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Meteor Shower Saturday Morning

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

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.

Weekend Science Fun: Bathtub Buoyancy Challenge 1

Are you up for a science challenge?

The challenge is to build a “boat” that will travel on its own, via some propulsion method, from end to end in a bathtub filled with water without being touched by human hands. Measure the length of the tub and record how long it takes in seconds. Electrical motors and/or batteries are not allowed for this challenge, as water and electricity are a dangerous mix.

We came up with four different methods that worked. Let us know what you come up with and what was your best time. We’ll share results next week.

boat

For instructions on how to make some simple boats, see the bottom of the pumpkin floating post.

Edit: Results of challenge 1

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