The first day of summer is finally here!

Summer officially kicked off on Monday, June 21, 2010, at 7:28 a.m. ET, which means the beginning of the summer solstice and the longest day of the year, at least in the Northern Hemisphere.  According to National Geographic, the summer solstice is a result of the Earth’s north-south axis being tilted 23.5 degrees relative to the sun. The tilt causes different amounts of sunlight to reach different regions of the planet.

On the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives more sunlight than on any other day of the year, but that doesn’t mean the first day of summer is also the hottest day of summer.  To learn more about the science behind the summer solstice, click here.

A rare magnitude-3.8 earthquake rattled northern Illinois on Wednesday morning.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported a 3.8-magnitude quake at 3:59:33 a.m. centered in a farm field on Plank Road in Elgin near Hampshire and 3.1 miles underground.  The location is about 45 miles northwest of the city of Chicago.

USGS geophysicist Amy Vaughan said such quakes are rare in northern Illinois, according to a report by The Associated Press.

Vaughan said residents in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan also reported feeling the quake.

DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said there have been no reports of damage or injuries, according to a Chicago Tribune report.

A 4.0 magnitude earthquake rattled parts of Oklahoma on Friday morning, according to reports.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the earthquake hit around 9:18 a.m. Friday about 3 miles northeast of Jones, OK. 

No major damage or injuries have been reported.

A 2.8 magnitude quake was also recorded in the area at 11:16 p.m. Sunday and a 3.3 quake was recorded at 4:05 a.m. Thursday, according to reports.

Geoeye a computerized image of Haitian earthquake devastation.  Geoeye is a computerized tool used with Google Earth that can be used to see the devastation caused by the 7.0 earthquake that ripped through Haiti a couple of days ago.  So far, there are many deaths and many individuals are trying to figure out how to help the Haitians.  Geoeye is the only way that many people will be able to see the devastation – with the exception of photos and images that roll in from the media.

Geoeye is used in connection with Google Earth to provide real-time access to satellite images of the devastation that has ripped through the island.

The Haitian earthquake is the center of a lot of speculation.  Yesterday, one individual said that Haiti has had a bunch of trouble ever since they made a pact with the devil.

Still yet, the world is sympathetic with the island, which is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.  In 2008, hurricanes ripped through the area and the people were just starting to get back to normal when the earthquake hit.

The Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince was damaged, and many government buildings were leveled.  One hospital fell, and many patients and staff members are feared dead in the rubble.

Haiti has asked the US for a Hospital ship.  Many from the military and from humanitarian organizations are flocking to the area to assist.  Those that cannot help are making donations.

Click here to visit Google’s Haitian Earthquake Resources page.

A 5.8 earthquake was reported in northern Baja California along the U.S.-Mexico border region on Wednesday.

The earthquake caused buildings to sway more than 100 miles away in San Diego and southwestern Arizona, according to the Associated Press.

The main quake was centered about 20 miles southeast of the Mexican border city of Mexicali, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.  It was reportedly followed by a 4.9 quake and several aftershocks.

There have not yet been any reports of injuries, death, or structural damage.

A snowstorm that blanketed the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. with nearly 2 feet of snow was headed north on Sunday.

The heavy snow on the East Coast has already being blamed for five deaths, and hampering holiday travel and shopping, according to the Associated Press (AP).  Other problems included flooding in South Florida and a power outage for more than 85,000 customers in the Carolinas on Friday.

The storm dropped 16 inches of snow on Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., the most ever recorded there in a single day, the AP reported.  Southern New Jersey received its highest single-storm snowfall totals in nearly four years.

Forecasters expected the storm to drop as many as 10 inches on New York City, the AP reported.

Heavy snow and gusty winds were expected to continue to plague Southeastern New England on Sunday, but were to taper off into the afternoon and evening, according to weather.com.

The official first day of winter is on Monday.

Meteor Shower November 2009 video is amazing.  The November 2009 meteor shower was is being watched by many.  From November 13-20, 2009 the meteor shower is best seen after 1:30 AM EST.  The peak was estimated to take place early this morning, but enthusiasts can still view the shower for a few more days.
The Leonid meteor shower is an annual event that takes place as the earth travels through Comet Temple-Tuttle.  As the earth approaches the comet and as the comet comes closer to the sun, it sheds clumps of material that sprinkle our nightly sky.

If you haven’t seen a shower like this, it is worth waking up early or going to bed late to see.  Make sure you have a telescope to see the best views.

NASA’s Web site has a Fluxtimator that allows you to see when the shower will be best viewed in your area.  You can use this to plan when you will see the meteor shower.

How to Celebrate the Meteor Shower during November 2009:

If you have children, have a “meteor shower” party with them to make viewing it very special for them. Make star shaped cookies and find free printable solar system and space coloring pages online.  Learn about how the event occurs, and describe it to your child.  Have them help you make a story book that discusses the event.

If you don’t have children, grab a bottle of chilled wine, a telescope, and a blanket and sit out in the night sky with someone special and watch the beautiful event.  This will be a romantic evening at home, and a unique date that doesn’t cost anything.

If you are in the city and can’t get great views of the meteor shower, find the November 2009 meteor shower video online.

Sources:

NASA.com

The National Hurricane Center (see photo) said it is an “extremely dangerous hurricane Rick continuing to strengthen” because it grew from a category 1 to a category 4 storm in only 36 hours; and may strengthen to a category 5 storm by tonight.

Acapulco residents were warned that the hurricane may trigger landslides and flooding.

If it stays on its current path with a gradual northern turn, then it may hit landfall in Baja Wednesday or Thursday.

A tsunami warning has been issued for American Samoa after a massive earthquake hit 120 miles southwest of the island this morning.  Residents have been warned of a possible tsunami threat after a massive 7.9 earthquake struck in the ocean about 120 miles Southwest American Samoa.  The earthquake is 10 times the size of the earthquake that struck San Francisco in 1989.

The tsunami warning was issued by the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center for Tonga, Niue, Kermadec Islands, American Samoa, Samoa and Fiji.

“An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines in the region near the epicentre within minutes to hours. Authorities in the region should take appropriate action in response to this possibility,” the Center said.

CNN just reported that a 10 foot wave hit did hit the nearby islands, and that tsunami is expected to hit Hawaii in several hours, at a much reduced speed.