Winter Solstice: December 21st in Northern Hemisphere

December 21 Marks The Beginning Of Winter In The Northern Hemisphere

• The astronomical start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on December 21, 2024
• The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year
• Residents of the Southern Hemisphere celebrate the summer solstice on the same day, enjoying the longest day and shortest night of 2024
• Earth's seasons are a result of its orbit around the Sun and the 23.5-degree tilt of its axis
• During the December solstice, the Northern Hemisphere tilts farthest from the Sun, receiving less sunlight
• The Southern Hemisphere leans toward the Sun during the December solstice, basking in its warmth
• Ancient cultures considered the winter solstice very significant, marking the Sun's "rebirth" with elaborate rituals
• Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, was built for solstice ceremonies, designed to align with the Sun's movement during solstices
• Hundreds gather at Stonehenge every year on the winter solstice to commemorate Yule, one of the oldest solstice celebrations
• Newgrange in Boyne Valley, Ireland, is a 5,200-year-old stone structure designed to receive a beam of light into its central chamber at sunrise during the five days surrounding the winter solstice
• The light illuminates intricate carvings inside Newgrange for about 17 minutes
• Dawn admission to Newgrange's chamber from December 19th to 23rd is limited to a few dozen people selected by lottery
• Visitors without tickets can enter Newgrange in groups of 20 after the lottery entrants are done
• Many cities in the United States have started their own winter solstice traditions
• In San Francisco, California, residents celebrate with a bonfire on Ocean Beach
• In Anchorage, Alaska, people enjoy the over-18-hour-long night with activities like sleigh riding, ice lantern hiking, and viewing the shimmering northern lights

Can Life Exist On An Icy Moon? NASA's Latest Mission Aims To Find Out!

• NASA's mission is searching for life on Europa, Jupiter's fourth largest moon
• The Europa Clipper spacecraft launched on October 14, 2024, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida
• One hour and 10 minutes after launch, NASA confirmed the spacecraft successfully entered orbit
• The Europa Clipper then deployed its massive solar arrays to power itself throughout its journey
• According to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, it represents "the first journey to an ocean world beyond Earth."
• Europa is considered a top candidate for alien life with liquid water, energy, and the right chemical elements
• Scientists believe a large saltwater ocean is under Europa's icy crust, containing twice as much water as Earth's oceans
• The icy moon's energy source comes from Jupiter's gravity, creating heat that prevents Europa's underground ocean from freezing and potentially supporting life
• Europa's surface may have essential elements like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, creating conditions that support microbial life
• Jupiter is about 480 million miles (772 million km) from Earth
• Europa Clipper will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.8 billion km) over 5.5 years to reach Europa
• The spacecraft needs to use "gravity assist" maneuvers to gain speed
• For its first boost, Europa Clipper will fly past Mars in February 2025
• In December 2025, it will swing by Earth for a final push, putting it on course for Europa
• Europa Clipper will enter Jupiter's orbit in April 2030
• It will spend approximately one year preparing for its first flyby of the moon
• Over the next three years, it will fly over Europa 49 times, mapping the entire moon
• It will get as close as 16 miles (25 km) to its surface
• Data collected by the Europa Clipper's nine instruments will help scientists estimate the thickness of Europa's icy shell and better understand the ocean
• NASA asserts that the mission's goal is to determine potential areas below the icy moon's surface supporting life, not search directly for life
• Once the mission is complete, the massive spacecraft will deliberately crash into the surface of Ganymede
• Ganymede is Jupiter's largest moon and the biggest moon in our solar system
• Exploring Europa will help better understand the potential for life beyond Earth

Metal Detectorists Unearth Ancient Silver Coins Worth Millions

• In January 2019, Adam Staples and his friends discovered a trove of silver coins in Chew Valley, Somerset, England, using a metal detector
• The find, now called the Chew Valley Hoard, consists of 2,584 silver pennies dating back to the 11th century
• The South West Heritage Trust purchased the coins for $5.5 million on October 23, 2024
• Staples and his friends will receive half the money, about $400,000 each + the landowner will receive the other half
• The coins, dating from 1066 to 1068, are believed to have been minted at 46 different locations in England
• The coins represent a significant turning point in English history, following the Norman Conquest of 1066
• The coins mark the defeat and death of King Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon king, at the hands of William I
• Roughly half of the coins bear King Harold's image, while the other half feature William I, who ruled England until 1087
• Some of the coins are cut in half, a practice used to create smaller units of money in ancient times
• The Chew Valley Hoard will tour museums across the UK, beginning with the British Museum in London in November 2024
• The coins will then be permanently housed at the South West Museum of Somerset

November's Beaver Moon Will Be This Year's Last Supermoon

• The full moon on November 15, 2024, promised to be spectacular as the last of four consecutive supermoons
• It follows August's Blue Moon, September's Harvest Moon, and October's Hunter Moon
• The next supermoon will not occur until October 7, 2025
• Supermoons are up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than the average full moon
• They occur when the full moon coincides with the lunar perigee, the Moon's closest point to Earth in orbit
• On November 15, 2024, the Moon was about 224,853 miles (361,866 km) from Earth, a few thousand miles farther than the November 2016 supermoon at 221,524 miles (356,508 km)
• The distance between the Moon and Earth varies due to the Moon's elliptical orbit
• The farthest point in this orbit is the apogee, placing the Moon about 253,000 miles (407,164 km) from Earth
• In contrast, at perigee, the Moon's distance from Earth is on average 226,000 miles (363,711 km)
• The November full moon is often called the Beaver Moon
• The Old Farmer's Almanac states that beavers take shelter in their lodges for the long winter ahead
• During North America's fur trade era, it was the season to trap the animals for their thick, winter-ready coats
• Other names for the November full moon include the Frost Moon, the Freezing Moon, and the Digging Moon
• Some people believe that a supermoon's proximity to Earth can cause earthquakes or tidal waves
• Scientists have found no evidence to support this claim
• Taking advantage of the rare opportunity to capture photographs and reflect on Earth is encouraged

Student-Built Rocket Breaks 20-Year-Old Amateur Space Altitude Record

• A rocket built by USC's Rocket Propulsion Lab (RPL) broke a 20-year record
• Aftershock II, launched on October 20, 2024, from Nevada's Black Rock Desert, reached an altitude of 470,000 feet (143.3 km)
• This exceeded the previous amateur rocket altitude record of 380,000 feet (115.8 km) set by the Civilian Space eXploration Teamʼs GoFast rocket in 2004 by 90,000 feet (27.4 km)
• The 14 feet (4 m) tall Aftershock II broke the sound barrier within two seconds of launch
• It reached a maximum speed of 3,600 mph (5,800 km/h) – 5.5 times the speed of sound – 19 seconds after launch
• Its engine burned out shortly after launch
• Aftershock II left Earth's atmosphere in about 85 seconds after launch and reached its peak altitude in 92 seconds
• The rocket's nose cone detached and deployed its parachute for a safe landing in the desert and student scientists retrieved it
• Aftershock II's success can largely be credited to technological innovations developed by the 100-person team at RPL
• The rocket's titanium-coated fins and a new heat-resistant paint enabled it to endure the extreme temperatures generated at high speeds
• Student-designed computer systems allowed real-time tracking of the rocket's position and sent back live data throughout the flight
• RPL, founded in 2005, created the Traveler IV rocket that became the first student-built rocket to cross the Kármán line in 2019
• The Kármán imaginary line, 328,083 feet (100 km) above Earth's surface, marks the internationally recognized edge of space
• RPL's next goal is to focus on developing "sounding" rockets, vehicles designed to carry scientific instruments into space for research purposes
• 470,000 feet is just shy of the limit for amateur rocketry, which is 490,000 feet

World's First Wooden Satellite Launched Into Space

• LignoSat, the world’s first satellite made mostly from wood, reached the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX cargo capsule on November 5, 2024
• The palm-sized satellite, named after the Latin word for “wood," will be launched from the ISS into Earth’s orbit later this month
• Its mission is to determine if wood can withstand the harsh conditions of space
• If successful, LignoSat could pave the way for more environmentally friendly spacecraft designs
• The LignoSat Space Wood Project is a collaboration between Japan's Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry
• The researchers began by sending a small panel containing three different wood samples to the ISS in 2022
• The panel was exposed to space for ten months before being returned to Earth in early 2023
• After analyzing the results, the team picked wood from magnolia trees for the satellite
• The main reason for testing a wooden satellite is to reduce space junk
• Current satellites are primarily made of aluminum
• Aluminum reacts with oxygen when the satellites burn up and creates aluminum oxide particles, potentially damaging the ozone layer
• Wooden satellites, which leave behind only water and carbon dioxide, could help alleviate this issue
• LignoSat will orbit Earth for six months, gathering valuable data
• Murata and his team aim to use this information to design larger and more advanced wooden satellites and devices
• Researchers also see a future where trees could be grown on the Moon and Mars
• Successfully testing a wooden satellite would demonstrate that wood can withstand harsh space conditions

Millions Of Bats Gather In Largest Mammal Migration On Earth

• The world’s largest mammal migration occurs in Kasanka National Park in Zambia, Africa
• Millions of straw-colored fruit bats from across Africa converge on this evergreen swamp forest from October to December annually
• They spend their nights feasting on wild fruits in the surrounding farmlands and their days resting in the forest
• The bat activity continues daily until January when the bats disperse
• The annual event involves about 12 million fruit bats creating a living cloud that stretches across the horizon
• The smallest of 20 national parks in Zambia attracts millions of bats annually for reasons that researchers are unsure of
• The bats breeding location are in other african countries like Mozambique and Tanzania
• Dr. Teague O'Mara, of Bat Conservation International, believes the bats are drawn to the area for its abundant food sources
• Researchers are unsure why the bats only visit Kasanka for three months each year, given the year-round availability of fruit
• The bats' migration routes and habits also remain a mystery with tracking devices that fail to have batteries lasting an entire year
• Kasanka and the bat locations, when sighted has an ecological importance and its ecological importance is undeniable
• As they fly, these mammals disperse fruit seeds across miles of land, helping to maintain the health and diversity of many ecosystem
• Straw-colored fruit bats are larger than most bat species, with a wingspan that can reach up to 30 inches (76 cm) and they form colonies in the millions where seed disperal is effective
• These animal communities face threats from habitat loss and hunting
• A decline in the bat population could impact both wildlife and human communities that depend on the seeds the bats disperse, highlighting the need for conservation efforts

From Orphans To Soulmates — The Heartwarming Tale Of Two Amur Tigers

• Boris and Svetlaya, a pair of rescued Amur tigers in Siberia, Russia, reunited as mates after being separated for over a year and more than 100 miles apart
• Fate brought them together and their love story began in 2014 when they were just cubs
• The unrelated orphans were rescued and taken to the same conservation center in Siberia between 3 and 5 months old
• Here, the cubs were raised with minimal human contact and in an environment that resembled the wild
• They were given live prey, like rabbits and pheasants, to help develop their hunting instincts
• At 18 months old, they were released back into their natural habitat in the Sikhote-Alin mountain area
• The tigers were placed in separate areas over 100 miles (160 km) apart to help spread the population of the endangered species over a wider area
• After a year following monitored events where the two traveled towards each other, Svetlaya had a litter of healthy cubs
• Released rescued cats can restore tiger populations strategy published in the Journal of Wildlife Management in November 2024
• This is not the conservation center's first tiger-related love story
• Zolushka ("Cinderella" in Russian) was rescued and released into the wild, were an unknown male tiger appeared and produced a litter of healthy cubs
• Amur tigers, or Siberian tigers, are the largest of all tiger subspecies, native to the forests of eastern Russia and parts of China
• They are known for their thick, pale orange coats with dark stripes and can survive temperatures as low as -50°F (-46°C)
• The solitary hunters cover large areas searching for prey, like deer and wild boar
• Amur tigers were once on the brink of extinction due to poaching and habitat loss but this has improved
• now have increased to about 500 in the wild with high preservation hopes

From The White House To Global Peace — The Lasting Legacy Of Jimmy Carter

• Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on December 29, 2024
• He was 100 years old having celebrated his birthday 3 months earlier
• Carter was the former American leader and longest-living president in US history
• Laying to rest at a family's residence on January 9, 2025 and he will be burried with his wife who died the prior year
• President Joe Biden has declared January 9 a federal holiday.
• Growing up in small farming communities
• Carter’s Military career started after his graduating from the US Naval Academy in 1946.
• married Rosalynn Smith that same year
• However, his plans changed when his father was diagnosed with cancer in 1953; he managed a peanut farm
• Mr. Carter became active in the Democratic Party, leading to his election as aGeorgia state senator and later as governor
• His Presidential candidacy was announced on December 12, 1974;
• Despite his initial popularity, Mr. Carter served only one term as President of the United States with economy in shambles
• played a key role in creating both the Department of Energy and the modern Department of Education
• Mr. Carter devoted himself to humanitarian causes. In2007, he helped form The Elders, a group of world leaders dedicated to promoting peace and human rights
• establishing The Carter Center in1982;
• Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 President recognized had share of
• political career most honest, hardworking, and humble presidents; His office to seek- legacy will continue to inspire future generations - R.I.P. Jimmy Carter (1924 — 2024)

Israel And Hamas Reach Ceasefire Agreement

• Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire agreement on January 15, 2025
• This marks the first step in ending the 15-month conflict including widespread devastation in Gaza caused by thousands of deaths
• The United Nations estimates that 1.9 million of Gaza's 2.4 million residents have been displaced by the war
• The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel from the Gaza Strip
• 1,200 civilians were killed and 251 hostages were taken
• Israel declared war on Hamas and launched military operations in Gaza as a response
• Ceasefire allows countries at war to negotiate a permanent peace deal.
• The Israel-Hamas ceasefire will be carried out in three stages with fighting to completely halt in the first 42 days
• Hamas is expected to released 33 of the 55 hostages during the first stage
• Israel, in turn, will release 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
• The IDF will withdraw from populated areas in Gaza, allowing residents to return
• Hundreds of aid trucks carrying essentials like food and medical supplies will be allowed into Gaza daily.
• Stage two begins sixteen days after the start of stage one to establish a path toward permanently ending the war
• It will also allow the exchange of remaining living Israeli hostages for more Palestinian prisoners
• Additionally, the IDF will fully withdraw from Gaza.
• The third and final stage of the ceasefire will officially end the war and begin post-war reconstruction efforts
• Hamas will return the bodies of 35 deceased hostages.
• Since January 15, Hamas has freed seven female hostages, three civilians and four soldiers
• Israel has lived up to its promise by releasing 290 Palestinian prisoners
• As of January 22, 2025, more than 2,400 aid trucks have entered Gaza, with over half being delivered to northern Gaza
• release of hostages and prisoners, the return of displaced
• residents, and the increased aid deliveries are positive steps forward including a if both sides stay committed, the ceasefire could lead to a peaceful resolution with-needed relief to millions affected by the conflict

Wildfires Cause Widespread Destruction In Los Angeles

• Since early January 2025, multiple large wildfires have erupted in and around Los Angeles (LA), California
• The fires have torn through dry vegetation and destroying entire neighborhoods
• More than 12,000 homes, businesses, schools, and other structures have been destroyed with a death toll of 25
• More than 100,000 have been forced to flee their homes
• The wildfires are largely driven by the severe drought affecting Los Angeles
• Receiving several inches of rain by January with downtown LA has recorded just a fifth of an inch (5mm)
• This is the second-driest period in nearly 150 years
• Dry conditions worsened with powerful Santa Ana winds, reaching speeds of 50 to 100 miles per hour (80 to 160 km/h) in some areas
• hot, dry winds reduce humidity and dehydrate parched vegetation which is highly flammable
• The Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire were the two most concerning fires in the LA area
• The Palisades Fire, which began on January 7, 2025, is the largest and most destructive fire in California's history
• With over 23,000 acres (9,300 hectares) burned to the ground along with at least 10,000 structures destroyed
• Fire claimed lives and continues to threaten neighborhoods in West LA and was only 21 percent contained
• The Eaton Fire also broke out on January 7, 2025, and has devastated communities in northern LA
• More than 1,400 homes, businesses, schools, and other structures have been desroyed making it one of the deadliest fires in California history
• As of January 15, 2025, it was 45 percent contained
• The damages estimated at $250 to $275 billion
• Difficult time both a costly and time undertaking- California Governor Gavin Newsom eased building structiors
• residents were left without high risk/ lack adequate fire policies to help them recover from the loss.
• a federal government has pledged federal funds to cover firefighting costs withone-time payment but a long rebuild continues