News Update

To add insult to injury, not only are the skies cloudy, but it is snowing.  The forecast is that it will end by noon, but I'm not hopeful as I look outside; it seems pretty settled-in to me. 

There are a couple of news items worth mentioning.   Those of you who follow astronomical news will be aware of the disappearing belt on Jupiter.  The South Equatorial Belt (SEB) went missing about a year ago.  Amateur Wayne Jaeschke is tracking a significant disturbance in the planet's atmosphere that seems to presage the return of the belt.  Stretching almost halfway around the planet, the disturbance has grown significantly since it was first detected in October of this year.  It is easily visible in most amateur scopes, and amateurs are encouraged to monitor the belt's possible return.

Late yesterday (Nov. 30), the sun produced a B-class flare with associated coronal mass ejection (CME).  It's too early to say if the CME is headed our way, but we might be in for some high-latitude aurora.  More details as they become available.

So keep your eyes on the sky.  Hopefully, you'll get chance to take a look at Jupiter.  I'll keep watching the snow...