Bare Dog Paws

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

If a human walks barefoot in the snow for very long, their feet would freeze.  Dogs can walk bare-paw in the snow and their paws won't freeze, because the way the blood vessels under the skin on the paw is arranged keeps the paw at the body's temperature.  For more information click here.

History of Ground Hog Day

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Ground Hog Day is celebrated only in the United States and Canada, but it evolved from Candlemas celebrations that originated in Europe.  In pre-Christian times, the Romans celebrated the Feast of Lights on February 1, which became Candlemas to the Christians on February 2, and eventually led to the founding of Ground Hog Day in Canada and the U.S.  The underlying reasons for all these celebrations had to do with forecasting the last weeks of winter weather and the viability of the coming spring and summer crops.  There were also religious reasons for celebrating Candlemas, which are quite interesting.  For more information click here.

The First Winter Olympics

1987 stamp from Laos depicting the biathlon
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

On this day in 1924, the first Winter Olympics began in Chamonix, France, which is in the French Alps.  The closing date was February 5.  The events were biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, nordic combined, ski jumping, and speed skating.  For more information, videos, and photos from the 1924 games, click here.

My favorite winter sport to participate in is cross country skiing.  What is yours?  (You can leave comments below.)

Christmas Night Sky

Photo of constellation Perseus courtesy 123rf.com

Tonight in the northern hemisphere you can see the constellations Horologium and Perseus.  What a great way to spend a beautiful Christmas evening.  For more information click here.

What will you and your family do on Christmas evening?

First Full Day of Winter

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Today is the first full day of winter in the northern hemisphere.  I thought that the temperature had to reach 32 degrees Fahrenheit before snow falls, but that's not true:  snow can fall when the temperature is in the 40's!  For more winter fun facts click here.

For fun things to do both indoors and outdoors in winter click here.

What's your favorite thing to do in winter?

Tonight: Fornax!

Hubble photo of Ultra Deep Field in Fornax Constellation courtesy SOS.NOAA.gov













Photo of the constellation Fornax courtesy Chandra.Harvard.edu

Tonight in the northern hemisphere you may be able to see the three-star constellation Fornax--unfortunately it will be an overcast, rainy night where I live, so I won't be able to see it.

The fornax is a chemical furnace, or combustion furnace, created by French chemist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794).  He named the furnace after Fornax, the Ancient Roman goddess of bread and baking.  French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1713-1762) created the three-star constellation in 1752, and named it Fornax in honor of his friend, Lavoisier.

Did you see Fornax tonight?  Have you seen it before?  What was it like seeing it tonight?

Aries and Hydrus Tonight

Photo courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk


Photo courtesy ClipArtPal.com

Tonight in the northern hemisphere you can see two constellations:  Aries and Hydrus.  Aries was known as the Ram not only in Greek mythology, but also to the Babylonians, Egyptians, and Persians.  Hydrus was created by Dutch astronomers in the 16th century.  For more information click here and click here.

Did you see either or both of these constellations tonight?

Look Up to See Triangulum!

Photo courtesy Scientific-Web

In tonight's sky in the northern hemisphere, you may be able to see the constellation Triangulum, which is Latin for triangle, the shape of this constellation.  It's one of the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy (90-168).  Ptolemy authored treatises on math, geography, and astronomy.  For more information, click here.

Did you see this constellation tonight?

Thanksgiving in Hawaii

Photo of Makahiki Luau courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk

The traditional Hawaiian thanksgiving celebration is called Makahiki.  Makahiki lasts from November through February, and during this time all are forbidden to engage in work and war.  It is a time of celebrating harvests with religious ceremonies, luaus, and competitive games.

For more information see the HawaiiHistory.org website.