The $10bn James Webb telescope has left Earth on its mission to show the first stars to light up the Universe. Amongst the dark days of winter clouded by covid it is a beacon of light. Human beings have the potential to make the world a better place. Happy Xmas.
JAMES WEBB
Something to look forward to Space telescope tinselled up – Final preparations are under way for the launch of the James Webb space telescope, built to peer back through space and time to the first stars and galaxies that lit up the universe. Regarded as the successor to Nasa’s Hubble space telescope, the mission is scheduled to blast off on Christmas Eve from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. More than 30 years in the making, Webb will orbit the sun, unlike Hubble, which circles the Earth. Its destination is the second Lagrange point, or L2, where the balance of gravitational forces will hold it in place between the Earth and sun.
THWAITES
GEMINID METEOR SHOWER
This should be bright to night if clouds clear. They tend to be multi-coloured and there could be 100 per hour.
TORNADO – USA
MCDONALDS OPENS NET ZERO RESTAURANT
Recycled products for building, sheep wool isolation, a wildlife garden. A move in the right direction.
ELECTRICITY
If I am interpreting this graph correctly – more than half the electricity we produce is ‘Conversion, Transmission and distribution losses? Surely this could be made more efficient? More local electricity generation? Although the National Grid are spending billions to connect up with new Hinkley Point.
WINDFARMS
The Norfolk Boreas Windfarm is likely to get the go ahead despite major concerns regarding its impact on endangered sea birds. As with all changes caution needs to be exercised. Windfarms have a reasonably footloose locational demand, therefore it may not be necessary for that exact location. The impact on birds has been known for decades, I think a wind farm in Gibraltar had to close 20 years ago due to its impact on raptors.
SEALS
Numbers of seals born in the Frame Islands this year are predicted to be higher than previous recent years. I know there are no predators (although I believe a wandering orca may have been seen in the past). Can I be positive here and assume that despite a morality rate of 50%, there must be plenty of food available? And if so presumably some of our sea birds will also have done well this summer. We need good news after yesterdays news about the number of formerly common birds being moved to the red list, swifts, greenfinches, house martins and Berwick swans.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Untangled and put up outside. Lets hope the wind does not blow them away tonight!