Friday, 20 September 2024

Register

News

Posted On

dianeandersonobit

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Diane was born Aug. 15, 1967, and departed from this life on Dec. 21, 2016.

Diane grew up in the Central Valley in the little town of Escalon, Calif. She attended Modesto Christian until high school where she moved on to Escalon High till her graduation. After graduation she did continue school at Modesto Junior College for a short time.

She was married twice, first in 1990 to Philip Blair. Diane gave birth to two boys, Joshua Dylan Blair and Joseph Richard Blair.

In 1993 she settled in Lucerne, Calif., where she and Phil raised their two sons and a daughter, Kristian Blair, from Phil’s first marriage.

During the next 12 years, she worked tirelessly being a mom and a caregiver of the community she lived in. She worked closely with the Lucerne School Booster Club and the Lucerne Fire Department, helping organize many successful community fundraisers and gatherings.

In 2003 she and Phil separated, not too many years later she met her final love Kevin Anderson. Kevin and Diane were married on Feb. 4, 2012. They spent their days in Kelseyville, Calif., right at the foot of the volcano, Mt Konocti.

In 2013 Diane lost her oldest son, Joshua. At her request, Kevin built a garden in Joshua’s memory, “The Healing Garden.” There, she and Kevin spent much of their time both with friends and family. Some of her best days were with her remaining children and grandchildren inside that garden, and boating on the lake with Kevin.

She leaves behind her husband, Kevin Anderson, 51; son, Joseph Blair, 21; daughter, Kristian Blair, 24; grandchildren, Olive Ruth, 5, and Corbin, 2; daughter-in-law Nani Phillips-Blair; mother-in-law Carole Anderson; ex-husband and lifelong friend, Phil Blair, 50; brother, Kelly Kavanagh, along with a huge family and friends.

Diane had a life illness of lupus and was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in June 2016. She did a short round of chemo therapy before becoming ill and passing peacefully at Sutter Lakeside Hospital surrounded by love, family and friends.

There will be a celebration of life taking place sometime in the spring inside “The Healing Garden” at her home in Kelseyville.

We will miss her.

“To some she was the black sheep, to others she was the shining light. She was simply a woman who trusted her internal compass and had the courage to live her life by her own rules.”

Save

Posted On

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Democratic Central Committee holds its regular monthly business meeting on Thursday, Jan. 5.
 
The meeting takes place beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Lower Lake United Methodist Church Social Hall, 16255 Second St.
 
The agenda for the meeting includes reports from representatives for Congressmen Mike Thompson and John Garamendi, Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and State Senator Mike McGuire, as well as reports from the representative of the Lake County Democratic Club.
 
The group also will be electing new officers for the 2017-19 term at this meeting.

Meetings are open to the public and committee membership is open to all registered Democrats.
 
The Lake County Democratic Central Committee is the official governing body for the Democratic Party in Lake County.
 
For more information about the Democratic Party in Lake County visit www.lakecountydemocrats.org or www.facebook.com/LakeCountyDemocrats .
 
Contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 707-533-4885 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Posted On

From the moment we enter the world, our lives are being planned.

Birthdays, holidays, coming-of-age celebrations, weddings, house hunting, becoming parents, college preparations, etc., consume our thoughts throughout the years.

Even planning for vacations takes up huge amounts of time. Our event preparations shouldn’t stop there.

How many of us really plan for what happens when we are coming to the end of our lives? Yes, people are becoming more involved in planning for retirement. Trusts are set up to provide for surviving loved ones.

We may even put together an advance directive, thinking this will take care of any questions that arise when we become ill.

Yet, often, it ends there. We don’t go the next step. We don’t tell our loved ones what we would like done when we become terminally ill. We don’t tell them what kind of funeral or service we want. We don’t pick a mortuary and make arrangements in advance. We simply don’t take our planning to the final step.

The hardest thing we have to do is acknowledge our mortality. Yes, we know that someday we’ll die; but we really don’t give much thought as to how that is going to happen. 

Hospice Services of Lake County is attempting to lift the taboo about addressing the issue of end-of-life conversations, in many cases creating a positive impact on the quality of life at late stages.

The organization has initiated the “My Life, My Way” campaign.

The campaign encourages community members to begin thinking about end-of-life decisions and to take steps such as having the conversation with health care providers and loved ones, completing advanced care planning documents, and determining how they would like to be memorialized and celebrated at the end of life.

A few months ago, Hospice Services of Lake County’s medical director came to me with an idea for a postcard that people could take to their doctors to let them know they would like hospice care in the event of conditions that would likely result in death within six months.

The “My Life, My Way” postcard was developed along with a business card carrying the same message.

The cards have been circulated and handed out at events for the past few months. They are available from Hospice Services of Lake County.

Working in hospice, I have seen the struggles that family, friends and others have when making the important decisions at the end of life for their loved ones. Hospice works with them to get the arrangements made.

However, think of how much more of that final time can be spent with loved ones. Instead of running around making funeral arrangements, we can spend time together reminiscing about the good times we shared. We can spend time mending fences with others. We can concentrate on making sure we are ending our lives our way.

So I ask each of you to think about how you would like to spend your last days of life. Write it down. Make a plan. Share it with your loved ones. Help them know what you want done. It’s your life. Live it your way.

Consider, too, the better quality of life that comes with such planning and with the services provided by Hospice.

You and your loved ones deserve the type of care and compassion that comes from Hospice Services of Lake County’s dedicated staff: managed pain, caregiver support, personal attention, spiritual support, emotional support and much more.

For more information, contact Hospice Services of Lake County by calling 707-263-6222, or visit www.lakecountyhospice.org .

Cindy Sobel, RN, MS, is director of Patient Care Services for Hospice Services of Lake County, Calif.

Blog Left ad
Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Snow is still in the forecast for parts of Lake County, with some reports of very light snow on Sunday night and early Monday.

The National Weather Service has Lake County and parts of Northern California under a winter weather advisory through 10 p.m. Tuesday due to chances of snow.

Lower elevations are forecast to receive primarily rain, while areas in the mountains are expected to receive several inches of snow this week, according to the specific forecast.

Late Sunday and early Monday, Lake County News readers reported brief, light snowfall in and around Clearlake, Kelseyville and Lakeport, with rain reported in other areas.

Temperatures over the next few days are expected to range from the low 30s at night to the high 40s during the day.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

Posted On

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College wishes everyone a happy winter season and reminds students or potential students that the beginning of the spring semester is right around the corner.

Spring semester classes begin on Monday, Jan. 23.

For those planning to take classes this coming semester, counselors are waiting to help guide them through their educational goals.

The learning center is waiting to help ensure students succeed in their academic endeavors with tutoring and one-on-one help for math, English and more.

Financial aid officers are able to assist in obtaining federal Pell grants, Cal grants and more.

For veterans, disabled, first generation college students or low-income individuals, there is a program that may be able to offer assistance to ensure they can become a student with all the support they require to succeed. 

The Lake County Campus team is prepared to serve students' every need until they have received their certificate or degree, or until they have transferred on to the next stage in their educational path.

Classes are limited in space, so make sure to register today. 

Visit the campus at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake, call 707-995-7900, or go to http://lcc.yccd.edu for more information or to make an appointment.

Posted On

scavonefrozenleaves“People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.” – Anton Chekhov

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – It's been a winter-wonderland Lake County-style recently, replete with frozen puddles, frost swirling on windshields and lacy, frost-embroidered leaves.

You don't have to look far to enjoy nature's art palate of fanciful design. Frost visits during damp, wintry conditions, when moisture freezes into branches and fractals – those mathematical symmetries.

Since winter has just recently begun, we may be fortunate to enjoy a variety of frost types,  including rime, hoar, window, black, and white frost to name but a few.

Nature did a great job of providing many plants and animals with the ability to withstand freezing temperatures. They instinctively “know” to prepare, hibernate or fly south.

A large variety of insects, like the mourning cloak butterfly has the ability to hibernate during the winter. Many other types of insects, along with spiders, survive the cold months as larva or eggs.

Now is the time of year to find the cold-resistant, red toyon berries growing, which provide wintering birds and deer with a bit of nourishment.

The toyon is a hardy, perennial shrub found in oak woodlands as well as chaparral habitats. Robins enjoy the berries, as do turkey, hermit thrush and cedar waxwings.

Since toyon berries are low in calories and protein they are not as hardy a fare as seeds for the animals, but they do have their place in the animals' winter survival food selection. Since these plants are drought-tolerant they make an excellent choice as an ornamental garden plant, too.

Plants have many ingenious methods of winter survival. Some plants die back to preserve themselves, and others use their circulatory vessels to keep frozen sap from “stopping up” their systems.

Here in Lake County we enjoy a temperate climate, so that most animals do not need to hibernate. Our black bears do not usually hibernate.

Some bats do hibernate here, however, finding comfy tree bark, under deck umbrellas or attics to spend the winters when their prey, insects, is hard to find.

Reptiles and amphibians hide out in winter in the safety of burrows, old logs, and sometimes in the bottoms of ponds throughout the winter.

The ingenuity and endurance of plant and animal survival never ceases to amaze.

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is a retired educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.

Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – If you're looking to start off 2017 with a new feline friend, check out the cats ready to fill that role at Lake County Animal Care and Control.

The cats for this first week of the new year include calicoes, orange and gray tabbies, and black and tuxedo cats.

Several of the cats are being offered for $10 each – including spay/neuter, vaccination and microchip – thanks to a sponsorship begun last week that so far has resulted in five other cats getting new homes. The cats offered for $10 are noted below. The all-black cat also has been sponsored and is available for free to an approved home.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

For those looking for a barn cat to keep the rodents at bay, be sure to ask about the barn cat adoption program. Feral barn cats are adopted out for $1 each, which includes altering, ear notching and vaccines. 

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Shelter_Animal_Search.htm .

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

6666tuxedocat

Domestic short hair

This young female tuxedo cat has a short cat and gold eyes.

She's in cat room kennel No. 7, ID No. 6666.

6660calico

Domestic long hair

This female domestic long hair cat has a calico coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 15, ID No. 6660.

6564lynxpoint

Male lynx point

This male lynx point has a short coat and blue eyes.

He is offered for adoption for $10.

He's in cat room kennel No. 19, ID No. 6564.

6687calico

Domestic short hair

This female domestic short hair has a calico coat gold eyes.

She's in cat room kennel No. 32, ID No. 6687.

6714muchy

'Muchy'

“Muchy” is a gray and white female domestic short hair mix.

She has green eyes and already has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 39, ID No. 6714.

6658blackwhitecat

Domestic short hair

This young female domestic short hair has a black and white coat and gold eyes.

She's in cat room kennel No. 75a, ID No. 6658.

6663orangewhitecat

Domestic short hair

This young male domestic short hair cat has an orange and white coat and gold eyes.

He's in cat room kennel No. 75b, ID No. 6663.

6659orangewhitecat

Domestic short hair

This young male domestic short hair has an orange tabby coat with white markings and gold eyes.

He's in cat room kennel No. 109a, ID No. 6659.

6661blackcat

Domestic short hair

This young male domestic short hair has an all-black coat and gold eyes.

He has been sponsored and is available for free to an approved family.

He's in cat room kennel No. 109b, ID No. 6661.

6555christmascat

Domestic short hair

This young female domestic short hair cat has a gray tabby coat and gold eyes.

She is offered for adoption for $10.

She's in cat room kennel No. 112, ID No. 6555.

6416tabby

Domestic short hair

This female domestic short hair has a gray tabby coat and gold eyes.

She is offered for adoption for $10.

She's in cat room kennel No. 120, ID No. 6416.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

Save

Posted On

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) has launched a New Year’s campaign to help Americans turn their resolutions into real solutions for healthy eating in 2017.

This campaign is supported by new and existing MyPlate, MyWins resources available on www.ChooseMyPlate.gov , which are designed such that Americans can decide where to start on the journey to healthy eating.

“As Americans begin thinking about setting goals for the New Year, MyPlate, MyWins is the place to start,” said Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. “With the new resources available on the MyPlate, MyWins webpages, Americans can set small, attainable, healthy eating solutions to incorporate into their lifestyle now and into the future.”

Every January, Americans are overloaded with information about New Year’s resolutions. While starting with the best intentions, many people set unrealistic resolutions and incorporate goals that are difficult to maintain.

Starting with small steps and celebrating milestones along the way are shown to be more beneficial strategies in keeping resolutions.

This is where MyPlate, MyWins comes in; MyPlate, MyWins is a resource to help Americans turn resolutions into real solutions to achieve a healthy eating style in alignment with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020.

Real solutions are small, practical changes that add up to a healthy lifestyle over time. These changes can be incorporated into Americans’ lives to maintain a healthy eating style based on the five food groups of MyPlate.

MyPlate, MyWins encourages consumers to find and celebrate their wins and their real solutions. Since everyone has different eating habits, MyPlate, MyWins helps individuals create their own, personalized nutrition goals and solutions.

Over the course of five weeks as part of the New Year campaign, CNPP will release five MyPlate, MyWins animated videos to the new Make Small Changes webpage. These short, animated videos demonstrate simple changes Americans can make to their typical meals to decrease sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. Each video has a different theme including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages.

“Making a small change, for example, switching from two slices of pepperoni pizza for lunch to one slice of veggie pizza, a salad, and an apple decreases sodium and saturated fat intake, while adding items from other food groups,” said Angie Tagtow, executive directors of USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. “The videos demonstrate to Americans that small, healthy changes, or switches, during meal and snack times can add up over time and improve your eating style.”

To supplement these videos, there are new, meal-specific webpages with nutrition information, more examples of small ways to improve typical meals, and five new MyPlate, MyWins tip sheets. The tip sheets provide suggestions for making healthier choices in typical dining environments: potlucks and parties, coffee shops, buffets, Italian restaurants, and Asian cuisine takeout. All of these resources can help consumers utilize real solutions in their typical day to achieve nutrition goals and maintain a healthy eating style now and into the future.

On January 2, 2017, SuperTracker will kick off a public New Year’s Challenge that encourages participants to start slowly and develop a healthy eating style over time.

Over five weeks, participants will be challenged to incorporate the five MyPlate food groups – fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy – into each day. To officially join the challenge and receive encouraging messages along the way, individuals will need to create a free SuperTracker account.

The MyPlate, MyWins landing page has many additional resources to assist Americans in modifying their meals in order to maintain healthier eating habits throughout their lives.

The Stories from Families and Individuals page includes videos from relatable families about their healthy eating solutions and testimonials from the MyPlate staff. There also are ways to get involved for partners, professionals, and consumers. Additionally, CNPP encourages consumers to share their real solutions and wins via Twitter and Facebook using #MyPlateMyWins.

Visit MyPlate, MyWins to learn more about achieving real solutions and celebrating wins in the New Year.

Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As the new year arrives, Lake County Animal Care and Control's shelter is filled with dogs needing loving homes.

This new year's day dogs include mixes of American Bulldog, Australian Cattle Dog, beagle, border collie, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, golden retriever, husky, Labrador Retriever, Miniature Pinscher, pit bull, Shar Pei, shepherd and terrier.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

6696minpin

Miniature Pinscher

This female Miniature Pinscher has a short black and tan coat and a docked tail.

She's in kennel No. 2, ID No. 6696.

6703chihuahua

Male Chihuahua

This male Chihuahua mix has a short brown coat.

He's in kennel No. 3, ID No. 6701.

6732chihuahua

Male Chihuahua

This male Chihuahua has a short brown coat and has already been altered.

He's in kennel No. 6, ID No. 6732.

6517shepbeagle

Shepherd-beagle mix

This female shepherd-beagle mix has a short tricolor coat, and has been waiting a long time for a new home.

She's in kennel No. 9, ID No. 6517.

6505terriermix

Terrier-Shar Pei mix

This male terrier-Shar Pei mix has a short black coat with white markings and floppy ears.

He's in kennel No. 11, ID No. 6505.

6698husky

Female husky

This female husky has a medium-length red and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 15a, ID No. 6698.

6710cattledogheeler

Border collie-Australian Cattle Dog

This male Border collie-Australian Cattle Dog has a short black and white coat.

He already has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 16, ID No. 6710.

6711goldshepherd

Golden retriever-shepherd

This young golden retriever-shepherd mix has a medium-length gold and black coat and floppy ears.

He's in kennel No. 17, ID No. 6711.

6671pitbullnew

Pit bull mix

This female pit bull mix has a short tan and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 18, ID. No. 6671.

6715gsdrusty

'Rusty'

“Rusty” is a senior male German Shepherd.

He has a long black and brown coat.

He's in kennel No. 19a, ID No. 6715.

6727beaglemix

Beagle mix

This female beagle mix has a short red coat.

She's in kennel No. 20, ID No. 6727.

6665pitbull

Male pit bull

This male pit bull has a short blue and white coat.

He has been sponsored and is available for free to an approved family.

He's in kennel No. 21, ID No. 6665.

6706labmix

Labrador Retriever-pit bull

This male Labrador Retriever-pit bull mix has a short blue and gray coat.

He's in kennel No. 24, ID No. 6706.

6629sharpeimix

'Max'

“Max” is a male Shar Pei-pit bull mix with a short black and white coat.

Shelter staff said he already has been neutered, and would do well in a home with no livestock.

He's in kennel No. 25, ID No. 6629.

6630shepherdnew

Male shepherd mix

This male shepherd mix has a short tan, black and white coat.

He's in kennel No. 26, ID No. 6630.

6684blacklab

Labrador Retriever mix

This male Labrador Retriever mix has a short black coat.

He's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 6684.

6705labmix

Yellow Labrador Retriever

This female yellow Labrador Retriever has a short coat.

She's in kennel No. 31, ID No. 6705.

6708americanbulldog

'Tina'

“Tina” is a female American Bulldog with a short white coat.

She's in kennel No. 32a, ID No. 6708.

6709dollyambulldog

'Dolly'

“Dolly” is a female American Bulldog with a short white coat.

She's in kennel No. 32b, ID No. 6709.

6707cattledog

Labrador Retriever-pit bull terrier

This male Labrador Retriever-pit bull terrier has a short black and white coat.

He's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 6707.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

Save

Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The University of California Cooperative Extension's Master Gardeners Program is planning a series of upcoming pruning workshops.

The Master Gardeners are a group of volunteers dedicated to educating the community regarding any gardening questions they might have primarily in Lake County.

The following workshops are planned:

• Pruning fruit trees and table grapes: Saturday, Jan. 7, 10 a.m. to noon, Hidden Valley Lake.
• Pruning fruit trees: Saturday, Jan. 14, 10 a.m. to noon, south Lakeport.
• Pruning roses: Saturday, Jan. 21, 10 a.m. to noon, north Lakeport.
• Pruning fruit trees: Thursday, Feb. 2, 1:15 to 3:15 p.m., Cobb Mountain Elementary School.

A $5 per-person fee is requested for each workshop and includes informational materials. The Feb. 2 event is free to Cobb residents.

Workshops will be rescheduled in the event of rain.

For more information about the workshops, including their locations, or to register call the UC Cooperative Extension at 707-263-6838.

Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Lake County and other areas of Northern California ahead of a storm that's expected to bring snow.

The agency said the advisory, which it issued over snow concerns, is in effect from 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Forecasters said snow is expected to result from the arrival a very cold airmass coupled with precipitation.

Light to moderate snow showers are expected in portions of Lake County along the Coastal Range, according to the advisory.

The forecast calls for the heaviest snow – from 6 to 18 inches – above 3,000 feet in elevation, while a few inches of snow is expected as low as 1,000 feet.

The specific Lake County forecast calls for snow to arrive in Lake County after 4 p.m. Sunday, and continuing through Tuesday night.

In the higher elevations along the Northshore, less than an inch of snow is forecast to fall on Sunday night, with the potential for up to 4 inches on Monday and another 4 to 7 inches on Tuesday.

In other areas of the county, including Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks, Lakeport, Lucerne, Kelseyville, Middletown and Upper Lake, snow levels are expected to be an inch or less on Monday.

Rain is forecast throughout Saturday for the entire county, with chances for more snow in the county's mountains on Thursday and Friday.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

Posted On

The year 2017 is beginning with fireworks.

No, not those fireworks …

We’re talking about a lightshow from shattered comet 2003 EH1.

According to the International Meteor Organization and other forecasters, Earth will pass through a stream of debris from the comet on Jan. 3, 2017, producing a shower of meteors known as the Quadrantids.

The Quadrantid meteor shower is one of the most intense annual meteor showers, typically producing meteors at a rate of more than 100 per hour from a point in the sky near the North Star, also known as the shower’s radiant.

The 2017 Quadrantids are expected to peak around 1400 UT – or around 6 am PST.  The timing favors western parts of North America and islands across the Pacific.

The peak of the Quadrantids is brief, typically lasting no more than an hour or so, and it does not always occur at the forecasted time. Observers everywhere are encouraged to be alert for meteors throughout the dark hours of Jan. 3.

“Extra motivation to go out and view the Quadrantids is provided by the shower's reputation for producing spectacular fireballs,” said Brian Day of NASA’s Ames Research Center. “Not only are these fireballs memorable visual events, but also they are of scientific interest. Anyone can participate in a citizen science effort by reporting his or her observations. ‘Fireballs in the Sky’ is a free app that makes this easy. It is made available by Curtin University in partnership with NASA.”

Although Quadrantids can be numerous, they are observed less than other well known meteor showers. One reason is weather. The shower peaks in early January when northern winter is in full swing. Storms and cold tend to keep observers inside.

Another reason is brevity. The shower doesn't last long, a few hours at most. Those willing to brave the elements while keeping their eyes on the skies could be rewarded with a spectacular show!

The source of the Quadrantid meteor shower was unknown until December 2003 when Peter Jenniskens of the NASA Ames Research Center found evidence that Quadrantid meteoroids come from 2003 EH1, an "asteroid" that is probably a piece of a comet that broke apart some 500 years ago.

Earth intersects the orbit of 2003 EH1 at a perpendicular angle, which means we quickly move through any debris. That's why the shower is so brief.

Quadrantid meteors take their name from an obsolete constellation, Quadrans Muralis, found in early 19th-century star atlases between Draco, Hercules and Bootes.

It was removed, along with a few other constellations, from crowded sky maps in 1922 when the International Astronomical Union adopted the modern list of 88 officially recognized constellations. Although the Quadrantids now fly out of the constellation Bootes, the meteors kept their old name.

Quadrantid meteors: they come from a shattered comet and an extinct constellation.

That sounds like they are worth a look.  Bundle up for chilly meteor viewing on Jan. 3. It’s a great way to start the New Year.

For more news about backyard astronomy, stay tuned to http://science.nasa.gov .

Upcoming Calendar

21Sep
09.21.2024 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Farmers' Market at the Mercantile
21Sep
09.21.2024 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Passion Play fundraiser
21Sep
09.21.2024 4:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Lake County Wine Auction
24Sep
09.24.2024 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Farmers' Market at Library Park
28Sep
09.28.2024 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Farmers' Market at the Mercantile
5Oct
10.05.2024 7:00 am - 11:00 am
Sponsoring Survivorship
5Oct
10.05.2024 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Farmers' Market at the Mercantile
12Oct
10.12.2024 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Farmers' Market at the Mercantile
14Oct
10.14.2024
Columbus Day
14Oct

Mini Calendar

loader

LCNews

Award winning journalism on the shores of Clear Lake. 

 

Newsletter

Enter your email here to make sure you get the daily headlines.

You'll receive one daily headline email and breaking news alerts.
No spam.

Search