Entries
Palm Fruit & Sweet Gums
Liquidambar Trees, or sweet gums, the colorfully deciduous trees gracing front yards, parks, and campuses throughout the San Diego area, have been putting on a good show for the past month. The maplelike leaves of some varieties have turned from …
A Month with a View
Hike to San Diego County's High Places to take advantage of December's characteristically clear air. From spots such as Cuyamaca Peak in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Wooded Hill in the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area, and Boucher Hill at Palomar Mountain …
Geminid Meteor Shower
The Geminid Meteor Shower, one of the year's two most regularly active showers, peaks on the evening of Sunday, December 13 through the morning of the 14th. No moonlight in the sky this year means optimum dark-sky viewing (as long …
Poinsettias & Christmas-Berries
Poinsettias, a favorite of backyard gardeners, are now exhibiting their scarlet, petal-like bracts, just in time for the holidays. The onset of 14-hour-long nights triggers their behavior. In San Diego this condition is met just before the date of winter …
December Shorebird-Watching
Shorebird-watching enters its most agreeable season this month, with migrant and resident birds sharing common winter grounds. Egrets, herons, terns, and a variety of other species provide endless entertainment as they go about the business of fishing and feeding in …
The Red Planet
The Red Planet Mars increasingly becomes a prominent late night and early morning object in December. The distance between Earth and Mars is currently narrowing. By late January 2010 Mars will be at opposition to the sun (180° away from …
The Tides of December
Exceptionally High and Low Tides are set to occur on several days in early December. These tides closely coincide with the full moon (which was December 1). On Wednesday, December 2, a peak high tide of +6.7 feet occurs at …
December's Two Full Moons
December's Full Moon rises dramatically over the eastern mountains at around 4:15pm -- some 25 minutes before the time of sunset -- on Tuesday, December 1. The same full moon will set about 14 hours later over the ocean at …
Rain = Rainbows
"Rainbow Season" Arrives with the first rains of late fall. Scattered showers are best for rainbow watching: sunlight refracting and reflecting through the raindrops causes two bows to appear -- an intense circular arc at 42°, and a bigger, but …
The King of the Planets
Jupiter, the "king" of the planets, appears high in the southern sky after sunset. Note its creamy yellow-white color and unblinking brightness. Aim a small telescope at Jupiter anytime during the next few weeks to see the cloud-belt-banded planet flanked …
Fremont Cottonwoods
The Fremont Cottonwoods along the San Diego River in Mission Gorge are now showing their best tawny foliage. You can park at the Old Mission Dam historic site or the Mission Trails Regional Park visitor center and explore the riparian …
Sunrise...Sunset
November's and December's Picturesque Sunsets and sunrises are no accident. This is the time of year when high cirrus clouds, often the precursors of storms, sweep through our area with some regularity. When cirrus or other lofty clouds are present, …
Sweet Gums and Sycamores
Liquidambar Trees, or sweet gums, the deciduous trees gracing front yards, parks, and campuses throughout the San Diego area, have been putting on an exceptionally colorful show. The leaves of some varieties turn to purple or red; the leaves of …
Leonid Meteor Shower
The Annual Leonid Meteor Shower, famous for its outbursts over the period 1998-2002, has now settled down to a modest display of only about 10-20 visible events per hour (as seen under clear, dark skies in a remote mountain or …
Santa Anas in November
Santa Ana Winds in San Diego County often reach their greatest intensity during November, particularly at the mountain passes, where dry air from a high-pressure area over the interior deserts swoops coastward toward a low-pressure area offshore. The subsiding air …
Acorns, Monarchs, and Tarantula Spiders
Acorn Dropping reaches a crescendo early this month in the Cuyamaca, Laguna,and Palomar mountains. Wiry scrub oaks, massive canyon live oaks, and the golden-leaved black oaks all contribute to the growing collection of acorns littering the ground. Acorn woodpeckers are …
Declining Temps
Local Temperatures should be declining most rapidly during this time of year, according to more than a century of local meteorological records. With every successive week, daily maximum temperatures are declining by about 3/4° Fahrenheit, and daily minimum temperatures are …
The Taurid Meteor Shower
The Taurid Meteor Shower, featuring about 10-15 visible events per hour -- as seen under clear, dark skies -- peaks this year around Wednesday, November 4. Best times for viewing are approximately 10pm to 3am. Individual meteors belonging to this …
The End of Daylight Savings Time
Daylight Savings Time Ends this Sunday morning, November 1, at 2am. With the resumption of standard time, midday (the time when the sun reaches its maximum altitude in the south part of the sky) will again be close to 12 …
Autumn Trends
The Planet Jupiter gleams high in the southern sky after dark during the entire month of October. Jupiter's Galilean satellites, the four largest and brightest moons circling the planet, can be easily observed this month using equipment as simple as …