GRAIL-A starts year off right.

My New Year’s resolutions:

Spend more time observing the night sky. Paint more pictures. Listen to more jazz. Keep in better touch with family and friends. Keep the new laptop organized. Master both the new DSLR and Lightroom.  I think I need to make a cup of tea, get in a comfy chair and fall asleep reading.

One thing I am determined to accomplish is a greater understanding of our lovely satellite.The first of the two GRAIL moon probes successfully entered lunar orbit yesterday afternoon. It's making a stretchy elliptical orbit that carries it from 56 to 5,197 miles above the moon’s surface over a period of 11.5 hours. Its twin is expected to do the same later this afternoon.

This should be an exciting year for Lunar scientists. The GRAIL project will unlock many mysteries. Knowing more about the Moon’s internal structure will help us understand much about the evolution of the earth, moon and other rocky planets.

Next time you’re outside at night, look up… and wonder.