Coral spawning in the Florida Keys

[Telco Guy]

There is an interesting article about the annual coral spawning event in the Florida Keys. Here is an excerpt from the article:

In the Florida Keys, the August full moon represents a unique and precious event: annual coral spawning for some of the most threatened corals in the world.

This year, like many others, researchers from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School and University of North Carolina Wilmington will spend the latter part of August and early September studying the phenomenon in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to understand how humans can improve the plight of elkhorn, staghorn, boulder star, and other species of corals.

Read more about this >>here (http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/513898/)<<.

[Doctor_Reef]

Great article....Nick..... :)

[Telco Guy]

Yeah, I wish I could go down there and go scuba diving that night, but I'm starting a new job in a week or two. I guess there's always next year.

[Condiman]

That would be so cool to see

[FishinInTheDark]

I got this in an email from my dad today. I wonder if the extra light will make a difference. Hopefully, there will be a super-spawn because of it:

Mars


The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!

This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit,
astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.

The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to
within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification



Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.

Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.

By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.


Share this with your children and grandchildren.

NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN
+++++++++++++++++++++++

[Telco Guy]

Sorry, that is a bogus email. Mars will never look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. If it did get that close we would be in real trouble! :wink: It will be close, but not THAT close. As for added light, no, it won't make any noticable difference.

Actually I just read that again, what it says is that mars will look as large as the full moon when viewed through a telescope that magnifies it by 75 times. ;)

[FishinInTheDark]

Ah, well, I don't suppose 1/75 more light will make any difference. I need to read closer too!

[WaterFarmer]

The close Mars approach actually happened in 2003. That is an old story.

from space.com

"At 5:51 a.m. EDT on Aug. 27, 2003, Mars will be within 34,646,418 miles (55,758,006 kilometers) of Earth. This will be the closest that Mars has come to our planet in nearly 60,000 years."

If ya missed it - just be patient - it will happen again in 2287.

The corals will spawn anyway - regardless of the motion of the planets.