Double ringed crater on Mercury found

Double craters are not necessarily rare but on Mercury new evidence is finding more with the help of a spacecraft zooming around the planet.
(if not this date go to this link/website and then go to archives link which is on the APOD page lower portion)
2009 October 7
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Ancient Eclipse Found in "The Odyssey,"

After much researching, an eclipse of the sun is revealed in the Odyssey


Eclipsing the Odyssey:
http://www.searchmagazine.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/2008%20September-October/full-EclipsingOdysseyNews.html


Ancient Eclipse Found in "The Odyssey," Scientists Say

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080623-homer-eclipse.htmljavascript:void(0)

Totality and eclipse July 22 photos from around the world of 7/22/2009

I saw totality and more in Wuhan. Unlike others we were not clouded out totally.
Meanwhile until I post my pics and videoclips and more here are some to view.

Here are some pics maybe you saw. The tragic cloudy one in Shanghai pic stood out. Luckily I was not there .

There weren't enough totality pics .
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/the_longest_solar_eclipse_of_t.html

more compiled nicely at

Daniel Fischer's compilation
http://cosmos4u.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

Google Map of the intersection of 2017 and 2024 totality

I just returned from China and will post my account, video snippets and photos soon. It was so hot and humid there in most parts of China and I was always "shvitzing " (Jewish for sweating profusely )

Some people are thinking already to 2017 and 2024. But I am not waiting until then for my next shot totality and my 9th (I will most likely try for Australia in 2012- not sure about 2010)
Unlike many others during July 22 eclipse, we saw totality mostly 1 minute before the end of totality ( I did get video of the incoming shadow ). Now back in Kansas with the cooler mornings and nights, it is a real feeling to savour. I can only hope that 2017 will have clearer skies (a death ridge High would be good ) to show the grandeur of totality.

Here is a very nice google map showing both paths. You can zoom in on any part of the paths.
http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_2024_GoogleMapFull.html

Total Solar Eclipses China 2009 coming up

I leave for China Sunday, July 12 to travel and see the eclipse and to do a lot of photography and videotape for a DVD I will make. Here are some interesting websites to note whether you going or not going.

Upon return if you have photos, websites, blogs etc, send them to me and I will post them for others to see.

Thanks Eric
***
other links

Info about eclipse
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/50020537.html?showAll=y&c=y

Watching the weather as eclipse day looms
(clear skies for all!!!)
http://www.meteoblue.com/en/specials/solar-eclipse-22-july-2009/


For those who have iPhones you can download this ap from the iTunes Store

Re: iPhone eclipse circumstances app available
The app is now available through the iTunes App Store. Please feel free to contact me off list with any questions you might have.

http://www.eclipse-chasers.com/totality.html
http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/Solar_Eclipses.html

Book review:

A Digital Photographer’s Guide to Model Releases
reviewed by Dr. Eric Flescher, Olathe, KS: (dreric1kansas@aol.com)

Author: Dan Heller
Publisher: Wiley Publishing , Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NY 0703 Released: March 31, 2008
Pages: 288
$30 USA
$ 33 Canada
ISBN-10: 0470228563
ISBN-13: 978-0470228562

Strengths: Comprehensive information about model releases. Full color and additional hints abound through the book. Excellent model photographs highlight nice examples. Vertical tabs at the side of each page highlight main part of the section. Nice yellow like sticky notes are strategically placed throughout the book and the pages, to portray tips and highlight specific concerns or ideas that are relevant to the chapter/ pages or text.

Weaknesses: None

Novice/Intermediate/Advanced

Rating: 5/5


Introduction

Taking photos of people, places and many types of visuals, for publication, is commonplace. However in many lines of work, the necessity and use of model release forms is misunderstood, to say the least. Sometimes the nuances are not quite understood or well defined in many cases, by photographers or the places of business themselves. The book Model Releases: A digital Photographer’s Guide, helps to clarify the meaning of much of the process and update advanced in print media and more in recent years.

The author has been a freelance photographer and photo industry analyst. His works have been featured in publicaiotns from news and business media to fine arts books. This book is the result of over five years of his research to model releases. He is well versed in the changing trends that have transformed books, the press, music and much more, in recent years. His knowledge is transmitted to this book in a very readable and understandable way.

The seven part book covers a wide range of important topics within its 288 pages. The titles of the parts of the book highlight the necessity of model releases. These are : Everyone’s doing it ; So what’s wrong; What’s a model release ; Understanding “use”; Analyzing the need for a model release; Dealing with photos of property; The business of Licensing. The book makes it much easier to clarify when releases are needed and not needed. What buyers need in the way of model releases, and those who don't need releases are summarized. Also included is information for marketing and licensing all your photos, whether they have been released or not. Also the author does the best he can in accumulating years of information and distilling helpful information in one book.

The book is relevant to those in the United States and abroad. The author helps to define in clear terms, what should be initiated and followed through, under many situations and circumstances. He is clear and concise so that misinformation does not occur and clarity of the releases are understood. The well illustrated text is a very comprehensive book available on the subject, covering everything you would to know about model releases. The releases pertain to people, places and additional circumstances. Much has changes in light of a photographer's role in the creation of photographs that may be uses on or in conjunction with the internet, with digital photography. newspapers, books and magazines.

Conclusions

This important book is both insightful and a pleasure to read and understand. The book is useful for everyone from professional photographers whose work involves photography to those amateur photographers who take vacation pictures on vacation, take photos of at their children' s teams/games, schools or more. This book also includes information about models themselves and what they can learn about their rights concerning how they can protect themselves and when that is not possible.

The importance of this book is highlighted by the fact that a well known GPS technology firm “stole” (or should we say “did not secure properly”), music from my daughter’s business/ firm. Whether it was on purpose or not, she had to set them straight and went through the proper channels. This was an interesting event and it served to highlight what should and needs to be done in the way of copyrighting materials. In addition, a firm in Africa wanted to use one of my photographs for their greeting cards. To make a long story short, I had to find that person and that firm, after they used my photographs, as the individual did not forward my payment. If I would have had the information from this book beforehand, I would have know the proper course of action to take to protect myself with the transaction. This book would have let me know, in advance, the proper procedures so that the situation would have not occurred. Now I am better prepared. And you will be too if you read this well prepared book.

Whether you are in business, work with photographs whether your home, business or personal use or involved in possible interactions with businesses, this book is well worth reading. There is something to be said for knowing and understanding your rights, as well as the rights of clients and businesses. That way you can make the best decision about your photos that possible will end up in businesses, books or other forms.

J. Pasachoff's Nature Solar eclipse article

Photos, information and more from this nice article.
"Solar eclipses as an astrophysical laboratory" freely available at
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7248/full/nature07987.htm