If you’ve been reading here for a while, you know that I’ve been a long-time amateur astronomer. Going back to my early childhood, I’ve had a fascination for all things up in the sky. It’s a fascination that Cait has come to share. We’ve spent many a night (and early morning) outside looking up at planets in conjunction and watching spectacular meteor showers. We’ve recently discovered this service that alerts us to cool stuff going on overhead. Check it out for yourself. It would also make a great Christmas present for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list.
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Spaceweather PHONE is an astronomy alert service from the creators of Spaceweather.com. Sign up for our service —for yourself or as a gift for someone else— and we’ll phone you when things are happening in the sky.
When auroras appear over your hometown, your phone will ring. When the space station is about to fly over your back yard, your phone will ring. When planets align … you get the idea. The voice you hear will be Dr. Tony Phillips telling you what to look for and when. Each phone call comes with a simultaneous email message, so if you miss part of your call or can’t remember the details–just check your email for the full story! |
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Spaceweather PHONE is for everyone: casual sky watchers, serious astronomers, moms, dads, students. Your account can be configured to match your interests and abilities. Spaceweather PHONE is a global service; we can phone every continent including Antarctica.
Ham radio operators use Spaceweather PHONE to learn about solar flares, radio blackouts, and space station flybys. (It’s possible to listen to radio chatter from the ISS when it flies over your hometown.) Photographers use Spaceweather PHONE to catch elusive auroras and “photo ops” involving the Moon and planets. Casual sky watchers use Spaceweather PHONE to spot new comets, planetary alignments, and meteors showers. The sky is filled with sights that are easy to see with the unaided eye. Most people miss them simply because they don’t know when to look. Spaceweather PHONE solves that problem. Sons and daughters buy it for their moms and dads. Spaceweather PHONE is a great gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas or Hanukkah. Serious astronomers value Spaceweather PHONE because it connects them to Earth-orbiting satellites via their telephone. They instantly learn when solar flares explode, when solar wind gusts sweep past Earth, when the interplanetary magnetic field tilts south. |
Very cool. Love how you and your daughter connect. : )
Okay, paint me red-faced; how did I miss that you are into astronomy? I would definitely have sent you to SpaceWeather had I picked up on it. I discovered it when I took Astro in 2004. There’s a website called “Clear Dark Sky” that helps plan night sky viewing opportunities for cloud cover and moonlight a so forth.
I have to go way out to find even remotely clear dark skies anymore and it will only get worse.
.-= Deb´s last blog ..First Week of Christmas: Light =-.
Another astronomy fan! I should have guessed… : )
I wish she was going to England, then I could visit often! I meant the University of Kentucky…..a.k.a. UK :-)
Even better! Closer to home for more frequent visits!
That is pretty darn cool!
.-= edj´s last blog ..The Unbearable Smugness of Jogging =-.
Thank you Karen, my daughter and I are going to love this. She’ll be majoring in Astro-Physics when she attends UK next Fall, so needless to say, she’s a star/planet/space geek (of the highest order!) She and I have spent many a night star gazing, but this is going to be even more fun now!
Whoa, Cindy. I want to be your daughter when I grow up! : ) Seriously, keep me posted on how she likes her studies. Where in the UK?
What I really love about this service is that you won’t get calls/emails for what’s going on in another part of the world — you only get alerts for what you can see from your backyard!
We’ve averaged about a call a week to every other week, so you’re also not overloaded with phone calls or emails. We’ve come to look at the calls as little presents. The calls come around dinner time and when we get one, Cait and I race out back to see if we can find what we’ve been alerted to.
how completely COOL!!!!! I might even suggest this for my sis-in-law to give to my brother. Wow. Really cool.
.-= Holly´s last blog ..Sunday Stills – Pets! =-.
Wow–that’s kinda cool!
.-= Meryl´s last blog ..Cozy Little Winterized Acorns =-.