For the United States and Canada the transit will begin when the dark disk of Venus first touches the outer edge of the sun, an event that astronomers call Contact I.From the Eastern U.S. and Eastern Canada, Contact I should occur around 6:03 p.m. EDT (2203 GMT).From the Western U.S. and Western Canada, Contact I should occur around 3:06 p.m. PDT.
It will take about 18 minutes for the black disk of Venus to move completely onto the sun's face; ultimately bringing its black disk just inside the sun's upper left edge. If you imagine the sun's disk as the face of a clock, Contact I will occur between the 11:30 and 12 o'clock position. Venus will then progress along a track that will run diagonally from the upper left to the lower right.
If you wish to generate predictions for the transit times from where you live, the Astronomical Applications Department of the US Naval Observatory has produced an online Transit Computer at: http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/transit-us
Unlike transits of the sun involving the planet Mercury, those of Venus are readily visible with the unaided eye; the planet appears as a distinct albeit tiny black spot with a diameter just 1/32 that of the sun.This size is large enough to readily perceive with the naked eye. [Venus Transit of 2004: 51 Amazing Photos]
But Again . . . Be Careful!
Eye safety is always a prime concern when dealing with the sun. Observing a transit is a lot like studying sunspots because, after all, you are looking at a dark spot on the sun.
But trying to see a transit is also like trying to view a solar eclipse.You have to be ready at a particular time, and you may have to travel far from home.For the transit of Venus, however, your exact location is much less critical than it is for a total solar eclipse.
In particular, observers in Eastern North America, where the transit will happen in the early evening, your observing site should have a low horizon to the east-northeast.It is a good precaution to check the sun's setting point, to verify that trees or buildings do not block your view. As Venus moves across the face of the sun, it will appear absolutely jet black in contrast to the lighter gray of any sunspots that may also be present on the solar disk.
By far, the safest way to view the transit is to construct a so-called pinhole camera.A pinhole, or small opening, is used to form an image of the sun on a screen that is placed about three feet behind the opening.[Video: How to Make a Solar Eclipse Viewer]
See more here:
ASTRO Honored with Two Hermes Awards
Newswise The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has been honored with two 2012 Hermes Creative Awards from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) for its work on the fall 2011 edition of ASTROnews and the Radiation Therapy for Cancer brochure. This is the sixth year in a row that ASTRO has received Hermes Awards.
The Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media. Entries come from corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, PR firms, design shops and freelancers.
There were over 4,700 entries from throughout the United States and several other countries in the 2012 competition. After two months of judging, the AMCP judges honored ASTROnews with the Gold Award in the Magazine category. The award is given for excellence in quality, creativity and resourcefulness. The Radiation Therapy for Cancer brochure received an Honorable Mention in the Brochure category for exceeding the high standards of the industry norm.
Once again, our Communications Department has raised the bar on our publications, Laura Thevenot, ASTRO CEO, said. These publications are essential for our membership and help to keep the Society and patients informed. It is such a privilege to receive these distinguished honors from the AMCP six years in a row.
ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy. For more information on radiation therapy, visit http://www.rtanswers.org. To learn more about ASTRO, visit http://www.astro.org. ###
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ASTRO honored with 2 Hermes Awards
Public release date: 4-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Nicole Napoli nicolen@astro.org 703-839-7336 American Society for Radiation Oncology
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has been honored with two 2012 Hermes Creative Awards from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) for its work on the fall 2011 edition of ASTROnews and the Radiation Therapy for Cancer brochure. This is the sixth year in a row that ASTRO has received Hermes Awards.
The Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media. Entries come from corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, PR firms, design shops and freelancers.
There were over 4,700 entries from throughout the United States and several other countries in the 2012 competition. After two months of judging, the AMCP judges honored ASTROnews with the Gold Award in the Magazine category. The award is given for excellence in quality, creativity and resourcefulness. The Radiation Therapy for Cancer brochure received an Honorable Mention in the Brochure category for exceeding the high standards of the industry norm.
"Once again, our Communications Department has raised the bar on our publications," Laura Thevenot, ASTRO CEO, said. "These publications are essential for our membership and help to keep the Society and patients informed. It is such a privilege to receive these distinguished honors from the AMCP six years in a row."
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ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy. For more information on radiation therapy, visit http://www.rtanswers.org. To learn more about ASTRO, visit http://www.astro.org.
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An app that lets you text like the Queen
TORONTO (Reuters) - In celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, a mobile app is adding a royal touch to emails, texts and tweets by suggesting words that the British monarch would be most likely to use. SwiftKey is an Android app that uses artificial intelligence to correct and predict words as they are typed. To mark the Queen's 60-year reign, the company released the Queen's English ...
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