Applegater Winter 2014
7
THE STARRY SIDE
Two beauties bright and bold
by GREELEy WELLS
Winter is upon us.
The last treat of fall for
me was the eclipse of the
moon, seen through the
window of the hospital
after my hernia operation.
Earlier in October there
was a solar eclipse and a
meteor shower, though
we missed that for the
rain. Luck of the draw.
Looking nor th
in the winter brings
celestial treats,
like three pairs of stars,
equally distant from each
other. I used to think of
them as feet of the great
bear, Ursa Major. But in
Africa, those three double
stars represent the gazelle’s
high-leaping footprints.
Whatever you think they
are, they go straight up,
from close to the horizon
parallel to the Big Dipper
(great bear). The Dipper
is standing on its handle
tip (or the bear is standing
on his tail). Further west,
to your left, is the Little
Dipper, which is also
vertically oriented and
upside down, hanging
from the North Star
(Polaris) by its handle. I
love this interesting trio,
which, seen in the early
mornings in October, is
a harbinger of winter. I
say all the time, and it’s
always worth repeating:
the dawn you see this
season displays the
evening constellations of
the next season.
Meanwhile,
Orion
floats
overhead, first on his
back in the east; then
rising almost upright to
the zenith and descending
into the west; and later in
winter landing perfectly
upright on his feet on
the western horizon line.
Roughly lining up with
his belt is his entourage
of forerunners: the “V”
of Taurus the bull and
the “tiny dipper” of the
Illustration: Guy Ottewell’s Astronomical Calendar 2014. Pleiades (also known as
Subaru). After
Orion—also
roughly lined
Greeley Wells
up with his belt,
but in the other direction—is the most
impressive and brightest star in the sky
after our sun: Sirius, the dog star.
This is a big part of the cold, clear and
amazing winter night sky—two bright and
bold sets of beauties.
Greeley Wells • greeley@greeley.me
depending on what larger elements of
the grid have been damaged (such as
high-voltage electric substations and
transmission lines).
Given all this, we’ll be on our own for
a while. Local agencies including the Red
Cross have detailed plans, but roads may be
blocked every couple of miles by downed
power lines, landslides, and fallen trees.
Bridges may be wrenched apart from here
to Brookings and north beyond Roseburg.
Help won’t arrive soon.
Your “community” will suddenly
become your neighbors within walking
distance. Get together and discuss how you
can help each other—who has medical or
firefighting experience, generators, tractors,
people with special needs, babies, etc.
Be responsible now for yourself
and your family. Stockpile supplies to
last for three to seven days. Imagine that
everything you own is destroyed—what do
you really need? Water, food, medications,
pet food, a camp stove and fuel, cooking
pots, clothing, a battery or crank-powered
radio, copies of important documents,
bedding, tarps or a tent, tools, bleach to
disinfect water.
Have communication and meeting
plans for your family in case some are at
work or at school when a disaster occurs.
Practice your plan to make sure everyone
knows what to do. Make sure your dried
food is edible and that your children are
comfortable with a night of no phones or
electricity. Know how to check your house
and other buildings for safety and how to
shut off utilities. Plan for your pets and
livestock with food, gear, and transport (cat
carrier, dog crate, horse trailer).
It sounds like a lot to do, but many
of us put more effort into other things
important to us, like Christmas decorations
or throwing a party. Take a few hours
and get this done for yourself and your
household. Plan, prepare, practice—and
you won’t have to panic, whether faced
with an earthquake, wildfire, or other
natural disaster.
Cynthia Cheney • 541-899-1114
Earthquake preparedness—
It’s all about reducing panic
by CyNTHIA CHENEy
Earthquakes—when terra firma
suddenly rolls and jerks underfoot—are
scary events, and southern Oregon is
overdue for a really big one. But the
purpose of the November 1 “Earthquake
and the Applegate” event held at the
Applegate Valley Community Grange was
to help residents avoid panic with three
measures: know what to expect, prepare
for it, and practice what to do. Over 80
folks attended to find out how they could
face such a disaster with more readiness
and less panic.
A big thank you to all the
presenters: Mark Prchal; Sandy Shaffer;
Chief Brett Fillis and Carey Chaput from
Applegate Valley Fire District; Jenny
Hall from Jackson County Emergency
Management; and Michelle Taylor,
disaster program manager for the regional
American Red Cross. Thanks also to the
Friends of Ruch Library for organizing
the event and to the Applegate Valley
Community Grange for hosting.
Geologist Mark Prchal set the stage by
describing how scientists found evidence
showing that southern Oregon has suffered
more frequent major quakes than Oregon
as a whole, since, in addition to the
Cascadia subduction zone paralleling the
coast, we have a “branch” pointed right at
us. Our area can expect a major shake-up
(about eight on the Richter scale) every
240 years. The last one was in 1700; the
clock is ticking…
What should we expect from a
big quake? Immediately, you’ll likely be
unable to stand and things may be falling
on you. Get under something sturdy,
protect your neck and head, and hang on
so you aren’t bounced around. If outdoors,
get in the open away from trees, poles,
rocks, etc., that can fall or roll. There may
be less powerful aftershocks that can still
be damaging. If you live where a breach of
Applegate Dam may flood you, get to high
ground as soon as possible. Water travels fast!
Experts predict severe damage to our
roads and bridges, downed power lines,
landslides, collapsed buildings, and trees
and poles blocking roads and driveways.
Downed power lines may cause fires.
Phones will be out and cell phone circuits
overloaded.
There seems to be general agreement
that repairs will be slow. The I-5 freeway
may be unusable at many points between
here and Eugene, with traffic detours at
Weed over to Bend, then back to Eugene
or Corvallis that will last for months or
possibly years. Restoring power to our
region could take three to six months
Greeley’s Sky Calendar
The planets
Venus slips slowly into the evening
sky in the December sunset and becomes
our evening star for eight months. She
keeps rising and gathering speed all
season.
Mars in December is in the west and
falling toward the sunset for the winter.
Jupiter rises before midnight and is
still close to Regulus, Leo’s heart, for the
season. In February, Jupiter is at its closest
to earth and is its biggest size—perfect for
astrophotography!
Saturn emerges from the dawn glare
in December and rises there all season.
Other events of note
March 20th equinox: the sun is over
the equator, equal day and night, and first
day of spring.
Disaster preparedness is
more difficult in rural areas.
Keep an eye out for meetings and information on this topic in the coming
months. Here are some online resources provided by Jackson County Emergency
Management that can answer a lot of questions:
• Emergency preparedness plan for families: http://bit.ly/Emergplan
• Disaster supplies kit (list): http://bit.ly/EmergKit
• Various guides: http://bit.ly/Emergprep
Still have specific questions?
Call the Jackson County Emergency Management Office at 541-774-6790.