Tonight we welcome a special guest – Bob Lunsford of the American Meteor Society, on the occasion of their centenary!  Bob talks about observing, recording, and submitting your meteor observations.

Also discussed tonight:

• 2 drawings of Jupiter made on Sunday night.GRS (1st observed by Robert Hooke) contains some lovely subtle colours. twitpic.com/7evqrh
• http://britastro.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2005yu55_20111109_mpmA.jpg
• New Evidence for Liquid Water on Europa http://tinyurl.com/7jwksg6 #NASA #Jupiter #Europa #Galileoprobe #HAL9000 #Spacetweeps

On Space Pirate Radio tonight Marty and Diane discuss:

• The latest meteor showers
• Is there a Nemesis star lurking as the edge of the solar system?
• The Moon, planets and a giant sunspot
• Spotting asteroid 2005 Yu55
• The Chinese space station Tiangong (“Heavenly Palace”)

The Messier Catalog Credit: SEDS

Listen as Sky Guides Jeff Setzer, Becca Setzer and very special guest Sky Guide Marleen Bryan recap our first ever live all night digital Messier Marathon and discuss the wonderful company that made it all possible…

 Global Rent A Scope

Tonight – “Nebiru”.

This program was originally broadcast on May 24th, 2010.

Every week join “First*Light”! for a look at news from the intersection of science & society! “First*Light!” originates from the studios of Michigan public broadcasting’s WNMC/FM+TV. It airs each Friday LIVE at 7:20am (U.S. Eastern time), and repeats on Astronomy.FM every Saturday / Sunday (see our broadcast schedule for times). “First*Light!” is hosted by David Gault, Eric Hines, and Michael Foerster.

ANNIVERSARY: 100th anniversary of the race to the South Pole

1-  The World Ends Today (yet again)

2-  On Halloween – World population nears 7 billion: Can we handle it?
Western Europe, Japan and Russia fret over low birth rates while Africa’s population soars

TECH
3-  Get hacked, don’t tell: U.S. drone base didn’t report virus

4-  Old German satellite hurtles toward Earth

5-  Launch of EU’s Galileo system set for Friday
Officials hope it will kick off trans-Atlantic competition with America’s GPS network

6-  Western Digital extends suspension of operations in Thailand
Watch out for world-wide shortage of hard drives

7-  Ohio exotic animal farm tragedy….
owner of exotic animals was deep in debt
Sheriff says an animal bit the owner after he shot himself
Detroit Zoo chief opposes change to state’s exotic animal law

TEEN SCI+TECH
8-  Teens’ IQs can go up and down

9-  California bans use of tanning beds by minors

10- Your cellphone isn’t giving you cancer, largest study assures

11- ‘Natural’ diet pills tainted with banned prescription drug

12-  Under Grand Traverse Skies:
~ From Halley’s comet – Orionid meteor shower this weekend
~ The Sun has been busy!

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2011/21oct11/hmi4096_blank.jpg?PHPSESSID=np9olfe0bel7t4s75502172og2

~ Watch for Northern Lights this weekend
~ The Moon, just past last quarter, shines near Regulus below Mars before and during dawn Saturday morning
Grand Traverse Astronomical Society:  Tonight – Our final Star Party of the year at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive Stop #3 from 7 to 9 p.m.

WEIRD SCIENCE!
13-  British taxi driver mummified like Egypt’s pharaohs
Wife supported plan: ‘I’m the only woman in the country who’s got a mummy for a husband’

The Event^Horizon!

This week on the Horizon ~ ASTRONOMY DAY, with our special guest is Rickey Ainsworth, Assistant Astronomy Day Coordinator for the Astronomical League.  Ainsworth is the Manager of the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium (Grand Rapids Public Museum, Michigan USA).  Rickey joins Marty and Nick in exploring Astronomy Day around the world!

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Story #2:  The Space Shuttle Endeavour will not launch for Mother’s Day.  When will the penultimate Shuttle flight get off the pad?

Story #3:  Get out and look up!  Aurora as well as a planetary conjunction.
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