LIGHTS IN THE SKY 2014

[Stanley]

Reports from my Ilkley correspondent that a man dressed in a cowled monk's habit has been seen handing out leaflets in the town.....

[Marilyn]

Well...time is getting away from us...and I still have nothing to report regarding Mrs Trellis. Have not seen aforementioned woman in the ivy print dress AT ALL.
Might need to send out the hover-bots and shape-shifters for a "reccie".

[Stanley]

I think we will have to admit that the Xmas activity is confined to the shops this year. when I see the advertisements on the telly I can't help thinking about all the money that's being spent. I wonder what proportion is borrowed.... Funny old world we live in these days....

[Stanley]

Faint sound of sleigh-bells in the sky..... Santa doing a test run?

[LizG]

On his way to Oz methinks!!

[Stanley]

That thought struck me Liz when I got a call from Janet asking for advice about her pastry for the mince pies as her guests were about to arrive. 14:00 with her of course.....

[Stanley]

It pains me to report that apart from advertisements promising delivery of your new sofa for Xmas, the small emitters were installed yesterday on the lamp standards on Skipton road..... 59 days to go......

[LizG]

Oh.. thanks for that news Stanley!!

[David Whipp]

Missed a red alert yesterday evening from AuroraWatch, but the sky was overcast so unlikely to have seen the Northern Lights... AuroraWatch

[PanBiker]

Not dark enough at 17.00 as well when it first peaked but look at it at 22.00, the highest level it has been this year. Shame about the cloud. Lots of amber alerts over the past few months. Most of these are not sunspot based as our sun is heading on the downward curve for sunspot activity in its 11 year cycle. These are generally being driven by CME's as the prime cause of the alerts. This is another useful site if sky watching:

Met office - UK Cloud Cover

[Stanley]

Is there a meteorite shower soon?

[PanBiker]

Just missed the Leonids Stanley, next potentially big one with a good showing is Geminids and the Quadrantids in early January can give a very good show. Like aurora we need clear and dark skies to see the events at their best.

Earth Sky

[Stanley]

Clear skies are a bit thin on the grounds aren't they....
I note that preparations have been made for the installation of the large emitters in the Town Square.

[David Whipp]

Yes - bulbs have been planted!

[Stanley]

There are lights in the sky but we can't see them because of the cloud. Who knows what is going on out there!

[Stanley]

Clear as a bell but the only lights in the sky are the stars. This will all change for a while at weekend.....

[Julie in Norfolk]

Here in the far east, I am keeping my normal vigil, all clear so far. I have an accomplice this year in Filly (or Philly?), mother's cat who spends her time gazing out of the window, however having checked the map, it appears she is looking to the north. I wonder what she knows.......

[Stanley]

Well, they always told me that Santa lived at the North Pole......

[Stanley]

In case you hadn't noticed.... Xmas advertising is in full swing, the key word to avoid is 'festive'.... The large emitters and the Xmas trees have appeared in the Town Square and we are promised switch on next weekend. So the clear message is to get the tin foil lining in your hats, put the ear plugs in and try to pretend it isn't happening!

[Stanley]

If the cloud lifts there will be a super full moon tonight. It is closer to the earth than at any time since 1948. However the chances of seeing it are very slim!

[Marilyn]

I've just been out to look for the moon in every direction, Stanley. Still light here at 6.30 pm and no sign of it. Scattered cloud ( not too heavy), so I will pop out in another hour (and hopefully the neighbour's little dog won't take me to task next time...I obviously interrupted his after dinner activity).

[Cathy]

We do get a Super Moon each month but apparently tonight's will be closest to us at 10pm ( only 356,500 km away).
The closest since 1948 and won't be this close again until 2034.

[Marilyn]

Might not be up that late to see it Cazza, but I will keep up regular patrols until I go to bed. Have just done the rounds of outside again ( 7pm and still not dark..some cloud cover...next doors little dog has produced the goods and is likely now snoozing on his master's couch)... No sign of the moon...

[Marilyn]

Too cloudy now. Saw a fragment of moon but it quickly got hidden by deep cloud...and I can't see any breaks in them.

[Tizer]

We'll be watching too, this evening, but the forecast suggests it'll be cloudy. Apparently there's another phenomenon to occur at the end of the week - something called Black Friday. Perhaps the moon turns black!