Philadelphia Astronomy Social Network

There’s a lot to see and do in Philadelphia and some of it doesn’t have a thing to do with astronomy. When you’re tired of looking at the stars or you’ve set your atlanta home security alarm and are in town on vacation, check out a few of Philly’s best summer activities…
Screening Under the Stars: Enough star action to get any astronomy enthusiast excited, Penn Park screens a new movie every Thursday night. Great for families Read the rest of this entry »

Most baking recipes call for greasing the pan you cook the product in. It is important to follow the instructions in the recipe to produce the optimal results for whatever you bake. However, if the instructions say that you are to bake in an ungreased pan, you may wonder if there is an error. You may be tempted to grease the pan anyway but this may result in recipe failure.
Sponge-type cakes such as angel food or sponge cakes specifically will call for Read the rest of this entry »

There are a wide variety of baking pans to choose from, but many work much better than others. When choosing the best brownie pan, first decide on the shape of the brownie pans. With the wide variety of pans to choose from, it can be a bit daunting if one’s new to baking. There are many shapes, sizes, and styles of pans. There are metal baking pans, and now silicone baking pans, as well. Silicone baking pans are great for baking brownies as they distribute heat evenly.Confused? Here ‘s a little help . Another plus to silicone bakeware is they do not need to Read the rest of this entry »

Cookies have always been the perfect snack for both children and adults. They are a convenient and easy form of snack for anyone who wants to satisfy their sweet tooth. For parents, they are a great treat to pack in their child’s school lunch. They go well by themselves or as a combination with a glass of milk. They can also be crumbled and used as toppings in ice cream or pies.

Cookies come in many flavors and types. Some of the popular ones include chocolate chip, Read the rest of this entry »

After spending your entire day baking, the last thing you want is for improper storage to undermine all your hard work. Freezing is the most common way to store baked goods long term. Ideally, you want to be sure your baked goods are cooled completely before storing.

Breads or cakes without frosting can be stored in the freezer for about 3-4 months. Wrap at least half of the top of the baked item in a cloth towel and then wrap well in plastic. The Read the rest of this entry »

There are so many ways to bake healthy foods for your family. First of all start with the flour, use wheat flour instead of white. White flour breaks down like white sugar in the body. It also has absolutely no nutritional value.

Use natural sugars instead of refined white sugar. Honey is great to bake with or there are other sugars such as raw brown sugar. It has not been bleached so does not contain all of the chemicals that white sugar has.

Oat bran is also healthy for baking along with Read the rest of this entry »

Charity Bake Sales – Bring Out Your Inner Creative Baker
A charity bake sale is the ideal opportunity to bring out the creative baker hidden within. This is especially true when charity bake sales aren’t limited to cakes, pies and cookies. Although, even those items get a lift with a bit of creativity.

Know Charity Bake Sale Patrons
It’s pretty easy to know patrons of a charity bake sale as they leave Sunday church services. The most popular items for these Read the rest of this entry »

There are many different things that you can bake with young children that can also be a fun way to learn about astronomy at the same time. A popular item that is a favorite to many is sugar cookies, and with sugar cookies you can make many different plants and stars. The sugar cookie dough can be colored easily with food coloring, and decorated with different colors of frosting for the rings. You can make different sizes Read the rest of this entry »

Looking ahead at the 2011 calendar, the night sky is riddled with treats for gazers who know what to look for in the Philadelphia area (again, with best results on the outskirts as far away from city lights as possible). Here are the highlights and their corresponding dates (approximations mind you), as we move forward to 2012, with hopefully little to no indicators of apocalypse or cataclysmically devastating global destruction.Full Moons:

• February 18
• March 19
• April 17
• May 17
• June 15
• July 15
• August 13
• September 12
• October 11
• November 10
• December 10 Read the rest of this entry »

It is important for any upstart astronomer to have the guidance of a knowledgeable expert to help him or her interpret the universe as seen through a telescope lens, particularly one with distinct knowledge of the area and what’s visible when. Mike Lynch has helped to provide this simple instruction and wisdom for amateur astronomers all across the country, conveniently mapping out constellations and celestial trends for the greater Pennsylvania area among other regions nationwide. Read the rest of this entry »