Science Monday in the Lone Star state

November 15, 6:23 PMAustin Science Policy ExaminerSteven Andrew

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A few science-y events and announcements this coming week in Texas. If you have an event or item you'd like listed, please contact me at darksydothemoon AT aol DOT com.

• Texas school children may soon have a new item or two to carry in their book bags and backpacks: electronic books. Via the Texas Tribune:

  Rather than replacing untold thousands of dead-tree editions every two years — for hundreds of millions of dollars — the state could own libraries of electronic content, some of which it might even get for free. Students could carry all that material on a laptop or an e-reader, amassing an on-demand virtual library over multiple years in school.

• The Fort Worth Museum of Science and Natural History is featuring an assortment of new and traditional attractions and must see exhibits. If dinos aren't your thing, there's plenty of out of this world science waiting:

  Perhaps stargazing is your cup of tea, and you can do just that in the Noble Planetarium, where live feeds from the Hubble Telescope offer a real-time view of our solar system. You may get lucky and witness an asteroid or a meteor shower live.

• Speaking of meteors, the annual Leonids Meteor shower will light up Texas skies this week. Best viewing is likely to be between 2 and 4 AM early Tuesday morning:

  There is uncertainty on the intensity of this year's shower. Viewers will definitely see a dozen or more meteors per hour. Some astronomers predict, however, that the rate could be greater than 100. The Moon will not wash out any meteors: It rises after daybreak, and in its almost-new phase will be nearly invisible.

• Last but certainly not least, the Austin Astronomical Society will be holding a star party open to the public on November 21. For times and other info, click here for the AAS Activities Homepage.