A City is Frosted

More than 100,000 Toronto homes -- and about 60,000 households elsewhere in Ontario -- remain in the dark as crews struggle to restore service following a weekend ice storm that may have contributed to six deaths.

Temperature in Toronto will reach to minus 13 degree C and keep stay below zero for at least 5 days.Wind direction  brings cold air mass from west and north to southern Ontario. My weather station in my balcony shows the temperature minus 6 degree C and dropping.The sky is clear  which indicates to a high pressure in air which cause stability and no movement in air.Under current circumstances low temperature will dominates for a while in southern Ontario and beyond. Here are some pictures from my neighborhood.

Freezing rain covers Toronto

Toronto went  below zero C last night and caused the city to experience a very icy condition across the city. A day before the ice storm the city temperature went well above 3 C. As a result, part of the previous snow melted and refrozen 24 hours later. Toronto roads are slippery and some old trees could not tolerate heavy weight of ice and fell down on streets and power lines.Some areas across the city, black out and power shortage is a major problem. Because of ice storm TTC stops using street cars to save the energy.250,000 of Toronto residents are without power(here). Toronto continues to have below zero C temperature so black ice will predominate on the city streets for more days to come.The park and street trees are covered with icy crystal clear freezing rain.

Longest Night Or Birth of Sun

Iranians across the world celebrate first day of winter. First day of winter is also longest night for northern hemisphere which in Iran Called Yalda or birth of sun.

Because of the tilt in the Earth’s axis of rotation ( 23 degree), the sun appears to rise and fall in our sky over the course of a year. It’s not the sunitself moving, but the Earth moving relative to the sun.

On other word the  northern hemisphere spend more time in its own shadow during winter and the southern hemisphere is more exposed to sun. At the same time north pole is completely deprived  from sun rays (night) while in the south pole sun covers the entire Antarctica for months. The long night for people of the northern hemisphere means winter and for the southern hemisphere it means summer.Since then length of days gradually increase and apparent sun,s movement indicates that sun moves northward on sky.

On Dec. 21, the sun stops moving southward, pauses, and then starts moving northward. This pause is called the "solstice," from the Latin words "sol" for "sun" and "sisto" for "stop." Similarly, on June 21 the sun stops moving northward and starts moving southward.

 That's why Yalda is celebrated as Birth of Sun among Iranian communities.


Check the following video clip which I made using Google Earth to explain winter solstice.

Earth rotation and winter solstice

Earth needs more Nelson Mandela

Monument that marks the capture site of Nelson Mandela in South Africa.Courtesy of Earth Pics
On 5 August 1962, police captured Mandela along with Cecil Williams near Howick,Howick is a town located in the uMgungundlovu District of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The town is 1050 m above sea level, and about 88 kilometres from the port city of Durban

“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.”  Nelson Mandela

Mandela was born on 18 July 1918 in the village of Mvezo in Umtatu, then a part of South Africa's Cape Province

 Here is an image of Cape Town, South Africa, from space.This photo was taken on May 9, 2013, by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield while living and working aboard the International Space Station.

Chronology life of Nelson Mandela in a glance

1918 Born in the Eastern Cape
1943 Joins ANC
1956 Charged with high treason, but charges dropped after a four-year trial
1962 Jailed for five years for incitement and leaving country without a passport
1964 Charged with sabotage, sentenced to life
1990 Freed from prison
1993 Wins Nobel Peace Prize
1994-99 Serves as president
2004 Retires from public life
2010 Last major public appearance at football World Cup in Johannesburg

Lord Simcoe Goes to Lake Simcoe

Simcoe remains me a name and many places.John Graves Simcoe (1752 -1806) was the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796.At the time our american neighbours were struggling with their independence from British empire he constructed longest road in world and called it Yonge. Yonge street was a military road to connect southern part of Ontario province to northern part. He also established York city. York city later called Toronto. Lake Simcoe located at the northern extension of Yonge street. It is almost 85 km north of lake Ontario and city of Toronto. Lake Simeco is the  the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. Lord Simecoe called this water body Simcoe in memory of his father.But to me this lake remind me last ice age too.Lake Simcoe is remnant of a huge ,thick ice sheet which retracted hundreds of thousand years ago.Lake Simcoe is one of thousands of lakes that has been left behind.Lake Simcoe satisfies every body with different tastes. Scientists, tourists,sailors,fishermen and photographers all enjoy its beautiful landscape and stunning water which was named before simcoe by natives of Huron Ouentironk ("Beautiful Water").

Following pictures were captured during my last week short trip to lake Simcoe.

A Golden Pot

Spring temperature suddenly arrived. Toronto's temperature is now well above 22 degree Celsius. Today, a warm front arrived from south west and brought a hot,humid weather . To surprise us more, a beautiful rainbow formed just above Toronto downtown. Sun rays hit small water drops in the atmosphere with a certain angle. The result is breakdown of the sun light into seven colors.Mix of a cloudy sky,sun and Toronto city created a magnificent picture of nature and the city.
Picture captured 6:30 a.m.May 15,2013,

Home Sweet Home Or Astronauts Coming Home

A Canadian astronaut is leaving the ISS and will touch the ground shortly tonight after 5 months in orbit. Chris Hadfield will land in Kazakhstan around 10:30 pm Canadian Eastern Time.Live broadcast here. Sending hundreds of images from earth made him most famous astronaut in history.He went around earth 15 times a day in a speed of 8 Km per second, He saw sunrises and sunsets 15 times a day from 450 to 500 Km above earth surface. He pictured many active volcanoes, rivers,forests, clouds and sand dunes. He have a picture for each occasion.You may watch some of those fantastic pictures here:

His humble and down to earth attitude made him a cool, lovely astronaut. He shared his experiences with  world through Twitter, Facebook,talking to TVs and radios stations and above all school kids.
 He called every picture where we live.
He Tweeted 15 hours before returning to earth:
Good morning, Earth! We're supposed to be sleeping late to be rested for tonight's Soyuz flight home, but I'm finding it hard to sleep in.

This is his last picture that he send to his Twitter and Facebook. He comments on the picture:

Spaceflight finale: To some this may look like a sunset. But it's a new dawn.

It is a new start for space Odyssey. To understand and to appreciate mother earth and unlimited space above us we need many people like Chris Hadfield. Even he made the first space video music clip by singing and playing David Bowie Space Oddity,s song which attracts many attention to YouTube. Welcome back to earth Commander.

Space Junk Goes to Heavens

 Modern technology helps us to reach as far as moon and Mars. Satellites and iridium satellites give us instant access to every corner of the world.
Iridium are communications satellites  The Iridium satellite constellation is a large group of satellites providing voice and data coverage to satellite phones, pagers and integrated transceivers over Earth's entire surface. So far 66 Iridium Satellites undertaking the earth communications. So sky is quite busy all the times.Add weather networks, military and commercial satellites.Add scientific devices such as Hobble telescope.Add high altitude jets and rockets. Add the biggest  international scientific station in space (ISS).Add the waste from ISS including washroom waste which shoot toward the earth to be burn by contacting to the air.Including all flying objects you may conclude that a huge amount of precious metals and debris flying over us.It is true.So it is time to think about space jam and space junks.
Satellites are tracked by United States Space Surveillance Network (SSN), which has been tracking every object in orbit over 10 cm (3.937 inches) in diameter since it was founded in 1957 (after former Soviet Union launched Sputnik).There are approximately 3,000 satellites operating in Earth orbit, according to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), out of roughly 8,000 man-made objects in total. In its entire history, the SSN has tracked more than 24,500 space objects orbiting Earth. The majority of these have fallen into unstable orbits and incinerated during reentry. The SSN also keeps track which piece of space junk belongs to which country.
Satellites have an operating lifespan between five and 20 years. As of 2008, the former Soviet Union and Russia had nearly 1,400 satellites in orbit, the USA about 1,000, Japan more than 100, China about 80, France over 40, India more than 30, Germany almost 30, the UK and Canada 25, and at least ten each from Italy, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Sweden, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.

According to Sixth European Conference on Space Debris(22-25 April 2013 Darmstadt, Germany), Since 1957, more than 4,900 space launches have led to an on-orbit population today of more than 22,000 traceable objects, with sizes larger than 10 cm. Approximately 1,000 of these are operational spacecraft. The remaining 94% are space debris, i.e. objects which no longer serve any useful purpose. About 64% of the routinely tracked objects are fragments from some 250 breakups, mainly explosions and collisions of satellites or rocket bodies. In addition, an estimated 700,000 objects larger than 1 cm and 170 million objects larger than 1 mm are expected to be in Earth orbits.  
Due to relative orbital velocities of up 56,000 km/h, centimeter-sized debris can seriously damage or disable an operational spacecraft, and collisions with objects larger than 10 cm will lead to catastrophic break-ups, releasing hazardous debris clouds of which some fragments can cause further catastrophic collisions that may lead to an unstable debris environment in some orbit regions.
So the lower orbits or lower heavens are not a safe place any more. We should think about a cleanup strategy and space management otherwise we have to go higher and higher in space while carrying space junks with us!

A solar array of the International Space Station hit by an unidentified object and made a hole through the panel. Is it happened by a stray stone or a space junk?https://www.facebook.com/AstronautChrisHadfield

One Touch of Nature

And this, our life, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.

 William Shakespeare

Chris Hadfield Commander of ISS:
Good Morning, World, and Happy Earth Day from orbit! One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.

It reminds me a famous poem from Saadi :
Human beings are members of a whole,
In creation of one essence and soul.
If one member is afflicted with pain,
Other members uneasy will remain.
If you have no sympathy for human pain,
The name of human you cannot retain.

In proportion, our atmosphere is no thicker than the varnish on a globe. Deceptively fragile.   Chris Hadfield

And now a touch of our beautiful but fragile planet

Only one Earth

Earth Day is around the corner. April 22 is approaching fast. In this image from ISS 450 km above the earth surface, the cities glowing in a blue background. It also shows that cities grow at a rate that might be mistaken for a sky full of stars and galaxies( earth is up and sky is down).More crowded cities means more pollution and more need for a proper management.One study shows that nearest Earth-like planets could be 13 light-years away.Recent discovery which released April 18 2013 revealed that outside of our solar system in a land far far away, we may find three earth-like planets . But to reach one of it (Kepler 62e) you need to travel 1200 years in speed of light. It means with current technology we have to stick to our blue-green planet to survive.For how long we can exhaust the earth resources without thinking about this fact that it is only one planet called Earth?
The following video clip filmed last year but it is still true in most big cities.

Toronto and Garbage problem

Strongest Quake shakes Persian Gulf and beyond

A very strong earthquake shakes south eastern part of Iran that is very close to Pakistan border.The shock was so strong that whole region from Iranian cities to Arabian cities felt it. According to USGS the recent earthquake has following parameters:

Magnitude	7.8
Date-Time	Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at 10:44:20 UTC Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at 03:44:20 PM at epicenter
Location	28.107°N, 62.053°E
Depth	82 km (51.0 miles)
Region	IRAN-PAKISTAN BORDER REGION
Distances	194 km (121 miles) SE (144°) from Zahedan, Iran 256 km (159 miles) NNW (336°) from Turbat, Pakistan 256 km (159 miles) WSW (250°) from Dalbandin, Pakistan 605 km (376 miles) NE (34°) from MUSCAT, Oman

The earth quake was so strong that estimated its power is 40 times more than the quake that jolted city of Bam  360 Km NW of the current quake. Bam quake happened in December 26, 2003 with 6.6 magnitude and killed thirty thousands of people. But the recent quake is very deep( 82 to 95 Km according Iranian Geophysics Centre) and  population is sparse and low that's why  casualty has remained very low.Indeed, according to official news most casualties happened in more populated area in Pakistan with 34 people while Iran reported only one person killed and around 27 people injured.
Same as the quake that shook Bushehr in April 9 2013,the Arabian platform is responsible for the shock and after shocks. 

Clockwise Vs CounterClockwise

In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anti-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth.

It is definition of Wikipedia and it is true.On the other word , direction of clouds movement depends on their location on the earth. Generally speaking If a cyclone forms in northern hemisphere, winds which try to reach to the center of a low pressure incline to right.In southern hemisphere winds incline to left on their way toward the center of a low pressure.Thus , in northern hemisphere, clouds spin around the low pressure center anti-clockwise or counterclockwise, and in southern hemisphere, clouds rotate clockwise around center of a low pressure( depression).

Here is a cyclone over Iceland (Northern hemisphere)

Here is a cyclone over Pacific coast of Chile (Southern hemisphere)

This image is sent by Chris Hadfield , Commander of International Space Station on April 2013. Center of the cyclone or eye of the cyclone is visible from space, huge and thick rows of clouds spinning clockwise around the center .

What do you see from orbit?

Commander Chris Hadfield keep sending astonishing pictures from space.Nesting 400 to 500 kilometers above the earth surface, ISS sending us pictures which looks a little bit different and amazing.

Clouds over Western Europe

A love cloud

Sand Dunes,Erosion by sand and wind,Arabian peninsula

Swirling clouds, Pacific Ocean,Mexican coast

A fish bone made of clouds and St. Helana Island. South Atlantic Ocean

Lagoons and everglades Florida key Southern United States.

Effect of water and ice erosion on hard rocks of Patagonia,South America, Andes, Chile

 Geshm Island, An empty salt dome and red soil (Iron Oxides accumulation), Hormuz Strait, Persian Gulf. Iran

A Sahara Cloud and its shadow, Africa

Erosion by sand and wind Sahara, Africa

Earth Day Earth Hour

Earth Day is an annual day on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Earth Day is observed on April 22 each year. The April 22 date was designated as International Mother Earth Day by a consensus resolution adopted by the United Nations in 2009. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is celebrated in more than 192 countries every year.

 To celebrate the Earth Hour and in an attempt to attract people attention to conserve energy International Space Station turned off its light on March 23 2013 and send this spectacular picture of stars to earth by its commander Chris Hadfield. Earth aurora (polar light) is visible under stars. 

Toronto day and night in winter

Toronto capital of Ontario province is the largest city of Canada with 5.5 million population. Toronto is a modern city which established in 1793 by Lord Simcoe, governor of Canada. It was named York. Later the city decide to change the name to Toronto which means "meeting place" in a native language. Winter in Toronto is long, snowy and cold but beautiful.Its location along the great lakes gives the city a unique milder climate comparing to the interior territories of Canada.Toronto at night shows all of its beauty in form of lights of well organized streets. These pictures which dated to 19 of January 2013 are taken by International Space Station from 400 to 500 km above the earth surface and Canadian Space Agency distributed it through its Facebook.

Toronto in night 19 Jan. 2013 lake Ontario at the top 

Toronto at winter 19 Jan. 2013 Ontario lake at the bottom 

Fish Rush from Space

Pacific white line

The Pacific White Line is a periodic but random natural feature in the Pacific Ocean. It is a huge collection of fish, foam and algae that usually occurs between January and August. When conditions are right it can be seen from space. Below picture send by Col. Chris Hadfied from International Space Station dated March 5th 2013.

Under certain circumstances the deeper and colder current of pacific ocean comes to surface. This cold current  is rich in nutrition and algae from depth of the ocean.Probably the ocean surface winds and their directions play important role in displacement huge amount of water.La Nina current is an example of  cool water which comes to surface while carrying nutrition which fish are depend on it. Contrary to La Nima called El Nino which is a hot current. All fish attract to this huge source of food and create a white line which can be seen from 400 kilometer above earth surface. Combination of huge school of fish, foam and algae form a line which has 2 kilometers wide and hundreds of kilometers long.

Night Vision of Cities from Space

Cites shows interesting geographical pattern at night. International Space Station provides us with up to date images of cities after sunset. The images send by Col. Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut who was the first Canadian to walk in space.Chris Hadfield a former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot, now spending more than three months in the space station. By comparison we will find out that most European cities show a eccentric, circular pattern and cites along rivers and seas show a linear pattern. In coastal cities, settlements follow the coast lines and in arid and semi arid regions cities follow the river courses and water supplies. Cities like Seoul and Pyongyang the city's lights reflect their economic and industrial development and energy consumption under two different political system. Developed countries shows higher consumption of energy and their cities are sparkling at night.New part of the cities shows a more organized distribution of light which imply to better urban plan and architecture.

Beijing
 The total population Including
suburbs as of 2012 was 20,693,000.

Calgary, Canada

Brussels

England, Ireland and Northern light in distance (Aurora) 

Dublin

Dhahran ,Saudi Arabia 

Nile and its delta along Mediterranean sea to the right