Hi everybody

Here's the latest article from the Astronomy site at BellaOnline.com.

European Astrofest 2016
It's great to have access to “the Universe under one roof”. When European Astrofest comes to the Kensington Conference Centre in London, it saves many light years of travel. Here are some highlights of the 2016 event.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art302445.asp

*World Asteroid Day 2016*
This year's World Asteroid Day has been announced. It will be again on June 30th, the anniversary of the Tunguska event which flattened 2000 square kilometers of forest. Imagine that hitting an urban center. These are rare events, but in today's world have devastating potential. Time to fight back! https://www.theguardian.com/science/across-the-universe/2016/feb/09/european-space-agency-to-join-brain-mays-asteroid-day

*Jules Verne*
On February 8, 1828 Jules Verne was born. He's still considered one of the greats of science fiction. His story of a Moon launch involved three men, but no rockets. A capsule was launched by being shot off in a giant cannon. It was built in central Florida, but on the opposite coast to the Kennedy Space Center. Verne called his craft Columbiad, and NASA named the Apollo 11 spacecraft Columbia. On his 183rd birth anniversary (5 years ago), he got a Google doodle. http://www.google.com/doodles/jules-vernes-183rd-birthday

*Valentine's Day*
Valentine's Day. Is it a romantic day or one invented by greeting card companies and sellers of luxury goods? It certainly isn't an astronomical holiday, but whatever your view of the day, you can enjoy this selection of cosmic valentines. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art53919.asp To which I'll add a new one, everybody's favorite dwarf planet: http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_feature/public/thumbnails/image/nh-pluto-in-false-color.jpg?itok=hrxvaseF

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I wish you clear skies.

Mona Evans, Astronomy Editor
http://astronomy.bellaonline.com

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