T minus 00-02-30-00

Still 2h30m to go for lift off for the Orbital ATK Antares rocket. This rocket will be launched from the launchpad in Virginia and will bring Spacecraft Cygnus into space in order to resupply the International Space Station ISS. See the launch live on NASA TV

Collage

Iridescence clouds

Cirrus clouds are responsible for the diffraction of light from the sun (reflected this evening by the moon) resulting in colored clouds.

Sundogs

High clouds are responsible for some nice Sun dogs.

Weather Summary Oktober 2017

Oktober 2017 was warmer then average (+2°C) and rainfall was lower then average (-50l/m2). Rainfall was very low, but we had every two days rainfall. Temperatures did not drop below 0°C. This Oktober 2017 is comparable with Oktober 2014. 

My Boarding Pass to Mars

I just signed up for a trip to Mars. When the Mars Lander InSight (Interior Explorations using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) in November 2018 will land on Mars; it will carry hundreds of thousands of names on a small silicon microchip, including my name :)

The InSight mission will seek to understand the evolutionary formation of rocky planets, including Earth, by investigating the interior structure and processes of Mars. InSight will also investigate the dynamics of Martian tectonic activity and meteorite impacts, which could offer clues about such phenomena on Earth.

Do you want to be onboard? See this NASA link.

Meteor Shower tomorrow morning - Orionids

Earth will enter the stream of debris from Halley's Comet which will be seen as meteors. Best moment to observe these "fireballs" is tomorrow morning October 22. Scientist predict about 20 meteors per hour. I looks like these meteors appear from the constellation Orion, for that these meteors are called Orionids.