The witching hour is approaching - and all my ideas have disappeared!

The problem began with the blog entry that something like 5% of the universe is visible - all the rest is missing in the form of missing matter and dark energy with energy convertable to mass according to Einstein. On October 23, just after the "witching hour" 1:06, Jens wrote "Whoever has eaten plum pudding with you at Christmas knows where you've hidden all the dark matter." And I said I would reply, just that all my notes have been witched away - although someone suggested looking in my room.

Ah, here is something, but fuzzy - maybe the warp-drive is under powered? There is a lot of red here - could it have something to do with Autumn?  Why Do Leaves Change Colour in Autumn? 
or Why Do Autumn Leaves Change Colour? 
(There is a 2:20 video here)

And then How Plants Prepare for Winter
Why would a plant use energy to make these red pigments, when the leaves
will soon fall off? Some scientists think that the anthocyanins help the
trees keep their leaves a bit longer. The pigments protect the leaves
from the sun, and lower their freezing point, giving some frost protection.
The leaves remain on the tree longer, and more of the sugars, nitrogen and
other valuable substances can be removed before the leaves fall. Another
possible reason has been proposed: when the leaves decay, the anthocyanins
seep into the ground and prevent other plant species from growing in the spring.

The picture is becoming clear - does not look like leaves, Could it be the Great Pumpkin?
(25:16 video from 1966: Its The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown) I enjoyed this but for some of you power metal heads maybe this sound track is better - and shorter at 13:18 - Helloween- Halloween
Remind me to get my video up - however, I would not be able to play the above soundtrack to it so learn the music off by heart, will you?

Of course with harvest just in one recalls the story of the Three Little Pigs

Ah, Jens! The plum puddings have not disappeared - they are hanging out with a crowd of maple syrups, waiting for the big bumpkin to visit them.

Happy Halloween,

W O B

More Memory Lanes from Wednesday

Wednesday was pretty close to being a pretty picture perfect day:

The bike road east -

The next are along Shrike Road east of the Alvar. The poles really are leaning. First our McGee Creek station looking north:

Looking south is also interesting:

Our neighbours, while we were taking measurements:

Do you agree? Nearly picture perfect.

W O B

Friday morning - coming up

I was up at 5am and thought there might be weak aurora - the leaves on the willow have come down leaving space to view the north.

This is beginning to be "white water" canoeing season.

Memories I - Down memory lane #5 and Bass Lake SR

This idea came to me last Wednesday, on our way back from a Green Belt meeting in Midhurst, on our way to McGee Creek. We detoured on Line 5 north off Old Barrie Road  -

Turning slowly right/eastward -

 Further right and up -

Whoops - time to get moving!

How about biking?

Can you imagine a gas (air is a gas) station for bicycles? Great system of off-road trails.

That was the detour - I took over 240 photos that afternoon, including dragons and butters, sparrows and turkeys - and we did some water testing. More later, maybe - it is still snowing!

W O B

Memories - II

How can I have "II" when I have not posted "I" yet? Well, I have my thoughts on this and decided to delay the first entry closer to another entry which ought to appear around Monday - in response to a comment from a friend to the previous blog on the dark universe.

This morning, right on weathernet schedule, it began to snow - not much, just enough to recall that in 2010 we had - here - 10cm snow at the beginning of November and 10C plus by the end of November. And 2 winters ago - Jan.Feb 2014 - I could ski on top of the picnic tables in the park and pretend to ski jump from the table - German joke: the bottom of a ski jump is called a "Tisch" or table -

Sorry about the rotation. - So that was Tue Feb 25, 2014.

And today?

It may be awhile before I ski - but I remember how - still !!!

W O B

The Dark Universe

The Scout Report today includes a direct link to free access supplement on

The Dark Universe

We "see" only 4.9% of what we've got.

From "The Scout Report":

5. Nature Outlook: The Dark Universe
http://www.nature.com/nature/outlook/dark-universe

The international science journal Nature routinely publishes Nature
Outlook, a supplemental series in which topics of scientific, clinical, or
societal interest are explored in depth. These Outlooks provide a
comprehensive picture of the current "state of knowledge" on the selected
theme. For instance, this Outlook from September 2016 explores the ever
elusive topic of The Dark Universe. As the authors note, "Most of the
cosmos is the dark universe, a mix of dark matter and dark energy." Readers
have access to seven articles written by science journalists and scholars
on the topic, as well as Related Articles and informative Animations. The
content here is best suited for readers with a basic understanding of
physics; if used as an educational resource, the articles and animations
may be most beneficial for college or advanced secondary students. Readers
interested in exploring more Nature Outlook topics may select the See all
supplements link at the top of the page. [CDR]

If you'd like to know how the Internet Scout team selects resources for
inclusion in the Scout Report, visit our Selection Criteria page at:
https://scout.wisc.edu/scout-report/selection-criteria

For more information on all services of Internet Scout, please
visit our Website: https://scout.wisc.edu

The Scout Report on the Web:
Current issue: https://scout.wisc.edu/report/current
This issue:
https://scout.wisc.edu/report/2016/1021

Feedback is always welcome: scout@scout.wisc.edu


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I have been a subscriber for 22 years via the "PAM" librarian association. I made an entry back on September 28 on "Cosmology" which ought to contain the same material but perhaps this presents a better access.

W O B

Lymes Disease and "arthritis"

Many of you may know that I had Lymes Disease

NATURE via Scientific American have published an interesting study of "Willy Burgdorfer's" research. It covers some microbiology and the recent developments that lead to his retirement. Similar situation to big astronomy today. 

W O B

Thunder and lightning, very very frightening

Dinning out?

Some hail on the table on the balcony.

Can you see the splashes? The last was a flash - so is the next:

Some hail but mostly large rain drops. They are washing out autumn colours:

That is streaky rain at 1/50sec, ISO 3200.

The next 2 are of the same scene - first with flash:

That is the outline of what we call the "double" tree. The next is a grey scale shot with "waterfalls" from the floors above us pouring by on the left and right sides:

The storm didn't do us any damage but apparently on CBC a roof collapsed on an Orillia building - in Collingwood! - have not been able to verify this. In another enty I'll show you what some birds were doing.

W O B