Growing With Science Blog

Author: Roberta (Page 520 of 562)

Blog Updates

January 5, 2009 / / 2 Comments

A few wrap up items this morning:

First, did anyone take up the bathtub buoyancy challenge (to propel a boat across a bathtub without using your hands to touch it or using batteries or electricity)? I’m going to post the results tomorrow, so please let me know and I’ll include your results, too. Even if you didn’t record your results, let me know if you came up with any ideas.

Secondly, how about the meteor shower on Saturday morning? I went out a few minutes after 6:00 am and even with the glare from Phoenix city lights, I still was able to see some meteors streaking across. Wooo, it was cool!  Spaceweather.com has a nice photograph up right now. I guess you could see quite a show in some areas.

Finally, I find the new year is a time for reflecting on the past year, and for contemplating change for the future. One of my goals for last year was to start a blog, which was successful. Now I would like to make sure I’m doing the best I can for you, the subscriber. If any of you have suggestions for things you’d like to see, topics you’d like covered, or even things that you don’t like (like giant spiders), please let me know. I really appreciate your imput. And many thanks to both Lynne and Brooke who left such nice messages in the “About” section.

Happy 2009!

Meteor Shower Saturday Morning

January 2, 2009 / / 0 Comments

If you are in the western U.S. or Canada, you might want to set your alarm clocks so you can catch the Quantrantid meteor shower. The meteor shower is predicted to be at its peak just before dawn, or 6:00 am Mountain time.

Have you ever watched a meteor shower or seen a “shooting star?” Basically the bits of rocks or dust from a comet that create a streak of light as they burn up in the atmosphere. You won’t be able to use binoculars or telescope, because they move too quickly to follow. A few years ago my family stretched out on blankets (and under blankets – it was cold) in the back of my husband’s pick up truck and watched the sky. What a neat experience.

If you want to find out more about the Quantrantid meteor shower, check SpaceWeather.com.

Bug of the Week: Giant Crab Spider

December 31, 2008 / / 13 Comments

The deserts of Arizona have quite a few unusual arthropods. The sight of some of them can cause visitors to hop right out of their boots. Last night I had one of those in my upstairs bathroom. Here is what I saw:

It is sitting the bottom of the bathroom door, to give you some idea how big it is. What would you do if you saw this?

I have to admit I took these photos in a rush. Not because I was afraid of this giant spider, but because I was afraid our kitten might catch and eat it. I wanted to put it outside quickly in order to save its life.

This is a prime specimen of a giant crab spider, one of the largest spiders around. It can easily get to be 2 inches across. Giant crab spiders don’t build a web, they chase down other arthropods for food at night. Crickets are a favorite snack. They are called crab spiders because their legs extend sideways rather like a crabs.

Can you see the eyes? The big black structures in front are its chelicerae, or jaws. Although it can bite, it is not particularly dangerous. The only potentially harmful spiders we have here are black widows and Arizona brown spiders, a relative of the brown recluse.

I went and got a large glass and a card. I set the opening of the glass over the spider, slid the card under gently so I could lift it from the surface, and then carried the spider outside. It ran away into the night when I let it go. I wished it good luck.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has more information about the giant crab spider and other desert arthropods.

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