Spectacular Meteor Shower and Rare Planet Alignment Coincide

Reuters – A meteor streaks past stars in the night sky over Leeberg hill in Grossmugl, some 30 km north of Vienna, …

The annual Perseid meteor shower is already putting on an excellent show, and the celestial fireworks have yet to peak. The main event is tonight. Meanwhile, a delightfully tight configuration of planets graces the evening sky.

Rarely has there been a better time to go out, look up and enjoy easy-to-watch cosmic spectacles.

Across the Northern Hemisphere, the best time to watch the Perseid meteor shower will be tonight through the pre-dawn hours local time Friday, regardless of where you live. Weather permitting, patient skywatchers could see a shooting star every minute or so.

The Perseids are always reliable and sometimes rather spectacular. Only bad weather or bright moonlight can put a damper on the event, and this year the moon — a thin crescent that will set right after the sun — is not a factor.

Astronomers are expecting the best, and skywatchers around the globe are seeing encouraging, sometimes explosive signs. Several of the Perseids’ characteristic fireballs and exploding meteors, called bolides, have been spotted.

“On Saturday night, one bolide lit up the field,” said Steve Lieber of the Astronomical Society of Long Island. “Looked like a flash going off. Saw the vapor trail for 15 to 20 seconds after that.”

Vapor trails are striking and sometimes colorful streams, looking like smoke, that can linger after particularly bright meteors. Most last just a few seconds.

“What has struck me so far about this year are not so much the overall number of meteors people have seen, but the number of reported fireball meteors,” said SPACE.com’s skywatching columnist, Joe Rao. “It seems there have been more such sightings than usual this year. Hopefully that will keep up right on through the maximum of the shower.”

Meanwhile, Venus, Mars and Saturn are clustered in the evening sky and will be joined tonight and Friday by the graceful crescent moon. Anyone with clear skies can easily spot the foursome looming above the western horizon as soon as darkness falls. It’s a great opportunity, using SPACE.com’s planet alignment map, to find and identify planets you otherwise might mistake for stars.

But wait, there’s more. In the predawn all week, Jupiter is a brilliant jewel high in the southern sky and impossible to miss — nothing nearby is even close to being as bright.

How the meteor shower works

The Perseids are bits of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which has laid down several streams of debris, each in a slightly different location, over the centuries as it orbits the sun.

Every August, Earth passes through these debris streams, which spread out over time. Most meteors are the size of sand grains, with a few as large as a pea. They vaporize as they enter Earth’s atmosphere, creating brilliant streaks across the sky.

Earth began entering the Perseid stream in late July. Over the past several nights, increasing numbers of shooting stars, including some dazzling fireballs, have been reported. Rates of around 20 per hour (3 per minute) were already being noted early Tuesday, according to the International Meteor Organization. That bodes well for a spectacular show at the peak.

The Perseids appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which rises high in the sky around midnight and is nearly overhead by dawn. As with most meteor showers, the hours between midnight and daybreak are typically the best time to watch, because that’s when the side of Earth you are on is rotating into the direction of Earth’s travels through space, so meteors are being “scooped up” by the atmosphere at higher rates, much like a car’s windshield ends the lives of more bugs than does the rear bumper.

Astronomers expect 80 meteors per hour and perhaps even more in short bursts of up to 15 minutes or so. Rates will be much lower for those in urban areas. [Top 10 Perseid Facts]

When and how to watch

But the shower’s peak, when Earth is moving through the densest part of the debris trail, favors tonight through dawn. “If skies are clear, skywatchers can expect to see dozens of meteors per hour between midnight and dawn,” according to the editors of StarDate magazine.

The best location is far from city and suburban lights. Scan as much of the sky as possible. The meteors can appear anywhere, heading in any direction. If you trace their paths backward, they’ll all point to the constellation Perseus. (Meteors that don’t point to Perseus are not part of the shower. They’re called background meteors and are the sort you can see on any August night.)

People in locations that can become chilly should dress warmer than they think necessary, to allow for prolonged viewing.

Seasoned skywatchers advise using a blanket or lounge chair for comfort, so you can lie back and look up for long periods. Allow at least 15 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness. Then expect meteors to be sporadic: You might see two in a row, or several minutes could go by between shooting stars.

“Relax, be patient and let your eyes adapt to the dark,” says Sky & Telescope editor in chief Robert Naeye. “With a little luck you’ll see a shooting star every minute or so on average.”

Avid meteor watchers may try scanning the northeastern horizon from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. local time (your local time, wherever you are) today for Perseids that graze the horizon. These earthgrazers, as they are called, are rare and remarkable.

“Earthgrazers are meteors that approach from the horizon and skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond,” says Bill Cooke of the Meteoroid Environment Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, in Huntsville, Ala. “They are long, slow and colorful – among the most beautiful of meteors.”

If you wish to spend just one stretch of time meteor-watching, set your alarm for around 3 a.m. Friday and spend an hour or two gazing skyward.

Planet spotting

While the best meteor-watching will be late night through daybreak, it’s well worth going outside just after sunset tonight and Friday. Venus is so bright in the western sky you can’t miss it, and a thin crescent moon will be just below it this evening. As darkness falls, Mars and Saturn will come into view. If you have hazy skies or live in an urban area, you may need binoculars to see Mars and Saturn.

These worlds — just points of light to the naked eye — shine by reflected sunlight, unlike stars, which make their own light. If there is turbulence in the atmosphere, you may notice the stars twinkling, but likely not the planets.

While the planets and our moon are all very far apart in space, they appear lined up this week thanks to a special circumstance of orbital mechanics. The outer planets, Mars and Saturn, take much longer to go around the sun than the inner planet Venus. Venus “laps” the outer planets frequently, and it never strays far from the sun from our vantage point.

Right now, as we look off into space in the evening, we’re seeing Venus off to one side of the sun, and Mars and Saturn behind it and well beyond the sun.

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5 signs she’s into you

Let’s be honest: Sometimes it’s tough to tell if your date’s just being nice or if she’s really into you. So if you need help sussing out your lady love’s true feelings, check out these pointers from Greg Hartley, former Army Special Forces interrogator and author of I Can Read You Like a Book: How to Spot the Messages and Emotions People Are Really Sending With Their Body Language. Who knew your date’s smile, complexion and even where she places her handbag can reveal whether she considers you friend or boyfriend material? Read on!

Five signs your date is into you…

1. She tilts her head
“When a woman sees and feels especially comfortable with a man, she will tilt her head,” Hartley says. A tilt in any direction — right, left or down — are all signs that she’s interested in getting to know you better — say, over another date.

2. She takes a sip when you take a sip
When a woman is drawn to a guy, she’ll instinctively mirror his actions, Hartley says. While men do this, too, women are more likely than men to first begin the copying. What should you look for? “You might notice she will shift her body in the same direction as yours or take your lead for behavioral changes like, picking up a glass to drink or blinking her eyes repeatedly if you’re doing so,” he suggests. If you want to test her, lean forward and see if she comes closer, too.

3. She twirls her hair
Since the beginning of time, a woman’s hair has been celebrated as a symbol of her beauty and power. And it’s true today, says Hartley: If your date begins twirling or playing with her hair while talking to you, it is a good sign she’s into you and subconsciously trying to attract you.

4. She gets a glow
While blushing often means embarrassment, don’t assume that her rosy cheeks are an indication of discomfort. When a woman is attracted to someone, blood flows to her face, causing her cheeks to get redder, Hartley explains. And if your date is smitten, he adds, her lips and even eyelids will get fuller, too.

5. Her pupils dilate
While your gaze is fixed on her, pay particular attention to her pupils, advises Hartley. “When a woman is attracted to a man, her pupils will dilate,” he notes. “Essentially, the body does this in order to allow itself to take in more of a good thing.”

…and five signs your date is not into you

1. She crosses her arms
Did she assume the angry librarian stance? “When a woman on a date places her hands in front of her body — especially if they are crossed — she is closing herself off from the man,” Hartley notes. If you get this red flag, you don’t stand a chance… and she wants you to know it. “Men are not nearly as perceptive as women, so even if she’s not consciously aware of it, a woman knows her body language needs to be very loud,” Hartley explains. “In this instance, that body language reads loud and clear.”

2. She places her bag between you two
“When I ask male friends how a blind date went, step-by-step, and they say‘she put her bag on the table,’ I always know that’s a bad sign,” Hartley says. If your date places her purse — a real and physical barrier — between the two of you, she’s showing she wants to create distance, he says. Not a good sign.

3. She speaks faster than an auctioneer
So she seems to love talking to you? Before you start celebrating, note the speed of her small talk. “Romantic conversation does not occur at the same speed as business conversation,” Hartley says. “Conversation between two people who are attracted typically slows to about three-quarter speed and softens in tone. In fact, most emotional conversation — with the exception of when it is very hostile — is at a slowed cadence.” That said, she may be nervous early in your first date, and her nerves can cause her to spit her sentences out in rapid-fire succession. But if by the end of the evening she’s still going at a rapid rate, consider it a clue that she just wants to be friends at best.

4. She offers you a chin-up smile
Though it’s tempting to interpret any old smile as a sign of interest, all smiles are not created equal. Smiles can say a lot: “I’m polite,” “I’m crazy about you,” and, believe it or not, “I can’t stand you.” The secret to decoding what her smile really means? It’s all in the chin placement. A woman who gives you a relaxed, chin-down “soft smile” is smitten and wants you to dig her back, Hartley explains. A full-on toothpaste grin or stiff and polite smile — both of which generally involve the chin raised up — mean either, “I like you as a friend” or “I wanna get out of here!”

5. She strokes her neck
If your date’s telling you she agrees that you should get together again, that’s a good sign, right? Maybe, says Hartley. “Her body language may be the key to the real truth,” he says. “If a woman is gently stroking her neck when telling you this, it may be a sign that she’s interested, but it is also known to be a sign of lying.” To figure out which message she’s sending, consider the aforementioned “she’s not into you” signals. If she’s also giving you the raised-chin smile and speaking to you over a giant purse, you may want to move on to your next prospect.

Restored Da Vinci painting reveals hidden details

 LONDON – A restoration project for Leonardo da Vinci’s “Virgin of the Rocks” has revealed new details and suggest the Renaissance artist may have painted all the picture himself, instead of with his assistants as previously thought, a British gallery said Wednesday.

The 18-month conservation project involved removing much of some badly degraded varnish that was applied to the painting in the late 1940s, enabling experts to take a much closer look at the picture’s brush strokes and styles, the National Gallery said.

The cleaning revealed the painting’s full tonal range, especially in the darker areas, and resulted in a clearer sense of how the artist intended for space to recede through the rocky landscape, the gallery said.

It also affirmed that Leonardo likely painted the entire picture himself and intended for it to be unfinished.

The restored painting showed a range of completion from the barely sketched hand of the angel to the fully realized heads of the main figures — consistent with many of Leonardo’s works. The Italian artist, said to be the “eternal perfectionist,” is thought to have left his pictures unfinished because he wished to return to them later, gallery spokesman Thomas Almeroth-Williams said.

In the past, scholars believed the different levels of finish in “Virgin of the Rocks” showed that Leonardo was helped by assistants.

The painting dates from about 1491 to 1508 and is a later version of one on display in the Louvre in Paris.

The latest cleaning project followed years of scrutiny of the masterpiece.

In 2005, experts using infrared technology found two drawings hidden beneath the surface of the picture — one design was never painted, and the second one revealed Leonardo changed his mind about the subject several times.

6 essentials for your soul mate

What do you want in a soul mate?
To date successfully and manage your relationships effectively, you must have a clear vision of yourself and others. One popular method to define that vision is to create a list of the qualities you want in a soul mate — a list that gives you a perfect guideline to use for your own self-inventory.

1. Values. You want someone you can believe in, someone you can trust. Can you count on him to do what he says? Can you trust her to do what’s right and always be there? What about you? These shared values form the basis of a lasting relationship.

2. Emotional health and maturity. To have a lasting relationship, it’s important for both people to be emotionally healthy and mature. Does he have a positive attitude? Does she like herself? What about you? When you and your mate are at peace with yourselves, you won’t need others to make you happy.

3. Financial responsibility. No, money can’t buy love, but you’d be amazed how much trouble financial irresponsibility can cause. Does his career provide a lifestyle you’re comfortable with? Does she handle her money wisely? What about you? Think about this one carefully.

4. Physical appearance and fitness. We all want someone to whom we’re physically attracted, and we want someone to be physically attracted in return. Does she take time to care for her appearance? Does he eat and exercise to stay fit? What about you? Remember that first impressions count!

5. Communication skills. Lasting partnerships depend on open communication that allows both people to share their thoughts, concerns and dreams. Is she assertive in communicating her thoughts? Does he shrink from confrontation? What about you? You want someone who’s willing to develop good listening and communication skills.

6. Confidence. Confident people radiate a glow that inevitably attracts us. Does he have strong self-esteem? Has she taken responsibility for her own life? Even the most tender of partners should bring strength to a relationship.

One of the quickest and surest ways to find your match is to become your own best friend and soul mate. Mirror, mirror on the wall… When the image clears, shouldn’t the reflection be yours?

Wake Up, Save Your Life

“Guy walks into a doctor’s office…”

That’s not the start of a joke—that is the joke. Men don’t go to doctors unless they’re in serious pain or really spooked about something. We have our reasons, as squishy as they may be. In a 2007 American Academy of Family Physicians survey, 58 percent of men cited specific factors, such as lack of time, lack of insurance, and lack of extreme symptoms, as reasons for avoiding physicians. But another 6 percent actually gave the grown-up equivalent of “the dog ate my homework,” saying “something else” always prevents them from going. (Learn the seven pains you should never ignore.)

The head-in-the-sand approach isn’t much of a health-maintenance strategy. Sure, a number of miscellaneous ailments resolve themselves without medical attention. But denial can also leave you dead. A smarter move: Regularly assess your health with a few morning inspections that are easy and accurate. They aren’t replacements for routine doctor visits—our legal department wants that made clear—but these DIY checkups can help you sort the trivial from the troubling.

Check for…
Gums of horror

What’s the big deal? Any redness, inflammation, or bleeding of your gums might be due to gingivitis, a condition that can progress to periodontal disease. This, in turn, is linked to heart disease—the number one killer of men. How? The bacteria from periodontal disease enter your bloodstream, potentially causing inflammation elsewhere in your body, including your heart. The result: atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. What’s more, periodontal disease can signal diabetes. “Blood vessels deliver oxygen and nourishment to body tissues and carry away the tissues’ waste products,” says Robert Pick, D.D.S., a gum specialist at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “Diabetes causes blood vessels to thicken, which slows the flow of nutrients and the removal of harmful wastes. This can weaken the gum tissue’s resistance to infection.”

Does chewing gum actually kill bacteria? Uncover the truth about five medical marketing claims.

Gums that are salmon-pink in light-skinned people, or a bit darker in dark-skinned people, indicate that your mouth is healthy and bacteria are in check, says Dr. Pick. But if your gums are red and swollen, and they bleed after brushing, you may have gum disease—or worse. Begin daily flossing, and see your dentist for an intense, below-the-gumline cleaning and application of antibiotics.

Check again in: 1 week

Check for…
Clogged nasal passages

What’s the big deal? Take a deep breath. Did you inhale through your nose, or through your mouth? If it was your mouth, then your nasal passages may be obstructed, probably due to allergic rhinitis, the symptoms of which can include sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and general stuffiness. Or if those symptoms accompany coughing and wheezing, you might have asthma. “Asthma can permanently reduce lung function if it’s not treated quickly,” says Bradley Marple, M.D., a rhinologist at the University of Texas Southwestern medical center. Clogged nasal passages can also contribute to sleep apnea, a condition that’s usually also accompanied by snoring and about 20 pounds of extra body weight. Consult a physician right away if you have all three symptoms. (Discover 12 ways to beat the worst health problems.)

To flush out the allergens, pollutants, and mucus that either cause or worsen congestion, try a nasal lavage before bed. Mix ¼ teaspoon of salt into 2 cups of warm water, and fill a bulb syringe with the solution. Bend over a sink, cock your head to one side, and insert the tip of the syringe no more than a half inch into one of your nostrils. Squeeze the bulb until all the saline solution has run out through the other nostril. Repeat on the other side. (Not good with recipes? Try Simply Saline, an OTC saline solution with a built-in applicator.)

Check again in: 1 week

Check for…
Runaway heart rate

What’s the big deal? Your resting heart rate (RHR) indicates how hard your heart is working to pump blood. It’s not only a good indicator of your overall fitness, but it can also signal diabetes or heart disease if it’s high. In fact, Italian researchers found that having an RHR above 70 beats per minute (bpm) increases your risk of dying of heart disease by at least 78 percent

To check your resting heart rate, pee first; a full bladder may elevate your heart rate. Then sit for a minute or two before taking your pulse at either your neck or your wrist. Count the number of times your heart beats in 15 seconds, and then multiply that number by 4 for your bpm. As a rule, 40 to 60 bpm indicates a high level of cardiovascular fitness, notes Adam St. Pierre, M.S., an exercise physiologist at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. “A regular cardio exercise program should knock a beat or twoyou’re your heart rate within 2 to 8 weeks,” he says.

Check again in: 1 week

Check for…
The wrong kind of belly

What’s the big deal? Men gain weight around their middles, and studies have shown that deeply seated abdominal fat (called visceral fat) bumps up your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer.

Unlike the fat that resides just under the skin, visceral fat collects deep within your abdomen, filling the spaces between your organs and increasing the risk of inflammation throughout your body. Worse, it can lead to insulin resistance, which forces your pancreas to boost insulin production in order to clear your bloodstream of glucose, says Michael Jensen, M.D., a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist. (Insulin resistance is a precursor to diabetes.)

Your belly is bulging from visceral fat if you can’t pinch or grab a fold. Have some belly to burn off? Step 1: Watch what you eat. (Munch on these 15 fired-up foods that burn away the pounds.) To figure out how much you should be taking in, simply multiply your target body weight by 11. That’s your daily calorie allotment. Then make sure you’re burning about 2,000 calories a week through exercise. In a Duke University study, that amount of activity reduced visceral fat stores by 7 percent.

Check again in: 1 week

Check for…
Moles behaving badly

What’s the big deal? Most men diagnosed with melanoma—usually after age 40—have had it for some time and either ignored the signs or simply didn’t notice them. Melanoma in a guy is typically found on his head, neck, or upper back, so it’s tough to spot and catch early.

“After your shower, scan your skin for anything that looks unusual,” says Linda K. Franks, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University. Specifically, check for the ABCDE’s of mole surveillance: asymmetry, borders (blurry or jagged edges), color (black or multihued), diameter (more than a quarter inch across, or growing), and evolving (changing size or shape). If you note any alarming marks, have your dermatologist eyeball them and perform a biopsy if necessary.

Of course, the best way to beat melanoma is to prevent it, so use sunblock as well. Dr. Franks recommends Olay Complete SPF 30 Defense, a nongreasy lotion that provides UVA and UVB protection and also includes a moisturizer.

Check again in: 1 month

Check for…
Stiff muscles

What’s the big deal? Poor flexibility in your upper back can predispose you to lower-back pain and injury. If you sit at a desk for long hours without moving, or if you’re doing a lot of lifting to build your chest muscles but not stretching them out and not strengthening your upper back, your shoulders and neck will hunch forward, notes trainer Bill Hartman, P.T., C.S.C.S. This will limit your upper-back mobility, causing you to overuse your lower back and leading to pain and discomfort.

Stay limber with a pec stretch. Stand in a doorway with your right forearm and palm resting fully on the jamb, and your arm bent 90 degrees. Now lean into the doorway and away from your arm until you feel the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat with your left arm. Follow this with your favorite barbell row, dumbbell row, or cable row for 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps to balance your pushes. (Try these 10 ways to beat back pain for good.)

Check again in: 2 weeks

Check for…
Lousy memory

What’s the big deal? Can’t recall where you just placed your socks? You’re probably stressed out. The stress hormone cortisol temporarily short-circuits memory.

Check your memory—and improve it—with an “N-back” exercise in the morning. Pick a word, such as “economy,” while you’re watching the morning news. Every time someone says the word, come up with the word that person said two (or five) words before it. “This exercise can evaluate how much you can deal with mentally at one time, and then boost it,” says Bridgid Finn, Ph.D., a research scientist at the Memory Lab at Washington University in St. Louis. Then consider going for a run. Cardiovascular exercise shunts extra oxygen to your brain, boosting your mental acuity in general. In fact, a recent Duke University review of studies found that cardio work improves attention, brain-processing speed, and memory. It’ll help bust that stress, too.

Check again in: 1 week

EN2010 manila

The Story of Amazing Grace

EN2010!Born again delegates sing Amazing Grace in 50 languages

Born again delegates of Christian Victory Fellowship sing Amazing Grace in 50 different languages during a gathering at the SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia in Pasay City yesterday. By JONJON VICENCIO

| Zoom

MANILA, Philippines -  About 18,000 “born again” delegates of Christian Victory Fellowship took part yesterday in a historic attempt to make a Guinness World Record for “The Most Languages Performed in a Song by Multiple Singers.”

Led by Hillsong worship leader Darlene Zschech, delegates from all over the world sang “Amazing Grace” simultaenously in 50 different languages, including Tagalog, Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin, Cherokee Indian, and Arabic.

Real Life Foundation executive director Lynn Nawata said Victory holds world conferences every three years. 

For its fourth gathering this year, she said they wanted to make it “meaningful, memorable, and fun.”

Nawata said they chose an attempt for a Guinness record because “how many people can actually say they participated in making world history?”

“First we thought what if we attempt to make a record on the most number of bubbles blown? But how will that make the event meaningful?”

She said one reason they chose Amazing Grace is because “it is one of the most loved Christian songs and one of the most translated songs in the world.”

A delegate from Nepal, Umesh Chemjong, said he was “very proud” to be part of a historic event that is dedicated to God.

“It’s awesome that people from countries all over the world are here enjoying for the Lord Jesus Christ,” Chemjong told The STAR.

Executive organizer Pastos Julius Fabregas said he was also elated by the crowd turnout since they have been preparing for the event since October last year.

“This is for the greater glory of the Lord,” Fabregas said as he clarified that the event was not created to attract members.

Of the nearly 20,000 delegates, 2,500 are from foreign countries, including those from nations that ban Christianity, he said.

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