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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – You have to love all the rain we’ve been getting! But how do you stargaze with so many cloudy nights in December?
Simple – use your computer!
There are some great astronomy Web sites you can visit, as well as free software you can download into your computer. We’ll explore some of these in this month’s column.
Astronomy Web sites:
– Astronomy Picture of the Day, http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ . This site displays a new picture every day of an astronomical object.
– Black Holes, http://hubblesite.org/explore_astronomy/black_holes/home.html . On this site you can learn about black holes, as well as how objects appear in different wavelengths (x-ray, visible light and radio waves).
– ISS 3d Visualization, http://www.heavens-above.com/ISS_3D.aspx . This is a remarkable simulation of a view of Earth from the International Space Station (ISS).
– Sky Map, http://www.sky-map.org/ . An online star map is featured here. You can zoom in to specific objects to learn more about them.
Free astronomy software:
– Stellarium, http://www.stellarium.org/ . This is planetarium software that renders beautiful views of the night sky.
– Sky Charts (Cartes Du Ciel), http://sourceforge.net/projects/skychart/ . Sky Charts lets you create and print star charts for observing sessions. This software is used to create the star charts in this column.
In addition to Web sites and software on your computer, our local observatory is another resource for cloudy night stargazing.
During December, Taylor Observatory in Kelseyville is showing the 30-minute movie, “The Mystery of The Christmas Star” in the planetarium. Showtimes are 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night through Jan. 3.
Visit http://www.friendsoftaylor.org/christmasstar.html for more information.
Finally, for those nights that are clear, our December star map will guide you as to what can be seen.
John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about Astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Because the person who supplied the largest and most auspicious donation to the Spirit of the Season program in South Lake County requested anonymity, he or she shall remain nameless.
The donor is providing 102 turkeys for the event, which culminates next Saturday at First Baptist Church in Middletown.
Along with other holiday victuals, 102 boxes – each containing more than $100 worth of food – will be given away to feed more than 300 clients.
The turkeys, it is estimated, will cost the anonymous giver $1,500 to $2,000.
All of the food is purchased, not donated.
While delighted by the anonymous gift, Hedy Montoya, who has administered Spirit of the Season for the past dozen years, is no less grateful for the aid volunteers and annual donors who, to her, are anything but anonymous.
“I couldn’t do this without volunteers,” said Montoya. “The women who are standing over my shoulder have been doing this work as long as I have … Carolyn Tobin, Rosemary Pott, Kathleen and Kelly Connors, Phyllis Kelsey and Bonnie Thompson.
“They have been doing incredible behind-the-scenes work,” she said.
This year, Frank Parker – president of United Veterans Council of Lake County – and local veterans are coming to assist as they do every year. “They do the heavy schlepping, as does my husband Bryan Ridste,” Montoya said.
Regarding the donors who give annually, Montoya added: “If they didn’t we would not be sitting here talking.”
For the lion’s share of its more than 20-year existence, the highlight of the Spirit of the Season activity has been the gifts of toys made possible by wish trees at several locations in Middletown, Cobb Mountain and Hidden Valley Lake, but principally at Hardester’s Markets in Middletown and Hidden Valley.
“What we ask community members to do is pick up a card from one of the wish trees, buy a present for a child for $25 or less and return it by Tuesday, Dec. 16,” said Montoya. “Each card has three different wishes. After buying their gift, people should take it to Hardester’s where our people will go pick it up.”
But Montoya was concerned this week that there were still several cards on the wish trees. Donors can send their donations to Spirit of the Season, P.O. Box 1468, Middletown. Questions can be directed to Montoya at 707-322-5080.
“It is a tax-deductible donation because we partner with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church,” said Montoya.
The program benefits more than just families and small children. Teenagers get a $25 gift certificate.
Twenty percent of the clients are seniors, receiving no more than $600 monthly Social Security allowances. Some are field laborers.
Montoya remembers a couple of cases where a teenager who was helped by the program returned years later with children of their own.
“It’s a grassroots thing. Everybody’s a volunteer,” she said. “Donations come from community service groups.”
How does a person get so devoted to a program such as Spirit of the Season?
Montoya recalled a rainy day when a woman, her little girl in tow, came in for her food package.
The little girl was joyous when she received a tricycle. Her mother had tears in her eyes.
Need Hedy say more?
Email John Lindblom at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Five high schools, five youth-oriented programs and 13 other nonprofit organizations will share the $96,500 raised this year from September's Lake County Wine Auction.
The funds were distributed the evening of Dec. during a festive reception for beneficiaries and sponsors at the Lakeport Family Fun Center.
Once again, education was the emphasis.
“Our commitment to this critical area will ensure that Lake County grows as a strong and healthy community for the next generation.” said Kaj Ahlmann, president of the Lake County Wine Alliance.
The Wine Alliance is a nonprofit organization of wineries, winegrape growers, vineyard owners, related businesses and community supporters and sponsor of the Wine Auction.
Since its founding in 2000, the Wine Alliance has raised $1,177,802 to foster the arts, benefit health services and otherwise support the Lake County community.
Applications are now being accepted for proceeds from the next year's auction, to be held on Sept. 20, 2015, with copies available at the auction's Web site, www.WineAlliance.Org .
The 2014 Auction, the 15th annual, took place at the Cole Creek Equestrian Center in Kelseyville, a special venue which contributed not only to successful fundraising but also to the promotion of Lake County as not only a premier wine region but also a community of diverse agriculture.
The honorary chairs for the 2014's Wine Auction were John and Joanne Van Eck, the owners of Cole Creek Equestrian Center. They were assisted by committee co-chairs Judy Luchsinger of Lakeport and Sharron Zoller of Kelseyville.
The success of this year's event would not have been possible without the support of valued sponsors including Beckstoffer Vineyards, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Six Sigma Ranch and Winery, Brassfield Estate Winery, Mendo-Lake Credit Union, CalPine, Kathy Fowler Chevrolet, Umpqua Bank, Kelseyville Pharmacy, Bella Vista Farming, Southern Smiles Dental Practice, St. Helena Hospital, Shannon Ridge Winery, Trinchero Family Estates, Savings Bank of Mendocino, C-Line Trucking and The Lake County Winegrape Commission.
The Lake County Wine Alliance Board of Directors offered heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this year's success possible.
“Your support is deeply appreciated, not only by us but by our beneficiaries as well,” the group said in a statement.
The proceeds for 2014 were distributed as follows.
The Arts ($32,000)
– Lower Lake High School, $6,400;
– Kelseyville High School, $6,400;
– Upper Lake High School, $6,400;
– Clearlake High School, $6,400;
– Middletown High School, $6,400;
Health and Community ($64,500)
– United Christian Parish Food Pantry, $4,400;
– Sponsoring Survivorship, $2,200;
– Hospice Services of Lake County, $4,400;
– Yuba College Culinary Club, $2,200;
– Clear Lake Performing Arts, $2,800;
– Lower Lake High School Culinary Arts Program, $2,200;
– Lake County Church Women United Shoes and Socks Program, $2,200;
– Lake County Student Mock Trial Team, $600;
– Lake County PRIDE Foundation, $5,500;
– Lake County Channel Cats, $2,200;
– Schoolhouse Museum Student Outreach Program, $1,700;
– Lake County Literacy Coalition, $2,200;
– Operation Tango Mike, $4,000;
– Catholic Charities of Lake County, $9,300;
– Lake County Senior Center Meals on Wheels, $9,300;
– Habitat for Humanity, $9,300.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With the conditions resulting from Thursday's storm abating, the county's emergency operation center closed, however county officials are still assessing the storm's damage.
Marisa Chilafoe, Lake County Office of Emergency Services Manager, officially closed the Lake County Emergency Operation Center – or EOC – at 5 p.m. Friday.
The EOC was activated at 7 a.m. Thursday in response to the severe storm that hit Lake County and the rest of Northern California.
“I’d like to thank the staff at the EOC for their hard work and long hours, as well as the county staff that provided support to the EOC. Lake County was in good hands,” said Lake County Administrative Officer Matt Perry.
Reports on the current situation in Lake County were given at a final briefing at 4 p.m. Friday.
The Red Cross shelter located at the Lower Lake High School gymnasium at 9430 Lake St. was closed Friday afternoon, the county reported.
Officials also reported that both health services and fire rescue services are operating at status quo.
Lake County Community Development Director Rick Coel reported that there are two building inspectors and one building official out in the field doing damage assessments.
Late Friday afternoon, the county provided mutual aid assistance to the city of Clearlake by providing staff to inspect a home that was damaged by the storm.
Following the inspection, the house was red tagged because it was unsafe to occupy.
The Lake County Department of Social Services, in partnership with the Red Cross, is working with the residents of the home to find alternate accommodations.
Lake County Public Works Director Scott DeLeon, reported on road conditions.
The two most serious areas of damage are on Soda Bay Road, east of Marina View Drive and Bartlett Springs Road.
According to the most current road conditions report issued by the Lake County Department of Public Works, Soda Bay Road near Marina View Drive (Horseshoe Bend Area) had a undermining of the edge of the roadway.
The road has been stabilized but the traveling public is advised to reduce speed and use extreme caution through this area.
DeLeon said Lake County engineers documented 16 damaged sites in the first 14 miles of Bartlett Springs Road.
Other road conditions include:
– Seigler Canyon Road is open to through traffic.
– High Valley Road is restricted to single lane traffic at mile post marker 2.0 due to a washout of the roadway.
– Effective immediately and until further notice Hill Road is closed to all traffic from just north of Sutter Lakeside Hospital to Lakeshore Boulevard due to public safety concerns. Detours and signs are in place alerting the traveling public of the need to use alternative routes. Sutter Lakeside Hospital is still accessible on Hill Road East and can be accessed by taking the Park Way Exit on Highway 29 or taking Park Way from Lakeshore Boulevard.
– Ackley Road is closed to all traffic from Matthews Road to Highway 29.
– Reiff Road is closed to through traffic until further notice due to winter road conditions. Residents can access their properties.
– Scotts Valley Road, from Highway 20 to the Packing sheds is closed due to flooding.
Chilafoe was pleased with the outcome of the EOC activation.
“On behalf of Lake OES, I would like to thank our EOC staff and response partners for their hard work and creative solutions in response to the storm,” she said. “The collaboration of county employees, local agency personnel, nonprofit organizations, the city of Clearlake, the city of Lakeport and the state of California was impressive and contributed to a positive conclusion to a dangerous situation.”
Any new emergency information will be posted on the Lake County OES Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-OES/307452049434603?fref=nf .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With winter soon to arrive, the California Highway Patrol reminds motorists of the dangers of driving during inclement weather and has a few tips of how to stay safe while traveling.
Many crashes result from driving too fast, so the first and foremost tip is to slow down, the agency said.
It’s a simple matter of physics that your vehicle can’t stop as fast or turn as accurately on wet or icy pavement.
Be prepared for potential inclement weather by leaving early, allowing plenty of time to get where you’re going.
Nobody likes a tailgater. Always leave ample distance between your vehicle and the one ahead.
By utilizing the three second rule you can avoid hard braking by giving yourself more time to slow.
The three second rule is as follows: While traveling behind another vehicle, at the same rate of speed, when the vehicle passes a stationary object – i.e., a light pole, parked vehicle or pavement markings – count one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand.
If you pass the same object prior to counting to three one thousand, you are following too close and should increase your following distance.
Vehicle maintenance also is important. Do your tires have tread? Does your defroster work? Is there antifreeze in your radiator? Are your windshield wipers in good working order? Is the windshield washer fluid full and does it spray appropriately onto your windshield? Do your headlights work?
And don’t forget the law requires you to have your headlights on anytime the windshield wipers are operating continuously.
Remember – slow down, stay alert and stay in control.
Further winter driving tips are available on at www.chp.ca.gov .
You also can check road conditions before heading out by calling 800-427-7623.
December has arrived, and for backyard sky watchers that means one thing: It is time for the annual Geminid meteor shower.
Every year in early December, Earth passes through a stream of gravelly, dusty debris from “rock comet” 3200 Phaethon. This causes a meteor shower that sometimes lasts more than two weeks.
“This year's Geminid meteor shower will peak on Dec. 13 and 14 with as many as 120 meteors per hour,” predicted Bill Cooke, head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. “I'm looking forward to a good display.”
Everyone has heard of “comets” – icy visitors from the outer solar system that sprout long tails of gas and dust when they come close to the sun. But what is a rock comet?
A “rock comet” is a new kind of object being discussed by astronomers.
It is, essentially, an asteroid that comes very close to the sun – so close that solar heating scorches dusty debris right off its rocky surface. Rock comets could thus grow comet-like tails that produce meteor showers on Earth.
The source of the Geminid meteor shower, 3200 Phaethon, looks a lot like an asteroid. Indeed, it comes from the asteroid belt and its colors resemble the colors of other asteroids in the rocky zone between Mars and Jupiter.
Yet 3200 Phaethon has an unusual orbit that brings it deep inside the orbit of Mercury. When this happens, it brightens and sprouts a little tail in mimicry of a comet.
A team of astronomers led by Dave Jewitt of UCLA have been monitoring 3200 Phaethon using NASA's twin STEREO probes.
They think that intense solar heating blasts the asteroid's rocky surface, causing 3200 Phaethon to shed meteoroids like embers spitting off a log in a roaring campfire.
The debris stream of 3200 Phaethon is broad and massive. “Of all the debris streams Earth passes through every year, the Geminids' is by far the most massive,” said Cooke. “When we add up the amount of dust in the Geminid stream, it outweighs other streams by factors of five to 500.”
Geminid meteoroids fly out of – you guessed it – the constellation Gemini.
They hit the top of Earth's atmosphere traveling about 78,000 miles per hour. That may sound fast, but it is actually somewhat slow compared to other meteor showers. Geminid meteors tend to be leisurely and bright, producing many fireballs on the nights around the shower's peak.
The best time to look, advises Cooke, is probably between local midnight and sunrise on Saturday, Dec. 13, and again at the same time on Sunday, Dec. 14, when the constellation Gemini is high overhead, spitting bright embers of a rock comet across a sparkling starry sky.
On Dec. 13, Cooke and a team of astronomers from Marshall Space Flight Center will host an overnight NASA web chat from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. CST, answering questions about the Geminid meteor shower.
To join the webchat on Dec. 13, log into the chat page at http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/geminids_2014.html .
Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.