Post by Jackie Bosworth on Oct 2, 2005 16:50:46 GMT
The big event this month takes place in the morning sky and not the evening sky! A substantial partial solar eclipse occurs at New Moon on the morning of Monday, October 3. Maximum coverage of the Sun's disc by the Moon happens around 09:05 when approximately 55 per cent (in the south of Britain - and 45 per cent in the north) is hidden. The Moon makes first contact with the Sun's westernmost limb at around 08:50 and leaves the Sun's eastern limb at around 11:20.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun causing the Moon to hide the solar disc. A total solar eclipse can only happen at New Moon. You can see the curve of the Moon as it advances across the Sun's disc. A solar eclipse usually occurs within two weeks either side of a lunar eclipse.
Never ever look directly at the Sun, for you can be permanently blinded or suffer serious eye injury, if you do. Ultraviolet rays will burn the surface of your eye and like sunburn, you will only feel the effect hours later. Infrared rays will boil the molecules in your retina (photo-coagulation) causing irreversible damage.
At Full Moon on October 17, a total lunar eclipse takes place, unfortunately this eclipse happens at mid-day and will therefore not be visible from the U.K. What a pity!
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon causing the Earth's shadow to fall upon the lunar surface. This can only happen at Full Moon. You can see the curve of the Earth as the shadow advances across the Moon's surface.
The red planet Mars is approaching its best and is becoming really prominent. Its eastward motion stops on October 1, and thereafter the planet moves retrograde, travelling back into the star constellation of Aries on October 6. By mid-month, Mars' apparent diameter is a whopping 20 arc-seconds and any modest telescope will reveal lots of surface detail.
Venus and Mercury are visible low in the western evening sky during dusk. The two are not really well placed but do make every effort to spot them.
BST (British Summer Time) ends on Sunday October 30, when we revert back to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). I feel we should continue with BST throughout the winter and go double BST during the summer months. I know this would adversely affect areas in the far north of the UK but the benefits gained to the environment in terms of energy use and to the vast majority of the population must now be conceded.
The pagan New Year festival (Halloween) begins as the Sun sets on the evening of October 31st. The Celts called this celebration 'Samhain' which means 'Summer's end'. I will be celebrating Samhain in my usual way by camping out under a starry sky with an open fire, cooking baked potatoes and sausages and enjoying a glass of my home-made elderflower wine. Come and join me.
Enjoy Your Evening Sky!
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun causing the Moon to hide the solar disc. A total solar eclipse can only happen at New Moon. You can see the curve of the Moon as it advances across the Sun's disc. A solar eclipse usually occurs within two weeks either side of a lunar eclipse.
Never ever look directly at the Sun, for you can be permanently blinded or suffer serious eye injury, if you do. Ultraviolet rays will burn the surface of your eye and like sunburn, you will only feel the effect hours later. Infrared rays will boil the molecules in your retina (photo-coagulation) causing irreversible damage.
At Full Moon on October 17, a total lunar eclipse takes place, unfortunately this eclipse happens at mid-day and will therefore not be visible from the U.K. What a pity!
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon causing the Earth's shadow to fall upon the lunar surface. This can only happen at Full Moon. You can see the curve of the Earth as the shadow advances across the Moon's surface.
The red planet Mars is approaching its best and is becoming really prominent. Its eastward motion stops on October 1, and thereafter the planet moves retrograde, travelling back into the star constellation of Aries on October 6. By mid-month, Mars' apparent diameter is a whopping 20 arc-seconds and any modest telescope will reveal lots of surface detail.
Venus and Mercury are visible low in the western evening sky during dusk. The two are not really well placed but do make every effort to spot them.
BST (British Summer Time) ends on Sunday October 30, when we revert back to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). I feel we should continue with BST throughout the winter and go double BST during the summer months. I know this would adversely affect areas in the far north of the UK but the benefits gained to the environment in terms of energy use and to the vast majority of the population must now be conceded.
The pagan New Year festival (Halloween) begins as the Sun sets on the evening of October 31st. The Celts called this celebration 'Samhain' which means 'Summer's end'. I will be celebrating Samhain in my usual way by camping out under a starry sky with an open fire, cooking baked potatoes and sausages and enjoying a glass of my home-made elderflower wine. Come and join me.
Enjoy Your Evening Sky!
. 2E0ZLD + M3LHI, Zo.