Solar X-rays: Geomagnetic Field: |
Current Moon Phase |
The tornado was captured on video as it sliced its way through East Allentown between 2:47-8 p.m., September 6 (MSNBC News). Dieruff's shattered roof was dropped onto the planetarium's roof making first responders believe that the Allentown School District facility was heavily damaged (Douglas Kilpatrick, Morning Call). The scene around Dieruff by dusk and after Hanna had departed was taken by Gary A. Becker. |
Trees along the northern boundary of Dieruff's campus were twisted, denuded of leaves, and some simply snapped. Gary A. Becker, September 7 image. |
A 50 year old Locust tree was snapped in two at the NE boundary of Dieruff's campus. Roofers said that pieces of splintered wood found imbedded in Dieruff's roof structure were impossible to dislodge. Gary A. Becker photo from September 7... |
By late Sunday afternoon most of the trees damaged by the twister had been felled and chopped. Hey, anyone need some wood? Gary A. Becker photo from September 7... |
Teachers were allowed to enter Dieruff on Tuesday, September 9, three days after the F1 twister struck. This is what greeted me at the planetarium. It could have been a lot worse. Gary A. Becker image. |
With dehumidifiers humming and plastic tubing bringing in hot, dry air, the planetarium was a “cozy” 92 degrees F. with a relative humidity of 10 percent during the days after the tornado’s blast. By Thursday, September 11 the room was beginning to look more normal. Gary A. Becker image. |
Face SE and look overhead to see Cygnus and the North American Nebula in this orientation. The blue circle represents the field of view of common binoculars. Map by Gary A. Becker using The Sky. |
The North American Nebula as it appeared from Carter Camp, PA on August 1, 2008. An equatorially mounted Canon 40D was mated with a 70-200mm, F/2.8 Canon lens (EFL 112mm, F/3.2), ASA 800 for this 9.5-minute exposure. Deneb is to the right so that the North American Nebula appears in a correct map orientation. Astrophotography by Gary A. Becker... |