POLLEN CORONAS:

From Spaceweather.com May 15, 2008:

It begins with a sneeze. Pollen floating through the air tickles your nose, and your body responds by expelling the allergen. Gesundheit!

That's German for "look at the sun." Not really, but look anyway. The same pollen that makes you sneeze can also make beautiful coronas around the sun.

See http://spaceweather.com/ for photos

"Coronas are produced when light waves scatter from the outsides of small particles," says atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley. "Tiny droplets of water in clouds make most coronas, but opaque equal-sized pollen grains do even better. They make small but very colorful multi-ringed coronas."

"Unlike water droplets, pollens are non-spherical--and this adds to their magic," he continues. "Many have air sacs to help carry them in the wind. These align the grains to give beautiful elliptical coronas with bright spots." This is why Nitze's pollen corona looks the way it does.

"So, the next time you sneeze..." Gesundheit! "...look for coronas near the sun."

more images: from Eva Seidenfaden of Trier, Germany

Observation FMNP grad

The following is part of a note sent from Trudy Rech who took a FMNP course here several years ago but has since moved to Collier County. I thought it might be of interest to folks:

"I have some really interesting experiences with critters in our area. We have Big Cypress fox squirrels, and gopher tortoises in the area. Tuesday, we had a panther in our yard too! I just found tracks but my next door neighbor actually had the big cat in his truck! His dog chased it. He left his windows down and the cat sat in the truck for a while until the dog was called inside. His wife saw it also and my husband got a pretty good look as well. "

Visit Trudy's blog at http://trudybentleyrech-artist.blogspot.com/