Total Solar Eclipse of 2008 August 01

On Friday, 2008 August 01, a total eclipse of the Sun is visible from within a narrow corridor that traverses half the Earth. The path of the Moon's umbral shadow begins in Canada and extends across northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia, Mongolia, and China. A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes northeastern North America, most of Europe and Asia.

Pre-quake changes seen in rocks

Scientists have made an important advance in their efforts to predict earthquakes, the journal Nature says.

A team of US researchers has detected stress-induced changes in rocks that occurred hours before two small tremors in California's San Andreas Fault.

The observations used sensors lowered down holes drilled into the quake zone.

The team says we are a long way from routine tremor forecasts but the latest findings hold out hope that such services might be possible one day.

"If you had 10 hours' warning, from a practical point of view, you could evacuate populations, you could certainly get people out of buildings, you could get the fire department ready," said co-author Paul Silver of the Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington.

Chile on 'red alert' after massive volcanic eruption

Mount St. Helens back to 'normal'

Alaskan volcano found to spew lethal acid brew

Hawaiian volcano spewing more lava than usual

VOLCANO, Hawaii (AP) — More lava than usual is spilling from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano into the ocean.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said Saturday that the lava is emerging near the Pacific on the southeastern side of the Big Island.
People can see the lava from a viewing area a few hundred feet away.
Kilauea has been erupting for 25 years.

Penguin in a coal mine? Woes signal sea trouble

Costa Rica's volcano remains active in lush land

Seasonal Factor Seen in Melting and Ice Shifts in Greenland

Cosmic blasts may throw out plasma 'cannonballs'

First Measurements Of The Solar Wind Termination Shock By Voyager 2 Spacecraft

First Underwater Neutrino Telescope Has Been Constructed

Earth's Core, Magnetic Field Changing Fast, Study Says

Kimberly Johnson for National Geographic News

June 30, 2008

Rapid changes in the churning movement of Earth's liquid outer core are weakening the magnetic field in some regions of the planet's surface, a new study says. "What is so surprising is that rapid, almost sudden, changes take place in the Earth's magnetic field," said study co-author Nils Olsen, a geophysicist at the Danish National Space Center in Copenhagen. The findings suggest similarly quick changes are simultaneously occurring in the liquid metal, 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers) below the surface, he said. The swirling flow of molten iron and nickel around Earth's solid center triggers an electrical current, which generates the planet's magnetic field.

Chile decrees red alert for volcano eruption

SANTIAGO, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The Chilean regional authorities Wednesday issued a red alert near the erupting volcano Llaima.
The National Bureau of Emergency (Onemi) said the measure includes the creation of a cordoned zone to protect residents from the 50-meter wide lava flow visible from Cherquenco, some 12 km from the volcano.
The volcano erupted Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of 25 people.

Chile's Llaima volcano erupts 650 kms south of Santiago; nearby villages safe

Scientists fear more eruptions on New Zealand's Mt Ruapehu

International Experts To Monitor Costa Rica's Volcanic Activity

Israel authorities warn hospitals to prepare for earthquake

China quake was very unusual, could only happen once every 2,000-10,000 years, say US scientists

Exploding Asteroid Theory Strengthened By New Evidence Located In Ohio, Indiana

'Doomsday' Collider Elicits Controversy, Lawsuit

Comet Boattini Now Visible In Northern Hemisphere

Have You Seen Comet Boattini?

A week after perihelion, Comet C/2007 W1 Boattini should now be visible in the dawn sky by observers in the Northern Hemisphere. Preliminary results on Seiichi Yoshida's website indicate that it's now roughly magnitude 5.5 — still near its peak brightness.



So early July is the best time for northerners to see this comet — assuming that your're fanatical enough to get up at 3 or 4 a.m. Few people are likely to see the comet without optical aid, but it should be pretty easy to spot through binoculars as long as your light pollution isn't too bad. Click here to download a detailed chart.