Yesterday was the Autumnal Equinox–day and night were of equal length. Also, Fall began, signaling the advent of winter. If you are a sky watcher, the Fall offers many opportunities for viewing the heavens. As the nights grow longer and the weather cooler, you will find great opportunities for skywatching. The familiar constellations of summer, Scorpius and Sagittarius, will remain visible in the south and southwest in the evening. View Jupiter, Venus and Mars as they head toward different directions in the hours before sunrise.
International Space Station
On Sunday, September 27, at 807 pm CST, gaze toward the northwest, just under the bowl of the Big Dipper for the International Space Station (ISS). Two minutes later, the ISS will fly past Polaris to the northeast. The ISS will be visible against the Great Square of Pegasus in the east at 810 pm CST and will then disappear from sight.
Other sitings in CST zone.
Meteor Showers
We have four possibilities to view meteor showers:
Orionids-October 21, morning Leonids- night of November 17/18, morning Geminids- night of December 13/14
Evening Sky Maps
Not familar with the constellations? Download free Evening Sky Maps from Skymaps.com
We are currently in San Antonio, visiting the doctors at the VA Hospital and staying at a really nice RV park called the Admiralty RV Resort. It is about 1-1/2 miles from Sea World and it only takes us about 15 minutes to get to the medical center from here.
The facilities include a large heated pool with separate jacuzzi, laundry room, activity center, curbside garbage pickup, free Wi-Fi and free cable with HBO. We paid $32.50 with Good Sam discount. There are weekly, monthly and other discounts.
We have met some really nice people, some who are staying for up to 6 months. This is a popular place for the Winter Texans from Canada. During the winter, they have a activity director who comes in every day to make sure everyone is having a good time.
The bus stop is very close and you can go anywhere in San Antonio without having to worry about finding your way and paying for parking. This is probably the cleanest, most well run RV park in which we have camped.
We will remember. We will remember that this event was predicted and a briefing prepared by the Clinton Administration about using airplanes as WMD. The briefing was ignored because a POTUS wanted to invade Iraq.
We will remember. We will remember how a POTUS sat in a school chair without doing anything while the towers fell, the Pentagon was hit and everyday heroes on Flt 93 took the initiative to do something.
We will remember. We will remember how the Patriot Act has been used as a hammer to tear asunder the basic rights guaranteed to American citizens by the Constitution.
We will remember. We will remember how a POTUS lied to get the country to agree to invade a sovereign nation, when there were more pressing cases of need and genocide all over the world; unfortunately, not in oil rich areas.
We will remember. We will remember how a POTUS, while waving the banner of homeland security has given away public lands, national seashores and pristine refuges to his Big Oil buddies.
We will remember. We will remember how a POTUS may declare himself above all law, including environmental protections in place for decades.
Friday and Saturday – after dark witness the Balloon Glow, when all the balloons light up the sky.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5 PM, watch the sky as the parachute team jumps from their plane and lands in the middle of the launch field.
Friday Night - The Killdares have their own unique blend of Celtic, popular and rock and roll music. I know we will like them because they have a Texas attitude (check out their album cover–Stonehenge with cars).
Saturday Night – “GOOD QUESTION,” a professional big horn cover band that will fill the park with their “wall of sound.” Put your disco shoes on, get some big hair and get ready to boogie down.
Look to the sky again on Saturday evening for an amazing fireworks show. This is a treat because the drought here in Texas has pretty much squashed holiday fireworks this year.
Other Information
Balloons in Park (hours)
Friday – 6 PM
Saturday – 7 AM and 6 PM
Sunday – 7 AM and 6 PM
WOW –>Book a balloon ride at this year’s festival. Just contact Air Venture Balloon Port at 972-422-0212. Projected cost is $250.00 per person. This seems a little steep to me, but it is on my bucket list, so if I attend the Fest, I am going up!
Kids Fun Zone – Enjoy the interactive inflatable rides, climb the Rock Wall and run through the obstacle course.
The 4 KDFW Community Stage offers local music.
General Admission Entrance Fee
$5 per person 1-time admission
$8 per person day ticket – 2-time admission
$4 per person discounted admission 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
$1 off for Seniors 65 and over
Kids under 36 inches – Free
Ride the DART Rail to the Festival. Hop on the “Balloon Flyer” from Parker Road Station.
When I watched the REHAB video trailer, I thought I was watching the advertisement for a *NEW* video of G*rls G*ne W*ld. REHAB has a similar type of bouncy, giggly, OMG environment. Then I noticed that everyone was wearing clothes. So, if you love pool parties, grab your swim wear and head out to Hard Rock Cafe (HRC) in Las Vegas, where trutv.com is going to take you behind the scenes of the filming of Rehab. The HRC has 70,000 square feet of swimming pool and all sorts of pool-party activities. The location and the temperature, which reaches 110 degree F., make this THE hottest pool party in the world.
So, you want to appear in REHAB. If you are a young woman who God has gifted with a wonderful face and body, you will probably walk right in. The young men, however, must bring 10-12 good looking young women with them to gain admission. It really looks like anything goes! Wear a costume, become a game or provide a service and you will have fun. Visit the trutv.com and enter to win a chance to party like a rock star at Rehab at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel & Casino pool.
I did not see REHAB last season, but I do plan to watch season two with all new episodes. The REHAB season premiere is September 1, 2009 @ 10pm Pacific/9pm Central. The new season starts Tuesday @ 10pm Pacific/9pm Central. You will soon find out it is not all fun and games. There have already been fights, thefts, assaults–well, you imagine each episode has 5,000 customers with enough alcohol to float the Mayflower–and you can imagine the mayhem.
One caveat. If you have a problem with drinking–you get mean, sick, nasty, out-of-countrol or want to hurt people– please watch REHAB on trutv.com before attending. Everything is filmed and you do not want your mother to see you throwing up purple jello shots truTV’s Rehab.
