The Best and Brightest Conjunction of the Year, UPDATED Dec. 2nd

as seen Nov 30 2008 18:00

December 01 2008

A conjunction is when two objects in the sky appear to meet. There are usually only a handful of very close conjunctions a year that also occur at times that make them easy to see. The best conjunction of the year occurs on November 30, when the two brightest planets in the sky come to within two degrees of each other just after sunset.

For the entire month of November, Venus and Jupiter move closer and closer together. On the first day of the month, Venus and Jupiter are still about 30 degrees apart and a thin crescent moon lies not far from Venus . On November 2 the moon will be halfway between the two, and by the next night the moon will sit just below Jupiter in the constellation of Sagittarius. Over the rest of the month, Venus will cross Sagittarius, heading toward Jupiter, although from our view it will appear that Jupiter and all the stars are heading southwest as the winter constellations rise in the east.

On November 30, Venus will be brighter and closer to the horizon with Jupiter just above and to the right. Venus is shining at about magnitude -4 and Jupiter at magnitude -2, which is close to as bright as they get.

Here's some info about the Arlington Holiday Lights.

SUBJECT:
Arlington Holiday Lights Parade is Saturday, Dec. 6

SUMMARY:
WHO: City of Arlington

WHAT: Holiday Lights Parade

WHEN: 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6.

WHERE: Downtown Arlington/University District

WHY: To see the bright holiday lights in downtown Arlington and celebrate the beginning of the season.

About the Holiday Lights Parade

The parade is an annual holiday tradition that features more than 75 lighted floats illuminated by thousands of twinkling lights, holiday music and a special appearance from Santa Claus. This event also features the traditional lighting of the Christmas tree. The annual event is sponsored by the Star-Telegram.

What's New? Everyone is invited to arrive early at 4 p.m. to enjoy live holiday music at the new Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts. Holiday performers include the First Baptist Church Choir and the Arlington Community Band.

For the best viewing points along the parade route, residents are asked to bring their own seats and select a location along Abram Street or Main Street between West and Center streets prior to the start of the parade. The parade is approximately 90 minutes.

Immediately following the parade and tree lighting, Santa will be available for photos at the Levitt Pavilion.

For parade route and other information, visit www.arlingtonparadeoflights.com.

Astromomy News:
DEC 31rst :
Celestial Show Set for New Year's Eve
SPACE.com robert Roy Britt
editorial Director
space.com – Tue Dec 30, 11:47 am ETA delightful display of planets and the moon will occur on
New Year's Eve for anyone wishing to step outside and look up just after sunset.
Venus, brighter than all other planets and stars, will dangle just below the thin crescent moon in the southwestern
sky. It'll be visible -- impossible to miss, in fact -- just as the sun goes down, assuming skies are cloud-free.
Soon thereafter, Mercury and Jupiter will show up hugging the south-southwestern horizon (just above where the
sun went down) and extremely close to each other. Jupiter is very bright and easy to spot; Mercury is faint and
harder to see, but it'll be apparent by its location just to the left of Jupiter.
Jupiter and Mercury will set less than an hour after the sun, so timing your viewing just after sunset is crucial.
You'll also need a location with a clear view of the western horizon, unobstructed by buildings, trees or
mountains.
All the planets, along with the moon and sun, traverse an arc across our sky called the ecliptic, which
corresponds to the plane in space that they all roughly share. For this reason, you could draw an imaginary line
from the general location of Venus and the moon, down through the other two planets, and the line would point to
where the sun went down. This line could also initially help you find Jupiter and Mercury.
Weather permitting, you can get a preview of the sky show on Tuesday, Dec. 30. On this evening, the planets will
be in nearly the same place they'll be on Dec. 31, but the moon will be midway between Venus and the
Mercury-Jupiter pairing.
One last trick:
Venus is so bright you can see it during daylight if you know where to look. Given Venus' proximity to the moon on
New Year's Eve, this would be an excellent moment -- just before sunset -- to use the moon to help you find
Venus and gain bragging rights for being one of the few people to be able to claim seeing more than one planet
during the daytime (Earth being the other one).

Jan 3rd :Meteor Shower:

For meteor observers, the presence of an almost-full Moon cast a bright pall on this month's performance of the Geminid Meteor Shower, normally one of the best meteor displays of the year. But for a wild card, another very good meteor shower may be right around corner. And for this one, the Moon will not play a factor at all.

So, get out your 2009 calendar and put a big circle around Saturday morning, Jan. 3.

That's the expected peak date for the Quadrantids, a notoriously unpredictable meteor display. In 2009, peak activity is due to occur in the pre-dawn hours of Jan. 3 and will strongly favor western North America. If the "Quads" reach their full potential, observers blessed with clear, dark skies could be averaging one or two meteor sightings per minute in the hour or two prior to the break of dawn.

The Quadrantid (pronounced KWA-dran-tid) meteors provides one of the most intense annual meteor displays, with a brief, sharp maximum lasting but a few hours. Adolphe Quetelet of Brussels Observatory discovered the shower in the 1830's, and shortly afterward it was noted by several other astronomers in Europe and America.

The meteors are named after the obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis the Mural or Wall Quadrant (an astronomical instrument), depicted in some 19th-century star atlases roughly midway between the end of the handle of the Big Dipper and the quadrilateral of stars marking the head of the constellation Draco. (The International Astronomical Union phased out Quadrans Muralis in 1922.)

Usually difficult to see

Unfortunately, many factors combine to make the peak of this display difficult to observe on a regular basis.

Peak intensity is exceedingly sharp: meteor rates exceed one-half of their highest value for only about 8 hours (compared to two days for the August Perseids). This means that the stream of particles that produce this shower is a narrow one – apparently derived within the last 500-years from a small comet. The parentage of the Quadrantids had long been a mystery. Then Dr. Peter Jenniskens, an astronomer at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif., noticed that the orbit of 2003 EH1 – a small asteroid discovered in March 2003 – ''falls snug in the shower.'' He believes that this 1.2 mi. (2 km.) chunk of rock is the source of the Quadrantids; possibly this asteroid is the burnt out core of the lost comet C/1490 Y1.
As viewed from mid-northern latitudes, we have to get up before dawn to see the Quadrantids at their best. This is because the radiant – that part of the sky from where the meteors to emanate – is down low on the northern horizon until about midnight, rising slowly higher as the night progresses. The growing light of dawn ends meteor observing usually by around 7 a.m. So, if the "Quads" are to be seen at all, some part of that 8-hour active period must fall between 2 and 7 a.m.
In one out of every three years, bright moonlight spoils the view.
Over northern latitudes, early January often sees inclement/unsettled weather.

It is not surprising then, that the Quadrantids are not as well-observed as some of the other annual meteor showers, but 2009 could be an exception.

Excellent prospects in 2009

According to the International Meteor Organization, maximum activity this year is expected on 4:50 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on Jan. 3. For those across the western half of the United States and Canada, the radiant will soar high in the eastern sky just prior to the onset of morning twilight. Over the eastern United States and Canada, the spike of activity is predicted to come after sunrise.

Quadrantid meteors are described as bright and bluish with long silvery trains. Some years produce a mere handful, but for favorably placed observers, an excellent meteor display may be in the offing; at greatest activity, Quadrantid rates will likely range from 30 to 60 per hour for eastern parts of the U.S. and Canada, to perhaps 60 to 120 per hour for the western United States and Canada. For those in Europe, the shower's sharp peak will likely come long after sunrise. Nonetheless, hourly rates of perhaps 15 to 30 may still be seen.

As far as the moon is concerned, it will not be a factor at all this year. It's a waxing crescent, two days from first quarter phase and will have set around 11 p.m. local time on Friday, Jan. 2, leaving the rest of the night dark for meteor watching.

  BANANA: the ultimate fruit

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. ï¿∏He said the expression "going bananas" is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!
This is interesting.
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit !!!

A neighbor raises some concerns:

 Come on guys, Enough is Enough, Spring is the perfect time to start getting out and cleaning up around our Neighborhood. Plants and grass are growing at an accelerated rate and with all the rain it is hard to maintain but we all suffer if we don't make some kind of an effort. People who pass thru see weeds and high grass and Trash building up in front of or on the the Side of our Houses and Garages and they think it is alright to throw their beer bottles, cans and  trash out too. OUR ENVIROMENT REFLECTS WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE THINK OF OURSELVES ! If  "WE DON"T CARE", it invites crime, because of the perceived lack of Unity, Attitude and Pride for ourselves and where we live.

 We all have a vested interest in our neighborhood and to each other, if we don't start showing some pride in our homes and where we live, our property values are going to drop and I guarantee we will experience more Crime and Vandalism. All you have to do is look at the Streets and Apartment buildings around us, we can make our own personal stand or submit to the growing Blight Around Us. It's "No Joke" people there is a problem and it is growing and we are helping it.  There are more and more people that don't live here driving or walking our streets at all hours of the day and night. Ask yourself what are you going to do about it. Thanks to Doug and his efforts to keep us informed and his COPS on patrol, The Arlington Police Department is understaffed and overworked, but WE are the Only Ones that can Truly make a Difference. We didn't move here because it was the only place we could find. We moved here because we liked what we saw and Wanted to Live and grow here, NOW IT IS OUR RESPOSIBILITY to keep it somewhere We All Are Proud To Live. Ask yourselves what could you do and what have you done for yourself.