Germaine de Randamie Should Be Punished For Her Refusal To Face Cris Cyborg – Forbes

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ESPN (blog)
Germaine de Randamie Should Be Punished For Her Refusal To Face Cris Cyborg
Forbes
The UFC women's featherweight title was already sitting at the bottom of any sensible championship power rankings list, but Germaine de Randamie's refusal to defend the belt against Cris Cyborgthe only fighter in the division anyone cares aboutmakes ...
Germaine de Randamie: No 'fear' in refusal to fight 'Cyborg' JustinoESPN (blog)
Trading Shots: Is Germaine de Randamie running from 'Cyborg' Justino?MMAjunkie.com
Cat Zingano On Cris Cyborg, De Randamie, Nunes: 'I'm Going To ...FloCombat
MMAWeekly (blog) -MMA Fighting -International Business Times, India Edition
all 12 news articles »

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Germaine de Randamie Should Be Punished For Her Refusal To Face Cris Cyborg - Forbes

Video shows maiden flight of cyborg dragonfly – New Atlas

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A cyborg dragonfly, named the DragonflEye, has taken flight for the first time in a video (Credit: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory)

Over the past few years, a variety of cyborg animals have been unleashed, as scientists kit out cockroaches, locusts and even turtles with electronic accoutrements. Back in January, researchers from Charles Stark Draper Laboratory and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) outlined plans to fit dragonflies with tiny electronic backpacks, allowing them to be controlled remotely. In a new video, their cyborg dragonflies have taken flight for the first time.

The animal kingdom is fertile inspirational ground for new technology, but it's difficult to properly mimic the speed and manoeuvrability of a dragonfly, or the complicated olfactory system of a locust. Rather than designing robots and sensors from scratch, scientists have developed ways to take advantage of the hard work nature has already done, by equipping live insects with electronic systems.

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In the case of Draper's and HHMI's DragonflEye, the insect is controlled through pulses of light piped into certain neurons in the bug's brain, which allows a human pilot to steer it like a drone. The eventual aim, the team says, is to use the tiny cyborgs to guide pollination, deliver payloads, or scout unsafe territory.

With the new video, the team has revealed how the solar-powered backpacks are attached to the insects, and briefly shown the DragonflEye taking wing for the first time. Check it out below.

Source: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory

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Video shows maiden flight of cyborg dragonfly - New Atlas

Germaine de Randamie Should Be Punished for Running from Cyborg Justino – Bleacher Report

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Germaine de RandamieFrank Franklin II/Associated Press

There are always reasons why. Peoplegive and receive excuses all the time. It's one of the things that human beings do to get along with the other human beings.But there's a layer, not too far below the epidermis, where excuses become something different.

Did the dog eat it? Maybe you'll be washing your hair that night? Perhaps you hear your mother calling.

It's not a matter of believability at that point. You're not actuallytrying to convince anyone of anything. Rather, the point is to get the request or the requester to do one thing and one thing only: go the hell away.

At this point, let's welcome Germaine de Randamie into the conversation.

You may know de Randamie (7-3) as the first person ever to hold the UFC women's featherweight belt. To do so, she defeated Holly Holmin a bout that saw de Randamie take heat for illegally striking Holm after the bell not once but twicein February at UFC 208.

In the cage immediately after the fight, de Randamie said of Holm and her stick-and-move, clinch-heavy strategy:It was close. But I came to fight, and she didnt want to fight me."

Moments later, broadcaster Joe Rogan asked de Randamie the million-dollar question, the one to which everyone just kind of assumed a foregone response. Did she, the new women's featherweight champ, want to fight the consensus best women's featherweight fighter, Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino?

"You know, I want to fight everybody," she said. "If Cris Cyborg is the one I have to fight, I'll fight her. Right now, I really need surgery on my hand. I'm gonna get surgery on my hand, and let's see after."

Not exactly the emphatic response fans and UFC brass (not to mention Cyborg) might have hoped for, but fair enough. Injuries happen. Fix it and come back strong, champ.

Oh, but wait. What's this? One day laterone day later!de Randamie called for an immediate rematch with Holm.

I have nothing but respect for Holly and the UFC, and because of that I want to say right now that I think I owe it to Holly and the fans to do this fight again to make sure that the winner of this historic belt is crystal clear, de Randamie wrote on Instagram.

No mention of Cyborg. Or the hand, for that matter.

Eventually the UFC booked Holm for a June bout in Singapore. So much for that immediate rematch. Team de Randamie countered bymumbling about retirementrumors and "personal issues."

A few hardy GDR believers, clinging to hope like kittens to fallen trees in a flood-swollen river (don't worry, they were rescued), might have gotten excited when UFC President Dana White said on May 15 that an update on the situation was coming soon and that "Cyborg will fight this summer." Could Cyborg-GDR finally be in the works?

That hope was all but dashedThursday, when de Randamie's manager, Brian Butler-Au of SuckerPunch Entertainment,told MMA Junkiethat de Randamie would not fight Cyborg because Cyborg was "a proven cheater."

That's an interesting statement from Team de Randamie. Yes, Cyborg failed a drug test in 2011, but de Randamie was caughtyou know, on camerapunching Holm after the horn just last February.

Ah, but the dog must have eaten their footage.

The final blow landed Monday when de Randamie announced that shedespite holding the 145-pound featherweight beltwould return to 135 pounds.

My reason to reject the fight now has nothing but nothing at all to do with my fear, she wrote. I believe that if you want to do sports you do this without any means that can affect the muscle mass. Ias a top athletealways trained, always watched my food and put 18 years of my life on sports, without using just one means that is not allowed.

Another reference to Cyborg's past PED use. Plenty of other fighters have come back from a failed drug test to compete again. Is there some reason that Cyborg is different? And if she felt so strongly about this principle that she would give up her championship beltthe one that caused her to shout out loud for joy when she received itwhy didn't she mention it at UFC 208?

Any attempt to look behind the curtains at UFC headquarters is like trying to read tea leaves in a glass of cement. However, it is not unrealistic to speculate that the UFC has incentives for champions to defend titles and placed a fairly substantial offer on the table for de Randamie to defend against Cyborg. GDR-Cyborg could headline a pay-per-view. That's a lot of money.(At a bare minimum, title defenses land you in the highest slots of any card, which in and of itself increases pay.)

Certainly Cyborg (17-1-1) is feared for a reason. She's probably the most devastating MMA fighterman or womanon planet earth right now.

De Randamie chose not to rise to that occasion, essentially relinquishing her championship so Cyborg could face Megan Anderson or some other more willing competitoranyone but her.

Whatever happens with de Randamie moving forward, the UFC should discipline her. Go ahead and strip her of the belt. Then perhaps banish her to the matchmaking land of wind and ghosts. Let her test the latest judo import on a deep Sao Paolo undercard. Should they cut her outright?

The UFC should be upset. Its brand-new division, fresh out of the gate, is now tarred with illegitimacy. Its first champion wouldn't fight the best. What kind of cloud does that put over this division, and over Cyborg, whom the UFC appears to (finally) view as the marketable, dominant athlete that she is?

It's more than just the one division, though. The UFC has devalued its own belts enough with all these interim titlesinterim this and interim thatessentially printing money from its own press to add short-term excitement to a division or an individual bout while causing harmful inflation over the long run. The UFC doesn't need fighters expediting that process.

Now, one might say, "Easy for you to say, keyboard warrior. You're not out here fighting for a living." And that's exactly right. If you're not a fighter, there's no pretense of toughness, at least not on this level. That illustrates why de Randamie, for whom such a pretense does exist, particularly given her champion status, should no longer be taken seriously, at least not unless there's a redemptive action.

As it is, it's like being a chef who doesn't like fire or a construction worker who doesn't like dirt or a kid with a dog who's unceasingly hungry for looseleaf.

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Germaine de Randamie Should Be Punished for Running from Cyborg Justino - Bleacher Report

Dr. Beach Top 10 List Is Great for Tourism — Sometimes Too Great – Skift

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Being named one of the top 10 beaches in the United States is an accolade any destination would be happy to accept as the summer travel season officially kicks off in the U.S.

Dr. Beach released his annual ranking of Americas top 10 beacheslast week and it included some familiar names such as Floridas Siesta Beach, which ranked number one for the second time since 2011, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts Coast Guard Beach.

Many beaches that have earned spots on Dr. Beachs ranking attribute that distinction in part to increased visitation to the beach and surrounding community. Top-ranked beaches also typically have investment and infrastructure projects in the works that add or improve amenities and help protect the beaches environments and wildlife.

Siesta Beach, for example, recently completed $21.5 million in renovations which included adding more parking, a playground and picnic area.

But with more publicity and higher foot traffic, beach management and tourism boards are balancing how to maintain their high standards and visitor experience while mitigating environmental impact and educating visitors on how to keep beaches clean.

Many locals who live in destinations with popular beaches also arent pleased with more visitors, even if it benefits their communities. I get emails from people in Sarasota unhappy about the list, said Stephen Leatherman, aka Dr. Beach. I get hundreds of emails from people concerned about the rankings. Yes, it does increase the number of people who come and that does make some local people unhappy.

Siesta Beach has grown its staff and resources since it appeared on Dr. Beachs 2011 ranking, said Carolyn Brown, general manager of parks and recreation for Sarasota County.

As we move into the July 4 holiday, were preparing our staff to let visitors know that they should leave no trace, said Brown. We always tell visitors to clean up after themselves. Its a challenge during holidays but were doing our best to educate the public.

But many travelers probably dont know the meat of what it means to be the number one beach and dont consider that its tied to the beachs environmental efforts, said Erin Duggan, vice president of Visit Sarasota County. But when they hear Dr. Beach I think they do recognize his credentials, said Duggan. I think it intrigues them if theyve never been.

The ranking is considered one of the most prestigious U.S. beach rankings as Leatherman considers some 650 public beaches across the U.S. Hes done the ranking for more than 25 years and judges beaches on 50 criteria ranging from how warm their waters are to how much parking is available to what color the sand is.

Dr. Beach, however, isnt the only beach ranking of interest as some beaches that make the list also cite TripAdvisor, for example, as a driver of visitation because those reviews and rankings come directly from travelers.

Siesta Beach wasalso voted the top U.S. beach in 2015 and 2017 on TripAdvisor.

While many destinations invest their own time and money into maintaining their beaches, Coast Guard Beach on Cape Cod in Massachusetts is maintained by the National Park Service. Our number one issue that weve been working on for many years is wastewater infrastructure because the Cape doesnt really have much of that, said Wendy Northcross, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.

Were acutely aware of those kinds of impacts. I think if we were open year-round I think you might see other overt efforts to try to pace visitation but we dont enjoy it, she said.

U.S. beaches, however, are typically cleaner and more environmentally friendly than beaches in Southeast Asia or Latin America, for example, said Leatherman. The U.S. has really high water quality standards and worldwide, I think water quality has gone down a bit, he said.

Some beaches try to hide data and have the improper development of waste water management. There are a lot of development in some parts of the world that have decreased water quality and Spanish beaches are one example of this.

Leatherman has been to all 650 public beaches in the U.S. and limits his ranking to American beaches because he hasnt been to all of the worlds beaches.

A professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, Leatherman has penned more than 200 academic journal articles and has edited or written more than a dozen books about beaches. His rankings have appeared annually since 1991.

He said hes never found a perfect beach but has found a lot of great ones. While aesthetics are part of the ranking, Leathermans ranking is more concentrated with the environmental health of the beach and quality of amenities.

Some people dont like to see buildings when theyre on a beach but others want to stay on a beach and have those creature comforts close by, said Leatherman. Even with Siesta, I gave them a total score of 241 of 250 and the criteria is set up with rating the resources and what people expect.

Duggan said Visit Sarasota County lets Dr. Beachs ranking speak for itself but does capitalize on it.

Last week we immediatlywe created a little video about Siesta Beach on our Facebook page, said Duggan. Most of our marketing campaigns are also about beaches and theyve always been the primary focus of our campaigns.

The Eastham, Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, which helps promote Coast Guard Beach, consistently makes Dr. Beachs ranking each year and puts up posters in its information booths to let visitors know that the beach has made the list, said Jim Russo, executive director of the Eastham Chamber of Commerce.

Being able to market yourself as a top beach destination and tag on Dr. Beachs credentials doesnt hurt from a public relations perspective. But many destinations also realize that managing the environmental impact from an influx of visitors becomes increasingly difficult when they make these rankings as visitors often leave behind more than their footprints.

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Dr. Beach Top 10 List Is Great for Tourism -- Sometimes Too Great - Skift

Alex Zhang Hungtai (Dirty Beaches, Last Lizard) Appears on Twin Peaks – Pitchfork

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The return of Twin Peaks onShowtime continued tonight. For the shows fifth episode, Alex Zhang Hungtai of Dirty Beaches/Last Lizardmade an appearance. His cameo was as a member of the band Trouble, which performsat the Roadhouse near the end of the new episode. Other members of the band include David Lynchs son, Riley Lynch, and longtime Lynch engineer Dean Hurley. Listen to Troubles song Snake Eyes below. Last month saw Hungtai release new music as a member of a new trio, Love Theme. Hulu subscribers can find the new episode here.

Elsewhere in the episode are Naomi Watts, Jim Belushi, and Amanda Seyfried. Thus far, the revived series has featured a bizarre appearance from Michael Cera and some episode-ending performances from Chromatics, Au Revoir Simone, and the Cactus Blossoms. Chromatics played their song, Shadow, which will appear on one of twoforthcoming soundtracks. Watch theirnew music videofor the song here, and if you havent caught up with the show since it returned, check out the first two episodes.

Follow all of Pitchforks Twin Peaks coverage here, and check out 10 Songs That Sample Twin Peaks Well and The Musical Legacy of Twin Peaks on the Pitch.

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Alex Zhang Hungtai (Dirty Beaches, Last Lizard) Appears on Twin Peaks - Pitchfork

Florida beaches damaged by 2016 storms not ready to weather this … – Naples Daily News

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Hurricane season started on June 1. Here are some recommendations to have with you to stay safe. Oscar Santiago Torres/ Naples Daily News

Coquina rock reinforces the dunes and new northbound A1A lane in front of the Island Grille and the neighboring Topaz Motel along Flagler Beach on Thursday, June 1, 2017. In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew washed away the earth below A1A, which collapsed and has since been rebuilt.(Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)

When Hurricane Matthew charged up Florida's east coast in October, beach advocates said, it delivered a message along with its damage.

Healthy beaches that were managed and renourished were better able to weather the storm and limit coastal damage landward of the dunes. Beaches that were not rebuilt and left to erode were no match for Matthew.

Eight months later, at the start of another hurricane season, some Florida beaches that bore the brunt of Matthew and earlier storms last year remain unrepaired, leaving beach towns vulnerable again.

More: $50 million in Florida budget a 'big win' for beaches but only a start

More: Senate budget chief Latvala wants Florida's beaches 'done right'

More: Governor allocates $15M for emergency beach restoration

Most of the $15.8 million in emergency dune repair money that Gov. Rick Scott sent to Flagler, St. Johns, Volusia and Brevard counties after Matthew remains unspent. Projects have struggled to get local matching dollars and environmental permits.

An additional $13.3 million to be split between Flagler and St. Johns counties for storm repair is included in the new state budget Scott approved only days ago.

"Are we prepared? The answer is no," said Flagler County Administrator Craig Coffey.

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Communities on Florida's Gulf coast also are not ready for the pounding of stormsthis hurricane season, which started Thursday and will runthrough November.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-normal season is likely, with 11-17 named storms. Of those, five to nine could be hurricanes, and two to four could grow into major hurricanes with winds of at least 111 mph.

It doesn't necessarily take a big, bad hurricane to doserious damage.

More: Shrinking Shoresproject

More: Shrinking Shores: How Florida leaders are failing the states famous beaches

More: Shrinking Shores: Florida reneges on pledges to its beaches

More: Shrinking Shores: Florida sand shortage leaves beaches in lurch

More: Shrinking Shores: Matthew's lessons for Florida's beaches

Last year, early season Tropical Storm Colin brushed past Manasota Key in Charlotte County, but its storm surge undermined condo foundations, splintered walkovers and left a few homestoo unsafe to live in.

A year later, Charlotte County has developed a $21 million beach restoration plan but has only started the cumbersome permitting process and still has no plan for how to pay for it.

"We're just one large storm away from some major issues," said Manasota Key condo owner Damian Ochab.

A few storms after Colin, Hurricane Hermine took a similar path through the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall in the Panhandle, not far from Alligator Point.

The small rural town south of Tallahassee had given up on attempts to restore its eroded beach, and Hermine made the townpay, tearing out the coastroad that was the only way out for hundreds of residents.

Scott stood among the jumbled pieces of torn-up asphalt and told residents he would help, but Alan Pierce is still waiting.

"Nothing came of that," said Pierce, former Franklin County administrator and now a consultant to the county.

The county paid to build a one-way limestone road where the two-land paved highway was, but Pierce is still waiting to hear from the Federal Emergency Management Agencyabout the county's $3.5 million request for a long-term fix.

And without an additional $8 million to build a beach along a mile-stretch of coastline, the Gulf of Mexico will be lapping beneath even a fixed road.

"It's a total nightmare right now," Pierce said.

In Flagler, Matthew'ssurge ate away the earth below A1A, which collapsed and has since been rebuilt. Sand filled swimming pools until only the tops of their shiny stair railings poked out. Water flowed through neighborhoods for days and flooded homes up to 3 feet deep.

In this October 2016 file photo, a section of State Road A1A sits badly damaged by erosion after Hurricane Matthew passed the east coast of Florida. The section of road had been previously undermined and recently Flagler County officials had began a beach renourishment process.(Photo: David Albers/Naples Daily News)

And it could happen again.

"That's the threat staring at them now," Coffey said.

Of the four counties to get a piece of Scott's emergency money after Matthew, only Brevard has put sand on the beach.

That countyhad a project ready to go to build bigger and better dunes along 9 miles of coast for about $4 million, saidcountybeach project coordinator Mike McGarry.

Brevard is in line for almost $3 million in emergency state money, but the county still is waiting to see how much FEMAmight kick in.

Matthew washed away sand from other Brevard beaches, too, including a stretch that is waiting for money from the Army Corps of Engineers.

"We're not as strong as we were a year ago, but we're not in a perilous situation," McGarry said.

Ryan Golobiecki, on a school trip from Iowa, takes the path next to a damaged walkover at Ormond Beach on Thursday, June 1, 2017. In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew damaged many of the dune walkovers in Ormond Beach, some of which have not been replaced and force people to walk on the dunes to access the beach.(Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)

The same can't be said about other Florida beaches in the lingering aftermath of Matthew.

"We are very worried that our beaches are vulnerable to another hit," said St. John County public works director Neal Shinkre. "I don't think they can absorb it. We're very concerned about it to be sure, to say the least."

The county has piggybacked onto other agencies' projects to use sand dredged from channels and inlets to shore up the beach, but another 1 million cubic yards of sand still is needed, Shinkre said.

St. Johnsis proposingto tax beachfront property owners to come up with local money to meet required matches for state and federal support.

But until the county knows how much FEMA will pitch in, the size of the local match cannot be determined, Shinkre said. Yet to be determined is how the $13.3 million in the state budget will be split with Flagler.

While the county waits, almost $3.8 million in emergency Matthew money Scott sent to St. Johnsremains unspent.

"Our plan is not to spend the money bit by bit," he said. "A lot of things are not done yet."

As for dune repair money in Volusia, FEMA approved "little to none," because the shoreline already is armored, said Joe Nolin, thecounty's project manager.

He said natural shoreline wasn't eroded enough, nor were structures at enough risk of future storms, to meet federal requirements for money.

Nolin said the county wants to use the $3.7 million in emergency money from Scott to match federal dollars, so the county has not spent the state money.

The Florida Department of Transportation builtsome emergency berms along stretches of beach where A1A was repaired, but FEMA disqualified the county's request for money to shore up the state-owned coastal highway with rebuilt dunes, Nolin said.

"We're not in the best shape we can be, but we're keeping our fingers crossed," Nolin said.

Money is only part of Flagler County's storm recovery troubles.

Bids for afirst phase of a dune restoration project came back over budget, and without assurances of help from FEMA, the county could not move forward, said Coffer, the county administrator.

The county is looking for ways to cut costs, including using a closer inland sand source, but also faces permitting hurdles because of sea turtle season.

Coffey guesses the earliest sand could be placed on the beach would be late July or early August, two months into storm season.

"Our residents are very nervous about this stuff," Coffey said. "And you're just fighting an uphill battle when folks don't seem to have the same sense of urgency that people's lives and homes are in danger."

Dump truck drivers delivered an estimated 750,000 cubic yards of sand to Broward County beaches as part of the largest truck haul beach renourishment in Florida's history. David Albers/Naples Daily News

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After a 10-year hurricane drought in Florida, residents and officials are experiencing the pitfalls of failing to renourish beaches to protect against the forces of Mother Nature. David Albers/Naples Daily News

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Join the Daily News and our panel of experts for a discussion about the future of Florida's famous beaches, proposals to change how beaches are managed and ways to keep the states' shores healthy.

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Beach erosion in Cape San Blas is threatening the economy of the rural Florida Panhandle county. David Albers/Naples Daily News

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Alligator Point resident Bert Boldt watched his property erode away as he struggled to rebuild after Hurricane Dennis. David Albers/Naples Daily News

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Wave attenuation devices, or WADs, manufactured by Living Shoreline Solutions are hollow concrete pyramids that the company's CEO says "kill wave energy to stop erosion." David Albers/Naples Daily News

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Trucks use Alico Road and Corkscrew road to access mines for the Collier County beach nourishment project

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Dump trucks supply sand for largest truck haul beach renourishment in Florida's history

Erosion threatening Florida's beaches

Shrinking Shores public forum

Beach erosion threatens the economy of Cape San Blas

Alligator Point resident watched his property erode away

Wave attenuation devices, or WADs, attempt to u0022killu0022 erosion energy

Estero residents concerned about sand trucks

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Florida beaches damaged by 2016 storms not ready to weather this ... - Naples Daily News

Wildwood’s wildly popular dog beach expanding – Allentown Morning Call

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More of Wildwood's beachfront is going to the dogs this summer.

The city's 3-year-old dog beach which last year ranked second in a national poll of favorite canine-friendly U.S. beaches is being expanded and moved slightly south on the oceanfront when it reopens this month.

Wildwood with its famous half-mile wide strand is one of only a handful of towns along the New Jersey Shore that does not charge a fee for access to the beachfront. The dog beach also will remain free.

"Over the course of just couple of years, we saw our dog beach become one of the most popular places on the East Coast to come and enjoy a day at the beach with your dog," said Wildwood City Commissioner Pete Byron of the Poplar Avenue site. "We knew we had to expand."

From Labor Day to Memorial Day, the Jersey Shore can be a dog-walker's paradise, but finding actual beaches designated for canines during the summer, where one can sit on the beach or swim in the ocean with their pet is rare.

In the world of "best-of" competitions, Wildwood's dog beach ended up second behind Lake Michigan's Montrose Dog Beach in Chicago, but ahead of locales from California to Florida, according to the USA Today poll.

The number of off-leash dog beaches and parks has more than doubled in the U.S. over the past decade from about less than 300 in 2007 to more 600 making it the fastest growing park segment in the country, according to the Trust for Public Land.

Despite the accolades for Wildwood's designation, some boardwalk merchants early on feared the beach might hurt their business.

"I was upset at first because I worried it would impact business in some way. But then we soon realized the dog beach was actually drawing more people to this section of the boardwalk," said Soltan Moy, manager of the Gifts & More, a store that ultimately brought in a line of dog-related gift items T-shirts, key rings, shot glasses and others.

Others caught on to the canine craze right away.

"We have a dog-friendly outdoor dining area and we are planning a "Yappy Hour" this summer. It's been great for business," said E.J. Dougherty, who owns a nearby restaurant and bar called Captain Jack's and a Stewart's Root Beer stand. "We embraced the idea of the dog beach immediately. People love their pets and more people want to travel with them when they go on vacation."

So in a fashion typical to Wildwood a Cape May County town with decidedly kitschy vibe celebrated and purveyed to tourists in its 1950s and 1960s Doo-Wop style architecture, music and activities the Poplar Avenue dog beach featured a two-story tall red fire hydrant to welcome man's best friend.

The fenced-in area at Poplar Avenue and the Boardwalk, encompassed about a city block and allowed pups under the supervision of their owners to run freely and frolic in the surf. That location was closed as of May 1 to allow city public works crews to begin dismantling the fencing and other infrastructure for the move.

The new dog beach which will include the giant hydrant will be about a block away on the oceanfront between Maple and Glenview Avenues, and will take up nearly two blocks, Byron said.

Up and down the Jersey Shore, and across the U.S., animal-friendly attractions like Wildwood's dog beach have become a trend because so many pet owners want to go to the beach with their four-legged friends, according to BringFido.com, a travel directory that lists pet friendly hotels, restaurants, activities and travel destinations.

BringFido and other sites give two paws up to New Jersey places like Island Beach State Park near Seaside Park in Ocean County, where for a $10 park admission fee, dogs are permitted on a leash 6-feet long or less just about anywhere in the park, except on the lifeguarded swimming beaches or the Spizzle Creek Bird Trail.

In Brigantine, Atlantic County, leashed dogs are allowed on the city's north end beaches year-round. In summer, a beach badge is required for the humans who accompany Rover.

Another Atlantic County spot known as the Longport Dog Beach although it is actually in Egg Harbor Township welcomes dogs for a run on the sand or a dip in the water for free at the foot of the Ocean Drive Bridge and Route 152.

In Ocean City, Cape May County, dogs are never permitted on the oceanfront beaches during the summer, but they are always welcome to roam off-leash at the Ocean City Dog Park, a free, 42,000 square foot sandy area at 45th Street and Haven Avenue.

In Stone Harbor, where beach badges are required for humans, dogs on a leash can tag along year-round between 80th and 83rd Streets. And at the 11,000 acre Cape May Wildlife Refuge, leashed dogs can enjoy the trails except at the Two Mile Beach section. Admission is free.

Brigantine: Leashed dogs allowed on the city's north end beaches year around. Beach tag required for humans beach-goers.

Longport Dog Beach: The Egg Harbor Township beach allows dogs for free. Located at foot of the Ocean Drive Bridge and Route 152.

Ocean City: Dogs not permitted on oceanfront durng summer but allowed off-leash at Ocean City Dog Park, a free, 42,000 square foot sandy area at 45th and Haven Avenue.

Stone Harbor: Dogs on leash permitted year-around between 80th and 83rd Streets. Beach tag required for human beach-goers.

Wildwood: Dog beach being relocated this month to Maple and Glenview Avenues. It will take up nearly two blocks. Admission free.

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Wildwood's wildly popular dog beach expanding - Allentown Morning Call

Britain’s best secret ‘beaches’: 15 scenic spots near you which are perfect for swimming, paddling and picnics – Mirror.co.uk

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You don't have to head to the coast for a beach experience this summer as there are a surprising number of places which have shallow water and beautiful scenery inland.

Whether it be swimming in water near ancient ruins or a river near a country pub or simply relaxing in one of the countryside's historic meadows there is plenty of options.

We have looked up and down the country and enlisted the help of Daniel Smart a wild swimming expert and he has helped spot some unlikely places to go.

After more staycation inspiration? Check out our British Breaks page for everything from beach breaks to the prettiest cities.

Probably best to be discreet at this pebble beach at a location designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest which provides an ideal place for a leisurely stroll, picnic or family day out.

The reservoir was created in 1965 to provide people with drinking water and was immediately colonised by wildlife.

It's a bird watchers dream.

The nature reserve surrounds the western side of the reservoir and contains ancient and plantation woodlands, grasslands and wetland habitats such as reedbeds, willow and open water.

A local nature reserve at Wollaston in the Upper Nene Valley.

Explore this network of wild gravel lakes along the R Nene, or take a dip in the river itself.

There is bird watching and if you are lucky you might glimpse an otter.

The top ten best beaches in the UK for the perfect sandy getaway

In Little Barrington there are perfect riverside pubs and in Minster Lovell it flows past the remains of a fifteenth-century manor. Here, alongside the great old arches and ruined walls, you can bathe in the blue-tinged waters and catch crayfish big enough for supper.

A small, clear, pretty Cotswold river running through romantic grounds of the ruins. Just deep enough to swim with deeper sections downstream at footbridge.

The best places to stay for a UK walking holiday - great if you're on a budget

Undeveloped and picturesque stretch of river along the edge of the Chiltern Hills. Clear with chalk beaches.

An outdoor river swimming spot suitable for distance / endurance, family friendly activities.

Pangbourne is where the River Pang joins the Thames. Its most notable resident was Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind in the Willows so keep your eyes open for wildlife.

The three Hampstead Heath swimming ponds are probably the best known of central Londons wild swims. The Mixed Pond is the closest to the tube and always rings with a holiday air.

Groups loll about on the lawn, picnics are consumed, friends breast-stroke down the avenue of trees catching up on old news and gossip.

The Mens Pond is bigger and Ladies Ponds wilder, but both are a little more difficult to reach if you dont have a bike.

The ponds date back to the end of the seventeenth century when the Hampstead Water Company dammed two brooks that drain the Heath, piping the water down to the city in hollowed out elm trees.

A painting by Constable depicts people bathing at Hampstead as early as 1829.

Popular stretch of grassy river bank and meadows. Steep banks and deep water.

Just north of Rodmell and Charleston, upstream on the Ouse, the open fields of Barcombe Mills are a perfect place for cricket, leapfrog and other riverside games.

The Ouse here is deep with pretty grassy banks, ideal for cooling down after cartwheels or diving in for a long swim among the rushes.

The well-known Anchor Inn is nearby, just a mile upstream, at the bottom of a dead-end lane.

You can hire one of its fleet of blue rowing boats or swim for over two miles through remote countryside, the spire of Isfield church the only building in sight for the entire journey.

Sandy lake with beaches and buoyed-off swimming area. Set among forest and open heathland. Parking, caf and small museum. Popular with young families.

Frensham Little Pond is on the A287 and feeds into the Wey which flows down into Tilford.

This is a truly English scene with a cricket green and pub, river paddling above a ford and a bridge built by medieval monks.

Its a perfect place to while away a summer afternoon with lunch and a paddle or swim there is a rope swing below the weir and some deeper sections above the bridge.

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Just half a mile south of Guildford. Sandy slopes running right into the river one side, flat grassy area the other with a footbridge.

Sandy beach, ruined chapel and bridge for jumping on the old Pilgrims Way.

This is apparently a beautiful space , with a sand pit that rolls down the hill into the west bank of the river creating a beach.

Pretty village pool with shelving access, grassy banks and bench. White chalk shingle riverbed.

The river holds many smaller fish, including minnows, stone loach, bullhead and the rare brook lamprey.

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Ancient but little known common in tight loop of Wye providing large shingle and sandy beach shelving to large deep pool.

This area of meadow has age-old commoner rights and occupies the inside of a large, deep meander.

A wide pebble beach has been deposited over time on the inside bank and large deep swimming holes have been eroded on the outside.

The sand and pebbles are beautifully graded so you can even bring your bucket and spade.

Close to Whitby, on the other side of the A169, is Falling Foss, romantically set in deep woods by the fairy-tale cottage of Midge Hall.

Set over a deep black chasm into which a small stream flows, smoke was billowing from the chimney and in the evening light it was a scene reminiscent of Hansel and Gretel.

Its a fair trek to reach the bottom of the falls, backtracking and then picking a way along the overgrown stream bed.

Standing on the shingle beach looking up, the waterfall flows down the jet black cliff like a white veil, breaking into hundreds of competing rivulets.

A tall plume and small deep plunge pool at the head of a wooded gorge. Shingle beach. Overlooked but feels secluded.

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A popular stretch of river in front of the priory ruins. Upstream of stepping stones and bridge is deeper section where people sometimes use boats.

Downstream are the shallows but underground rocks make swimming difficult and diving dangerous.

The great ruins of this major monastic enclave sit on a bend of the river above a stretch of pebbly beaches.

During the hottest days it becomes a Yorkshire Costa del Sol: a mass of swimmers and sunbathers mixed with suntan lotion and sloppy ice cream.

Upstream the river is deep enough for swimming, downstream it is shallow enough for paddling and stone skimming.

Amazing wild ruined castle with secret pools in river downstream.

Reputed to have been founded by Uther Pendragon, the father of King Arthur. According to legend, Uther Pendragon and a hundred of his men were killed here when the Saxon invaders poisoned the well.

Four miles beyond Hell Gill on B6259, turn L at Pendragon Castle and after mile, at cattle grid, follow footpath track (signed Wharton). After five mins youll spot a corner pool with beach below.

Pendragon castle is on private land. Access is permitted, but care must be taken it is in a potentially dangerous condition despite some recent restoration.

Considered by some to be the most beautiful valley in the Lakes. A steep-sided vale, running ten miles from its sources beneath Scafell down to the shores of Derwent Water, it is spectacular and remote, with waterfalls, deep pots and high tarns.

An old lady who lived on St Herbert Island in Derwent Water once told Beatrix Potter the story of a squirrel that swam out from the mainland to collect nuts each summer.

The lake is scattered with wooded isles and the story and location became the inspiration for The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, in which the squirrel and his friends built a raft of twigs and used their tails as sails to reach the island.

Now the lake is a little too busy with ferries for my liking, though there are still plenty of places to bathe along the shore, and squirrels do still swim here.

Meadows and common land on outskirts of Hereford.

The meandering Lugg bores deep holes in the bends with plenty of little beaches.

These are the largest known modern example of Lammas meadows in Britain, with ownership divided into strips marked by dole stones.

The meadows are still managed in accordance with this medieval system and an active commoners association controls the grazing rights.

With its intermittent gravel beaches and deeper pools.

1) Never swim in canals, urban rivers, stagnant lakes or reedy shallows.

2) Never swim in flood water and be cautious of water quality during droughts.

3) Keep cuts and wounds covered with waterproof plasters if you are concerned.

4) Avoid contact with bluegreen algae.

5) Never swim alone and keep a constant watch on weak swimmers.

6) Never jump into water you have not thoroughly checked for depth and obstructions.

7) Always make sure you know how you will get out before you get in.

8) Dont get too cold warm up with exercise and warm clothes before and after a swim.

9) Wear footwear if you can.

10) Watch out for boats on any navigable river. Wear a coloured swim hat so you can be seen.

Wild Swimming: 300 Hidden Dips in the Rivers, Lakes and Waterfalls of Britain is available from Amazon.

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Britain's best secret 'beaches': 15 scenic spots near you which are perfect for swimming, paddling and picnics - Mirror.co.uk

A Half-Century of Walking Cape Cod’s Beaches – New York Times

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New York Times
A Half-Century of Walking Cape Cod's Beaches
New York Times
This may be a book about one of America's most magnificent shorelines, but the nature writer Robert Finch isn't dishing up a breezy beach read. The Outer Beach is a collection of more than a half-century of Finch's observations and ruminations on ...

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A Half-Century of Walking Cape Cod's Beaches - New York Times

Photo tour: The best beaches in Virginia – USA Today – USA TODAY

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Virginia Beach's 31st Street Park is home to the beach's iconic bronze statue of King Neptune. Taking a photo in front of the statue is a tourist tradition.(Photo: Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau)

If Virginia Beach is known for nothing else, it is known for its boardwalk though it's technically not a boardwalk at all but rather a 3-mile concrete walkway along the oceanfront connecting hotels, restaurants, clubsand amusement rides. The most popular place to be besides the beach itself, this boardwalk also sports an array of nautical-themed statuary, including the iconic bronze statue of King Neptune.

Largely a family destination, Virginia Beach is situated where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. The city has 35 miles of waterfront, with 14 of those beachfront miles free and open to public access. The long ribbon of golden sand between 1st and 40th Streets is definitely the main attraction here and draws sunbathers, swimmers, and jet skiers with its family-friendly waters. Virginia Beach has pretty ample public parking with nearly 3,000 off-street municipal parking spaces and almost 700 on-street metered spaces. All are within short walking distance to the boardwalk and oceanfront.

Other beaches include Chesapeake Beach with its shallow and calmer waters on the bay and the more secluded area of Sandbridge along the city's southern shore.

Take a photo tour with the gallery above.

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State: Beaches, Shore, Ready For Summer – Micromedia Publications

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JERSEY SHORE Tourism contributed some $44 billion to the New Jersey economy in 2016, and about half of that amount is generated at the Shore, said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin at an annual media event, New Jersey Sea Grant Consortiums State of the Shore.

It was the 15th annual event advertised as an annual tradition, kicking off the Memorial Day weekends unofficial start to the summer beach season.

Martin gave updates on New Jerseys water quality and beach projects during a PowerPoint presentation held at Tim McLoones Pier House in Long Branch. He was followed by Professor Jon K. Miller, a coastal expert from the Stevens Institute of Technology, and then the men answered questions from members of the press.

The beaches are going to be beautiful, theyre in great shape, the water quality is excellent, so were now in a great position as we move forward into the summer, Martin said.

The DEP administers the Coastal Cooperative Monitoring Program along with the state Department of Health and local health agencies, utilizing two components: water quality monitoring and aerial surveillance.

Ocean water monitoring began on May 15, and would continue through Labor Day, he said.

Martin said that the DEP collects data on 216 ocean and bay beaches every Monday and the results are posted on their webpage by Tuesday.

Water samples are collected from primary stations located in Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, and Cape May Counties, he said.

The DEP conducts aerial surveillance to look for floatables, debris, algae blooms and anything else that might affect bathing water quality. Six weekly coastal surveillance flights that run up and down the coast would begin this week, Martin said, and run through the entire summer until mid-September.

In 2016, beaches were open 99.9 percent of the time, and bay beaches were open 99.6 percent of the time. Most closures were due to pollution caused by stormwater runoffs after rainfall, when fertilizer and animal waste gets into the sewers, he said.

Dr. Miller said that New Jersey beaches are in good shape since the shore had a relatively mild winter. We got lucky, we only had two major storms, he said.

The three contributors to beach erosion is the water level, the size of the waves, and the duration of the storm, Miller explained.

The noreaster in late January resulted in moderate to severe ocean erosion, but it peaked and subsided quickly, he said.

He said the tropical storm forecast for the upcoming summer is higher than expected, with experts predicting 11 named storms, four hurricanes and two major hurricanes.

We need to be prepared, said Dr. Miller. It only takes one storm, so we have to maintain vigilance, he said.

After their presentations, Martin and Miller took questions from the press.

Several reporters asked about the proposed federal budget which would cut the EPA budget by about a third. The NJDEP relies on federal funds for many of its projects and programs.

We have all the money we need this year its too premature to talk about the Federal government, Martin said. We have to wait to see how it plays out. Im confident that cooler heads will prevail. We have representatives who understand our problems.

The Brick Times asked Martin how he would respond to the opinion of some coastal experts who say that with rising sea level some seaside communities might have to be vacated.

We are not retreating from the shore, its a $20 billion industry in New Jersey, Martin responded. I want to be crystal clear about that.

In response to a reporters question about the cost to NJ for post-Sandy coastal protection projects, Martin said that the vast majority were paid for with federal dollars because of Sandy legislation. He said the state portion, which was less than 10 percent, is being paid for with a long-term interest-free, federal loan.

Dr. Miller said that due to the sea level rise nuisance flooding has become more commonplace during high tides and full moons.

There are studies underway. Were doing work on back-bay areas and we might need to bolster some projects there, he said.

Some of the engineering projects would include raising roads, creating berms, building bulkheads, pump stations, and more, he said.

We have to think and plan long term to minimize impacts, Miller said. We can handle sea level rise for the moment. Although if theres a catastrophe and the ice sheets melt, there would be a whole new scenario.

Martin said that over the past several years the DEP has partnered with the Army Corps of Engineers on a number of post-Sandy coastal projects, including:

Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club Jeff Tittel attended the media event and said New Jersey is not responding to the environmental needs of the shore in any real way. For example, they are not planning mitigating or adapting to sea level rise.

The sea walls are a false hope, and the dunes they are building are not real dunes. A berm is not a dune, and the next big noreaster will wash them all away, Tittel said after the presentation.

He said the planned dune and beach replenishment project would only make back bay flooding worse.

They are taking away the sandbars in the ocean, which makes the waves get bigger and pushes more water into the bays, Tittel said. The New Jersey coast is facing some very serious problems, he said.

In a press release, the Sierra Club said that the testing of beaches on a Monday leaves five days of untested water before the weekend, when most people swim. There is less money for testing, so the water is tested less and the beachgoers are ill-informed.

Photo ops and press events do not make up for weakening environmental standards and the failure to protect our coasts, Tittel said in the press release. New Jerseys way of dealing with the coast is just pumping more sand on the beach that will wash out in the next storm. They have no real plan to protect our coasts. We want people to go to the shore and not have to worry about the potential for illness. We want coastal communities to be able to be resilient against climate change. We want to have healthy ecosystems in our waterways. We want to make sure we have clean water for the people who use our beaches. We hope we have a very good summer season, but unless we start changing our policies and working to protect our shores, were putting New Jerseys entire coastal environment and economy at risk.

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State: Beaches, Shore, Ready For Summer - Micromedia Publications

At vacant Ballpark of Palm Beaches, lots of events maybe a wedding? – Palm Beach Post

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WEST PALM BEACH

The Boys of Spring are gone but the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches has a full summer lineup.

As the nearly crisp 70-degree weather has given way to hot and heavy 80s and even 90s, the new ballpark and its 12 nearly pristine practice fields remain busy with Houston Astros, Washington Nationals and a steady lineup of athletic events, from soccer to lacrosse to high school and Division I and Division II college baseball and a University of Miami-coached football camp for youths.

The 160-acre, $148.5 million facility is even advertising itself as a wedding venue but no takers yet, said Brady Ballard, general manager of the ballpark since before it opened in January.

Athletes seem wedded to the place, though. For a full listing of events, visit ballparkpalmbeaches.com and click on events and then, tournaments.

On Wednesday Miami coach March Richt is holding a football camp for youths from age five through rising 9th graders (Anyone who has taken high school classes is not eligible).

A new wood bat league, Collegiate League of the Palm Beaches, has a full schedule at the ballpark this month through early August. The games take place on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, with one feature game every Saturday in the stadium. The public is welcome to attend, with tickets ranging from $3 to $5, depending on age.

While theres no minor league team set up at the ballpark and none anticipated anytime soon, Ballard said the league gives the facility to host one stadium game a week.

The Palm Beach Classic, one of the largest high school age baseball tournaments, takes place from June 9-14. Some 280 teams will play.

Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is the event hub but the games also will be played at the Lawnwood Sports Complex, Roger Dean Stadium, the Santaluces Sports Complex and Tradition Field.

Though most of the Astros and Nationals major leaguers cleared out at the end of March, 82 Astros and 73 Nationals still train at the ballpark, every day but Sunday, starting as early as 7:15 a.m. The players are there for a variety of reasons: to extend their spring training, recondition themselves after an injury, or if they havent yet earned a roster spot on a minor league team, to work their way up.

The stadium is closed during these workouts but the public is free to wander by the practice fields and watch the stars-in-the-making.

A number of local high school and college baseball players already have had the chance to dig their cleats into the manicured fields. Oxbridge and Dwyer students have played there, as have teams from Florida Atlantic, Keiser and Lynn universities. A soccer tournament also took place a couple of weeks ago, on the county fields constructed as part of the ballpark project. Meanwhile, the city park on the southwestern portion of the site is under construction.

Ballard said the summer events show the new ballparks ability to cater to a number of sports. As the summer rolls on, the facilitys most consistent visitors construction crews continue to show up, as they complete the touch-up work they couldnt get to before the Astros and Nationals descended for spring training.

Have a West Palm Beach new tip? Contact Staff Writer Tony Doris at tdoris@pbpost.com or 561-820-4703.

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At vacant Ballpark of Palm Beaches, lots of events maybe a wedding? - Palm Beach Post

Turn Your Smartphone into an Astronomy Toolbox with Mobile Apps – Space.com

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With the right apps installed, your phone becomes a powerful pocket toolkit for your astronomy hobby. Its GPS, compass and gyro sensors help to level and align your telescope, apps such as Astronomy Tools Night Sky provide cloud cover maps and more, and the Observer Pro-Astronomy Planner app indicates the best times to see particular objects.

The phone in your pocket is a veritable Swiss Army knife of functionality for both casual stargazers and serious astronomers. In this edition of Mobile Astronomy, we'll look at the ways your phone, when loaded with the right apps, can enhance your astronomy hobby as you plan your observing sessions, set up your telescope, record your observations and much more.

Your phone's usefulness for astronomy starts well before you pack up your telescope or cameras and leave the house. It can help you find and navigate to an observing site. It also lets you check the location's weather forecast to decide whether to make the drive.

When seeking a new dark observing site, I like to consult light pollution maps. The Dark Site Finder website uses a Google Maps interface overlaid with color-coded light pollution data. White, red and orange tones indicate extremely light-polluted areas that are poor for skywatching. Yellow means moderate light pollution, and green through black indicate the darkest skies. You can pan and zoom in and out on the map to find darker skies within a reasonable driving distance (or check the skies at your upcoming vacation spot). [A Planet Skywatching Guide for 2017: When, Where & How to See The Planets]

The Dark Site Finder website overlays worldwide light pollution data onto Google Maps. Red and white zones indicate skies with bad light pollution in urban areas while blues and grays indicate nearly pristine dark skies. The map can be zoomed and searched to find dark sky areas close to your location.

State and national parks are usually good bets for pristine skies, but you should check their after-dark policies for visitors. For privately held property, you must get permission from the owner (preferably during the daytime). They'll often be happy to host you and a few friends if you are quiet, leave the area as you found it and offer to show them a few objects.

If you are traveling to a remote location, be sure to file a "flight plan" with loved ones, and use your phone to confirm that you've arrived safely. Your stock Maps app will navigate you to a new observing site. But consider downloading the area as an offline map while you're still home, in case the cell coverage is spotty or nonexistent on-site.

Your usual weather forecasting app will tell you whether it's cloudy or clear, as well as the temperature and the chance of rain. But for observing, other factors are important, too. How steady will the air be? Rough air makes stars twinkle and blurs the view. Will the air be heavy with moisture and hazy, or dry and transparent? Will your telescope or camera become coated with dew?

The free Clear Outside app for Android and iOS provides nearly everything a skywatcher will need to know about the observing conditions. In a graphical format, it shows predicted hourly cloud-cover values, visibility (i.e., sky transparency), and the likelihood of fog, rain, wind and frost. It indicates when the sky will be fully dark after sunset and before sunrise, the contribution of moonlight, and even when the International Space Station will fly overhead!

Other favorites the free Clear Sky Droid app for Android and iCSC: Clear Sky Chart Viewer app for iOS use the popular Clear Dark Sky website. Both let you select from a list of weather station sites throughout North America. They provide an hourly breakdown, in a graphical format, of the cloud cover, transparency, seeing, darkness, wind, humidity and temperature for the next 48 hours. Note that the information is based on future weather models that are updated only about twice per day, not in real time.

The Clear Dark Sky astronomy forecasting website, developed by Attilla Danko, provides at-a-glance indicators for sky quality (seeing, transparency, cloud cover and darkness) and observing conditions on the ground (wind, humidity and temperature) for the next 48 hours for hundreds of locations throughout North America. Mobile apps such as Clear Sky Droid and iCSC: Clear Sky Chart put the site's information in your pocket.

The free Astronomy Tools Night Sky app for Android does even more than weather. It details cloud cover, sends aurora and meteor shower alerts, includes built-in light pollution maps, describes moon position, and more. The paid Scope Nights: Astronomy Weather and Dark Sky Map for iOS analyzes the weather and rates the stargazing up to 10 nights in advance, issues alerts when conditions are great, and more. For real-time weather conditions, look at the NOAA Weather Radar app for Android and iOS. It provides animated satellite imagery of cloud cover and precipitation for most of the world.

Telescopes with equatorial mounts, and most motorized GoTo and tracking systems, need to be set up level and aligned with the Earth's polar axis. The better they are aligned, the more accurate the tracking and GoTos will be. Long-exposure astrophotographs will be sharper, too. Here's how your phone can help.

At night, the polestar (Polaris, or the North Star) can be used for alignment. But if you are setting up a tracking telescope to observe the sun or a nighttime scope before it's dark enough to see Polaris or if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, where there is no polestar to align on it helps to have a compass app handy. There are plenty of free ones. You need to set up based on true north, not magnetic north. The better compass apps will include what's called a declination correction for this.

To level the telescope tripod, install a bubble level app, and simply rest your phone on the eyepiece tray or another part of the mount. Find an app that levels in two directions simultaneously, such as a circular bubble level, and that buzzes when levelness is achieved so that you can adjust the tripod legs without needing to see the phone's display.

The polar (or right ascension) axis of equatorial mounts need to be tilted at the angle equal to your latitude on Earth. Pick a bubble level app such as Bubble for Android or Bubble Level for iPhone and iPad that has a digital readout of the tilt. Then, use it to check the angle of the telescope's tube, or the polar axis directly. (For mounts that have counterweight shafts, you can hold the phone against it. The shaft should be tilted at 90 degrees minus your latitude.)

Remember that your device's compass and gyroscope need to be calibrated properly. Bubble level apps have options to zero the reading when your phone is resting on a horizontal surface. Compass apps will have instructions to sweep your phone in a pattern that corrects the magnetic readings. Be sure to avoid standing near metal objects, such as your car, when doing this. Another good option is to check your phone's tilt and compass readings on a telescope that you know is already aligned, using the polestar.

Designed for hiking and other activities outdoors, the Polaris GPS Navigation App is also handy for astronomers for setting up and aligning a telescope. The app displays the position and time data from your device's GPS receiver, as well as the compass bearing.

Finally, computerized telescope mounts also need to know the correct time and observing location so that they can calculate where the stars are. Your phone's GPS sensor measures these, but there isn't always an easy way to access the values. I find that a good hiking or navigating app, such as DS Software's free Polaris GPS Navigation for Android, offers everything you'll need, including a compass. [June Full Moon 2017: How to See the Strawberry Minimoon]

In past editions of Mobile Astronomy, we've covered the many ways in which astronomy sky chart apps can help you identify things in the sky and locate particular objects. They also provide many details about these sights. Many astronomy enthusiasts like to keep a record, or observing log, of what they have seen over the years. Some chase down certain objects in order to earn observing certificates from astronomy clubs or societies, and some prefer to observe certain types of objects. (I like planetary nebulas!) There are also specific types of observations, such as variable star brightness estimates, that you can submit as a citizen scientist.

SkySafari 5, Night Sky Tools and other apps include additional functionality for creating observing lists. Set the app to the date and time you'll be observing, and use the search function to find the objects of interest. Alternatively, you might need to view a particular target in an observing certificate program. The app can show you the best time to see it.

To make an observing list in SkySafari 5, open the Search menu, scroll to the bottom and tap the Create New Observing List option. You'll be prompted for a name. Exit this menu, and select a celestial object by tapping it on the display. Tap the Info icon. (You can also do this by using the object's name in the search menu.) In the lower right of the information panel, tap the More icon. A dialog box will appear. Select Add to Observing List, and tap the list you created. Later, you can sort, edit and manage the objects in the list. You can also make multiple lists. There are also dozens of publicly available observing lists you can import from the Online Repository.

Traditionally, observations were recorded in a paper logbook. But your phone makes this far easier. You can log a description of an object using the voice recorder on your phone as you peer into the eyepiece. You can type into a note-taking app. Or, better yet, you can use an astronomy app with logging functionality.

For instance, you can log your observations of your observing-list objects in the SkySafari 5 app. In the object's information page, tap More and select Create New Observation. The app will launch a form where you can enter the date, time and location (some are autofilled), your notes, the equipment you used, and the seeing and transparency rating for the night. The Night Sky Tools app for Android provides similar functionalities, and even allows for filters or cameras.

The SkySafari 5 app includes functions to create observing lists and log observations, including the date, time, location, equipment used and sky conditions.

Finally, the Observer Pro Astronomy Planner for iOS app lets you plan your sessions, make observing lists and log observations. It even lets you map the horizon profile of your observing site to determine when objects will be visible for example, high enough to clear the neighbor's garage roof all for about $10.

Telescope owners find it helpful to know the magnifications and fields of view produced by their various eyepieces. A good tip is to calculate the values and save them in a document on the phone. Or, use an app designed just for that! The AstroAid app for iOS lets you select from preloaded commercial telescopes, eyepieces and accessories. Then, it can calculate all of the values, and even generate previews for many of the major deep-sky objects.

The AstroAid app for iOS allows you to select from a list of provided telescopes and eyepieces that match your own setup. It then generates observing previews of major deep sky targets to assist in planning your observing or astrophotography session. It can also help you decide what equipment to buy because you can experiment with different combinations of apertures, focal lengths and other parameters.

Everyone approaches astronomy their own way. When I'm not chatting with folks, I like to listen to music when I observe, and my smartphone is loaded with plenty of inspiring tracks for that. If you do the same, be sure you aren't bothering your fellow observers or disturbing sleepers in the middle of the night. For safety, avoid using earbuds when observing alone in an unfamiliar place.

You don't need to be an expert astrophotographer to capture a memento of your night under the stars. In How to Snap Awesome Photos of Night-Sky Objects with Your Smartphone, we covered how to capture images of astronomical targets using your phone. Astronomy outreach and education events are perfect opportunities to engage students and the public in astronomy by sharing their excitement and images on social media. And, hey, why not tweet or text an invitation to your next observing session? We'd love to join you!

If you have found other ways to use your phone for astronomy, feel free to send me a note or share them in the comments. In a future edition of Mobile Astronomy, we'll cover how to wirelessly control your telescope with your phone, highlight some early summer celestial treats, and more. Until then, keep looking up!

Editor's note: Chris Vaughan is an astronomy public outreach and education specialist, and operator of the historic 1.88-meter David Dunlap Observatory telescope. You can reach him via email, and follow him on Twitter @astrogeoguy, as well as on Facebook and Tumblr.

This article was provided by Simulation Curriculum, the leader in space science curriculum solutions and the makers of the SkySafari app for Android and iOS. Follow SkySafari on Twitter @SkySafariAstro. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

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Turn Your Smartphone into an Astronomy Toolbox with Mobile Apps - Space.com

3rd gravitational wave detection is about much more than black holes – Astronomy Magazine

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Our sun was still dim. Waves crashed on martian beaches. Life was emerging on Earth.

Thats when the ghosts of two dead stars black holes dozens of times more massive than our sun merged in a far-off corner of the universe. In their final moments, these binary black holes were circling each other hundreds of times per second, as each one spun at 10 times that rate.

The rumbles of distant thunder from that collision reached Earth on Jan. 4 of this year, passing through the detector at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Hanford, Washington. Then, traveling at the speed of light, this wrinkle in space-time passed through LIGOs second detector in Livingston, Louisiana, just a fraction of a second later.

The results were published Thursday in the journalPhysical Review Letters.

Gravity is the weakest among natures four fundamental forces. So only extreme cosmic events like supernovas, neutron stars and merging black holes can make detectable gravitational waves. The waves are so weak that theyd warp the distance between Earth and sun by just the width of a hydrogen atom. But as these waves pass through LIGOs twin detectors, its enormous lasers can pick up on the truly tiny stretches and squeezes of space-time. You can think of it like a seismometer for measuring mini quakes in the cosmos gravitational fabric.

When LIGO gets a hit, the gravitational wave makes a characteristic signal that scientists call a chirp because of the sound it makes once translated into a format human ears can hear.

This was the third such detection since Albert Einstein first predicted gravitational waves a century ago as part of his general theory of relativity, or theory of gravity. Taken together, these observations form the first samples of a black hole census with far-reaching implications.

Before colliding, the binary black holes spotted earlier this year weighed in at 19 and 31 times our suns mass. After merging, the pair created a single black hole 49 times more massive than the sun. Einsteins equations tell us that energy and mass are interchangeable. And so the missing solar mass worth of energy was radiated out across the universe as gravitational waves.

And with this detection, scientists for the first time think the two black holes might have been spinning in opposite directions. That could reveal clues about the lives of the stars that formed them. Its possible that the two stars lived in a dense stellar cluster.

Before LIGO, astronomers didnt know that so-called solar mass black holes, which form when stars die, could reach such extreme sizes.

This census can also help explain an enduring mystery in astronomy. Scientists have seen supermassive black holes that dominate entire galaxies, as well as small black holes that form after stars die. We even now know about so-called intermediate mass black holes weighing as much as thousands of suns. But how do these all form? Do many small black holes combine intro larger and larger behemoths? LIGO is just starting to piece together this puzzle.

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3rd gravitational wave detection is about much more than black holes - Astronomy Magazine

[ 3 June 2017 ] Black holes crash together and make waves News – Astronomy Now Online

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STORY WRITTEN FORCBS NEWS& USED WITH PERMISSION

Three billion years ago, in a third of a second, two black holes crashed into each other and merged into a single entity, converting two solar masses into energy that shook the fabric of spacetime, sending gravitational ripples across the universe that were detected on Earth last January, researchers announced Thursday.

It was the third confirmed detection of coalescing black holes detected so far by the U.S.-led Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO, a project made up of two observing stations, one near Hanford, Washington, and the other 1,800 miles away near Livingston, Louisiana.

As the gravitational waves passed by, they caused space to lengthen in one direction and compress in the other, squeezing and stretching the LIGO detectors ever so slightly and causing laser beams to cover slightly different distances as they bounced back and forth between massive mirrors.

Exhaustive tests and analyses confirmed the reality of the signal in another milestone for the growing field of gravitational wave astronomy.

We have observed, on the fourth of January, 2017, another massive black hole-to-black hole binary coalescence, the merging of black holes roughly 20 and 30 times the mass of our sun, David Shoemaker, the spokesperson for the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, told reporters.

The key thing to take away from this third event is were really moving from novelty to new observational science, a new astronomy of gravitational waves.

The discovery was detailed in a paper accepted by the journal Physical Review Letters.

The ripples detected by LIGO indicate the single black hole formed by the merger has a mass of about 49 times that of the sun, midway between the black holes detected by LIGO in September and December 2015. Two times the mass of Earths sun was converted directly into energy in a fraction of a second.

Black holes are among the most bizarre objects in the known universe. They are believed to form when massive stars run out of nuclear fuel at the end of their lives. Without the outward pressure generated by nuclear fusion to offset the inward pull of gravity, the core suddenly collapses as the star is blown apart.

For stars similar to the sun, core collapse stops due to quantum mechanical effects and a white dwarf remains, a compact remnant that slowly radiates its residual heat away into space. The cores of more massive stars can collapse even further, crushed to the point where protons merge with electrons. The result is a city-size ball of neutrons with the density of an atomic nucleus.

The cores of even more massive stars can collapse past the neutron star state, disappearing from the observable universe. Their gravity is so strong not even light can escape.

A major question mark is how binary black hole systems like those observed by LIGO form.

One school of thought holds the binary black holes form when two already paired stars explode and collapse to the ultimate state, spiraling into each other in a cataclysmic crash. The spins of each pre-merger black hole likely would be aligned with respect to their orbital motion.

A second theory holds that black holes form separately and later became gravitationally bound. In that case, the spins would be more randomly oriented.

LIGOs latest discovery likely favors the theory that these two black holes formed separately in a dense stellar cluster, sank to the core of the cluster and then paired up rather than being formed together from the collapse of two already paired stars, said Laura Cadonati, a LIGO researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

This is an important clue in understanding how black holes form, she said. We have found a new tile to put in the puzzle of understanding the formation mechanism.

Gravitational waves were predicted in 1916 by Einsteins general theory of relativity. The equations showed that massive bodies under acceleration, like binary black holes or the collapsing cores of huge stars in supernova explosions, would radiate gravitational energy in the form of waves distorting the fabric of space.

The waves would spread out in all directions, traveling at or near the speed of light. But detecting them is a major challenge. By the time a wave from an event many light years away reaches Earth, its effects are vastly reduced, becoming hard-to-detect ripples rather than powerful waves.

To detect those ripples, the LIGO observatories were designed to measure changes in distance that are vastly smaller than the width of an atomic nucleus.

Gravitational waves are distortions in the metric of space, in the medium that we live in, said Michael Landry, director of the LIGO observatory near Hanford. Normally, we dont think of the nothing of space as having any properties at all, so its quite counter intuitive that it could expand or contract or vibrate.

But thats what Einsteins relatively tells us. When a gravitational wave passes, the medium that we live in is distorted, and that causes what looks to us like length changes.

By way of analogy, Landry likened spacetime to the canvas of a painting.

If I stretch the medium of a painting, I can see the painting get distorted, he said. Its the medium thats vibrating, thats really what a gravitational wave is, and so we register the passage of those gravitational waves by comparing the length of the two long arms of our L-shaped detector.

Each LIGO observatory features a pair of 2.5-mile-long vacuum tubes arranged in an L shape in which precisely tuned laser beams flash back and forth between multiple mirrors that effectively increase the distance each beam travels to nearly 1,000 miles. The laser beams then are recombined and directed into a sensor.

If the laser beam in each vacuum tube travels exactly the same distance before it is recombined, the LIGO detectors do not see anything. But if gravitational waves pass through, that distance would change very slightly in a very predictable way, affecting the path of the laser beams.

The resulting interference patterns allow scientists to compute the masses involved and, in some cases, how the initial black holes were spinning with respect to their orbital motion.

The LIGO system features two widely separated observing stations to make sure a local vibration is not misinterpreted. A confirmed gravitational wave must be seen by both stations at roughly the same time.

And thats precisely what the LIGO researchers found in the three confirmed cases to date. The first two events happened 1.3 and 1.4 billion light years away respectively. The collision that generated the waves detected in January occurred some 3 billion light years away.

It is remarkable that humans can put together a story, and test it, for such strange and extreme events that took place billions of years ago and billions of light-years distant from us, Shoemaker said in a statement.

LIGOs current observing campaign runs through the summer. After that, upgrades are planned to increase the sensitivity of the detectors, possibly bringing less powerful events like neutron star mergers into view. And theres always a chance a nearby supernova or merger might occur, one that would give space a major shake.

If one of this size were to actually coalesce in the Milky Way, it would make a marvelous signal for us, it would be enormously strong, said Shoemaker. But the likelihood theres one in our Milky Way thats about to coalesce is very, very low, so thats not something that were betting on.

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[ 3 June 2017 ] Black holes crash together and make waves News - Astronomy Now Online

Are you ready to find baby galaxies? | Astronomy.com – Astronomy Magazine

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Zooniverse is a revolutionary citizen science initiative led by Chicagos Adler Planetarium and the University of Oxford. The platform hosts a wide range of projects that allow anyone, of any age and background, to engage in current ongoing scientific research in a fun, understandable, and simple way. On May 31, Zooniverse launched its 100th project on its 10th anniversary: Galaxy Nurseries, a hunt for young galaxies in the distant universe, which were forming stars about 5 to 7 billion years ago. And the Galaxy Nurseries team has an ambitious goal complete Zooniverses 100th project in 100 hours. The clock is ticking, but theres still plenty of time left; if youre interested in exploring the early universe and lending your eye to identify these amazing objects, consider taking a little time this weekend to make some classifications of your own. Searching for young galaxies Galaxy Nurseries takes advantage of a unique dataset provided by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) as part of the WFC3 IR Spectroscopic Parallel (WISP) survey. When searching for young, star-forming galaxies in the early universe, simply taking an image is not enough. To get more information, these images not only provide a classical picture of everything in a given field of view, but also a spectrum for every single object Hubble can spot. A spectrum is essentially the result of passing light from an object, such as a star or galaxy, through a prism, which breaks the light apart by wavelength. As the light is spread out, it gives clues about the objects nature. In particular, star-forming galaxies will show features called emission lines. Emission lines indicate material such as gas that is glowing brightly, and only hot stars are capable of producing the radiation needed to excite nearby gas enough to produce certain emission lines. Because these huge, extremely hot stars dont last very long (in the cosmic scheme of things), their existence is indicative of recent star formation. And these young star-forming galaxies are exactly what the researchers behind the Galaxy Nurseries project are after. Why? There are two main reasons behind the development of the 100th Zooniverse project. First, theres the underlying science. Claudia Scarlata, a physics and astronomy associate professor at the University of Minnesota and principal investigator of the Galaxy Nurseries Zooniverse project, explained to Astronomy that these galaxies are extreme objects that are not specifically targeted for spectroscopy in most surveys. Traditionally, obtaining spectra is harder than simply taking an image it often requires more light, and can thus be challenging for such small, faraway objects. Astronomers have sometimes gotten around this problem by classifying galaxies based on their colors in images. But these galaxies have booming [emission] lines, Scarlata said, and their colors can be changed. They are often misclassified in broadband surveys, that simply look at the color of the light coming from objects in an image. But through the WISP survey, we have a spectrum of every object in the Hubble field of view, Scarlata says. Armed with this information, these objects now have spectra that can be analyzed, helping researchers such as Scarlata and her colleagues study star formation in the distant universe. There are several questions the team is looking to answer. How are these galaxies forming stars over time? What is their environment like? Are they isolated or found in groups? Are they dusty, or not? (Current research, Scarlata says, indicates the latter.) What type of metals (elements heavier than hydrogen and helium) do these galaxies have? Averaging a large number of objects can give you the numbers you need, Scarlata says, to start characterizing these young galaxies, which have been previously studied only in very small samples. But, Scarlata says, there will be contaminants, such as active galactic nuclei, Milky Way stars, and even gravitational lenses. The goal of Galaxy Nurseries is to screen out these contaminants by showing volunteers what to look for, then letting them loose on the most promising data to determine whether the detection is real or spurious. But even these contaminants hold scientific value. While the initial goal of Galaxy Nurseries is to identify these young galaxies, Scarlata says that volunteers will undoubtedly find new and strange objects during the search. Were also looking for the unexpected, she says, and we will follow up on everything, even if its not the galaxies were looking for. Improving how science is done The second reason Galaxy Nurseries is so important is the potential it holds to make searching for galaxies and other scientific objectives and more accurate in the future. Specifically, there are two upcoming missions that will use similar techniques to find objects of interest: the NASA/ESA Euclid mission and NASAs WFIRST telescope. The work that volunteers put into Galaxy Nurseries, Scarlata says, will help us determine what works, what doesnt, and where the volunteers are needed most. For example, Euclid will gather similar data, but WISP has covered something like half a degree of the sky. Euclid will look at 15,000 square degrees thats an area 30,000 times larger than WISP, she says. Thus, the information gained from Galaxy Nurseries and the other projects hosted on Zooniverse will pave the way for not only better machine learning to increase real detections in these larger datasets, but also improve projects ability to utilize citizen science volunteers even more efficiently and beneficially in the future. Thats the magic of Zooniverse, says Michelle Larson, the president and CEO of the Adler Planetarium. Zooniverse continues to push itself. Its about scientific progress. As volunteers put their time into the various projects offered, it allows researchers and software developers alike to improve upon the aspects of science that machines can handle, as well as continually zooming in on the tasks that only humans can perform. Coming full circle Galaxy Nurseries is also a fitting 100th project for Zooniverse. The origin of the Zooniverse platform itself lies in the Galaxy Zoo project, launched in 2007. Thus, a 100th project brings the concept full circle; Were going back to the origin. It started with galaxies, and now its coming back to galaxies, Scarlata says. Galaxy Zoo was born from the need to parse through a huge volume of data in a reasonable way, which would have been unfeasible for one person or even several working together. And the response was overwhelming, Chris Lintott, an astronomer currently at the University of Oxford who is the co-founder of both Galaxy Zoo and Zooniverse told Astronomy. Galaxy Zoo was not supposed to still be running 10 years later, Lintott says. But it is and Zooniverse projects have been responsible for some amazing discoveries, including Hanny's Voorwerp and an exoplanetary system with four super Earths. And, if youve read about the third successful detection of gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) thats currently topping science news, you might also be interested in checking out another Zooniverse project: Gravity Spy, which allows citizen scientists to help gravitational wave researchers filter out glitches in the data so that real signals can be found more easily. Zooniverse projects have produced over 100 peer-reviewed science publications, and there are currently more than 1.5 million registered users from around the world participating in projects that largely focus on astronomy, but also include biology, climate science, history, language, literature, medicine, and animal behavior. Whether you want to find exoplanets, count wildebeest in the Serengeti, or further research on cellular structure, theres a Zooniverse project for you. Zooniverse is inclusive, stresses Lintott. Its about discoveries we can make together.

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Are you ready to find baby galaxies? | Astronomy.com - Astronomy Magazine

Amateur astronomers find ‘failed star’ 100 light years from sun – The Independent

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Amateur astronomers using a Nasa-funded project called Backyard Worlds: Planet 9have discovered a new world about 100 light years from Earth.

Four different users spotted a curious object in the sky just six days after the launch of the website, and details of the findings were published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, Science Daily reported.

It was found to be a 'brown dwarf', a planet-like object often compared to a failed star.

Dr Jackie Faherty, a senior scientist in the American Museum of Natural Historys Department of Astrophysics said: I was so proud of our volunteers as I saw the data on this new cold world coming in.

"It was a feel-good moment for science.

The project launched in February and gives people the chance to access Nasas Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), a spacecraft which takes multiple images of objects close to the Earth.

All users need is a computer and an Internet connection,to access the images.

The new brown dwarf, circled (Nasa )

Bob Fletcher, a teacher from Tasmania, identified a slow-moving, dull object moving across images taken from WISE. Shortly thereafter, three other amateur scientists from the United States, Russia and Serbia also reported the same object.

The research team investigated, initially calling it Bobs dwarf, before Dr Faherty visited Hawaiis Nasa Infrared Telescope Facility where she confirmed that the brown dwarf had been previously unknown.

Brown dwarfs are much cooler than red dwarfs, a type of star. Theyare described as failed stars because they don't have enough mass to maintain nuclear fusion.

However they retain enough heat to glow in the infrared part of the light spectrum.

"Brown dwarfs are strikingly similar to Jupiter so we study their atmospheres in order to look at what weather on other worlds might look like," said Jonathan Gagn, a Backyard Worlds team member.

Dr Faherty hopes this discovery is one of many which will serve as markers in the map of our "solar neighbourhood".

Professor IanMcLean, of University of California, Los Angeles,believes brown dwarfs are the missing link between gas giants like Jupiter, and low-mass stars.

He theorisesthat if large numbers of brown dwarfs exist, they "could make a small, but significant contribution to dark matter", the so-called "missing mass" in the universe.

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Amateur astronomers find 'failed star' 100 light years from sun - The Independent

Jupiter and the moon tonight with summer constellations – AccuWeather.com (blog)

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Astronomy blog By Dave Samuhel, AccuWeather senior meteorologist 6/03/2017, 8:52:05 PM

The moon will appear close to Jupiter tonight. The pair will be in the night sky through about 3 a.m.

While you are outside, take a look for some of the major constellations. Below you will see several maps looking at different parts of the sky. This is the night sky view from Pennsylvania. It will vary some across the country, but not significantly.

Here is the view if you are looking west during the evening. These constellations will set rather early.

The constellations vary by season. The simple reason is that the Earth is on the opposite side of the sun during the winter. So, the night sky faces a different part of the universe. Basically, in the winter, we are looking at the stars that would appear during the daylight during the summer. But, the sun is so bright, they cannot be seen.

Here is the view towards the northern part of the sky. The entire sky appears to rotate around "celestial north"

These constellations will be in the sky most of the night. Here is the view this evening if you are looking straight up at the sky.

If you are up before dawn, you can see a few constellations more common to the Southern Hemisphere.

This is the view looking south before dawn.

I hope this can serve as a guide to enjoying a few of the major constellations in the night sky this summer. Thanks for reading and just look up, you never know what you will see!

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Jupiter and the moon tonight with summer constellations - AccuWeather.com (blog)

Space geeks: Astronomy Night on the National Mall is tomorrow and it’s free – Washington Post

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On Friday evening, youll have the opportunity to see a few of our neighboring planets as well as the moon and the sunon through the lens of 20 expensive telescopes that you and I cannot afford. Fortunately, the D.C. area astronomers are willing to share, as they do every year at the annual Astronomy Night on the Mall.

The event is free Friday from 6 to 11 p.m. All you have to do is show up on the northeast grounds of the Washington Monument. Youll see a lot of telescopes with lines of people trailing behind them. Each scope is usually trained on a specificspace object another planet, the moon, maybe a nearby comet.

The event will offerspace geeks hands-on activities, demonstrations, hand-outs, posters, banners, and videos; a planetarium show with a portable blow-up dome, speakers from scientific and educational organization, and a chance to mingle with astronomers.

The event is organized and hosted by Hofstra Universityalong with volunteers from all of the big science organizations the National Science Foundation, the Carnegie Institution for Science, the International Dark Sky Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club and the American Geophysical Union. Scientists from these groups will be on hand tooffer demonstrations and discussion.

This is theeighth annual Mall event that organizer Don Lubowich, astronomy outreach coordinator at Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y., has assembled.

Rain location: School Without Walls High School, 2130 G St. NW.

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Space geeks: Astronomy Night on the National Mall is tomorrow and it's free - Washington Post

SU grad key in major astronomy breakthrough – WSYR

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) - An alert from a Syracuse graduate studying in Germany was crucial in expanding another major breakthrough in astronomy recently.

Alex Nitz - who earned a Ph.D. in physics - was examining data from one of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatorys two massive detectors in Louisiana in January when he observed the gravitational wave.

Shortly after noting the data from the Louisiana detector, Nitz confirmed what he was seeing with a second detector in Washington state.

What I saw made my heart jump, Nitz said.

He then alerted LIGO, which confirmed the phenomena.

I alerted the group, beginning a process that woke up a lot of people a bit early in the United States. We compared the waveform to data we got from the detectors instruments, hunting for a small signal buried amid the noise. The analysis confirmed both instruments saw the same kind of signal at nearly the same time, Nitz said.

LIGO announced the detection earlier this week.

According to LIGO, the collision of two massive black holes billions light years away sparked the gravitational wave.

They say one of the black holes was 31 times the mass of the sun, while the other was 19 times the mass of the sun.

If the energy produced was visible light, instead of gravitational waves, the collision would have been brighter than all the stars in the universe combined, said SU physics professor Peter Saulson.

Researchers at SU said that the detection - LIGOs third since 2015 - demonstrates that a new window into astronomy is fully open.

Nitz began developing software at SU that was critical in the detection process.

Nitz says the work helped helped him get in on the ground floor with people looking for gravitational waves from binary black hole mergers.

We are extremely proud of Alex for helping detect the furthest binary black hole merger that LIGO has seen. These black holes are over 2.8 billion light-years away, said SU physics professor Duncan Brown.

Syracuse University Gravitational Wave Group from Duncan Brown on Vimeo.

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SU grad key in major astronomy breakthrough - WSYR