Orionid Meteor Shower This Weekend, Oct 21 – 23

 
Don’t be alarmed if you see balls of fire in the sky this weekend. 
 
“The Orionid meteor shower is active from Sept. 26 to Nov. 22, with a peak during the early morning hours of Friday, Oct. 21. NASA says this shower is considered “one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year,” known for bright, fast shooting stars that leave long trails glowing in their wake.”
 
More here and below.  Enjoy.
 

Stunning meteor shower from Halley’s Comet to light up night skies  

The Orionid meteor shower is active from Sept. 26 to Nov. 22, with a peak during the early morning hours of Friday, Oct. 21. NASA says this shower is considered “one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year,” known for bright, fast shooting stars that leave long trails glowing in their wake. 

Fast meteors like the Orionids can sometimes even leave “fireballs,” or longer explosions of light.

Read on to learn about the shower and how to watch it. 

What are the Orionids? 

This meteor shower is caused by space debris from what could be the best-known comet ever: Halley’s Comet, which takes 76 years to orbit the Sun just once. It hasn’t been seen by casual Earth stargazers since 1986. NASA says it’ll return in 2061, if you want to add that to your calendar. 

The comet is named for English astronomer Edmond Halley, who correctly predicted its return. 

Halley’s Comet sheds streams of ice and dust every time it circles back through the inner solar system, leading to two different yearly meteor showers. 

“The Eta Aquarids are the outbound particles of Halley’s comet and the Orionids are the inbound,” American Meteor Society editor Robert Lunsford said, adding that both showers have a nearly two-month active period. “Halley’s Comet has been through the inner solar system so many times, a lot of the particles have spread out.”

Estimates for how many meteors you could see per hour vary, with NASA predicting 15 and AMS estimating 10 to 20. Due to the long active period for the Orionids, those peak rates are expected to last longer than for other showers. 

“That’s what’s different about this long period shower — it has a plateau-like maximum,” Lunsford said. “So if you miss the night of maximum activity, the night after and even a couple of nights after that is well worth watching.”

The Orionids meteor shower has a history of surprising its viewers. AMS says in 2006 to 2009, the shower’s peak rates rivaled that of the stunning Perseids, which can average 50 to 75 meteors per hour.

How to watch the meteor shower this week

The Orionids will peak in the early morning hours between Thursday and Friday. 

NASA recommends watching in the hours between midnight and dawn, well away from city lights if possible. A lawn chair or sleeping bag will help you stay cozy as your eyes adapt to the darkness — this takes about 30 minutes. As experienced stargazers know, some patience will come in handy. 

“Watch for at least an hour… Because there’s peaks and valleys of activity, a in all meteor showers,” Lunsford said. “You could be out there at the wrong time and see nothing. And then during the next five or 10 minute period, you’ll see all kinds of activity.”

Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse this Weekend!

This weekend you can catch a rare “Super Blood Moon” or “Super Flower Blood Moon” total lunar eclipse across all the US.  More info below, but here are the best viewing times.  It’ll happen right around midnight on Sunday, EDT.

Specific Times of Total Lunar Eclipse (EDT)

  • Partial eclipse begins at 10:27 PM May 15
  • Totality begins at 11:29 PM EDT
  • Totality ends at 12:54 a.m. EDT
  • Partial eclipse ends at 1:55 AM EDT (May 16)

 

‘Super Flower Blood Moon’ Lunar Eclipse is Coming Sunday Night. Here’s What You Need to Know.

USA TODAY

Get ready for a sky spectacle this weekend.

A “super flower blood moon” lunar eclipse will be coming to the night sky on Sunday. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is between the full moon and the sun

During the eclipse, the moon will receive only sunlight bent through the Earth’s atmosphere, and will change color over the minutes, from gray to pink to orange to red. 

The Earth’s shadow covers the moon, which often has a red color, hence the blood moon nickname. Although it’s completely in the shadow of Earth, a bit of reddish sunlight still reaches the moon.

The eclipse will begin when the Earth’s shadow appears on the moon at 10:27 p.m. EDT Sunday evening. Over the course of an hour, the shadow will creep across the moon, plunging the lunar surface into darkness. 

Totality, or when the moon is entirely in the Earth’s shadow, will occur from 11:29 p.m. May 15 to 12:53 a.m. May 16.

You don’t need special glasses or gizmos to view the spectacle, unlike a solar eclipse, so feel free to stare directly at the moon. Binoculars or a telescope will improve the view.

The eclipse will be visible in total phase from portions of the Americas, Antarctica, Europe, Africa and the east Pacific, according to Space.com,

This will be the first of two lunar eclipses in 2022, Space.com said. The next one will occur Nov. 8.

What is a supermoon?

A supermoon means the moon looks a bit bigger than usual since it’s a bit closer to the Earth.

“Because the orbit of the moon is not a perfect circle, the moon is sometimes closer to the Earth than at other times during its orbit,” according to NASA.

On average, supermoons appear about 7% bigger and about 15% brighter than a typical full moon.

It’s also the ‘flower’ moon

Sunday’s sky show is also the “flower” moon, a name given to May’s full moon because “flowers spring forth across North America in abundance this month,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac said.  

The full moon names used by the almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American and European sources. Traditionally, each full moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the full moon.

Other names for May’s full moon include the corn planting moon and the milk moon, NASA said.

Worm Moon Tonight!

From CNN:

One of the brightest heralds of spring makes its appearance this week.

The March full moon, known as the worm moon, will be at its peak at 3:18 a.m. ET on Friday, March 18, according to NASA. It will appear full through Saturday morning.

(See more below for, er, how it got its name.)

 

 

 
This moon will appear larger to viewers because of the “moon illusion,” according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. This occurs when the moon is near the horizon and our eyes compare the moon’s size to trees, buildings or other earthly objects. By comparing these reference points to the moon, our brain tricks us into thinking the moon is bigger.
 
Southern Native American tribes named the worm moon after the earthworm casts — essentially feces — that emerged as the ground thawed at winter’s end, according to NASA.

Comet Leonard 2021

There’ve been some remarkable photos of Comet Leonard as it approaches the sun.  Here are a few recent ones, taken from Sky and Telescope.

 

Braided flows of gas and dust stream from the head of Comet Leonard in a photo taken with an 8-inch telescope and QHY600 camera on December 24, 2021. Michael Jäger and Lukas Demetz.

 

Like water from a rotary lawn sprinkler, dust jets blast from the comet’s false nucleus in this carefully processed image from December 23, 2021. Michael Jäger, Lukas Demetz and Qi Yang

 

 

Comet Leonard shows off a pretty tail several degrees long on December 19, 2021, from Payson, Arizona. The comet’s altitude at the time was about 10°. Chris Schur

Beaver Moon Lunar Eclipse, Nov 18-19: the Longest Lunar Eclipse in 580 Years

Heads up for this spectacular lunar eclipse in the pre-dawn hours of Nov 19, 2021.  Lasting 6 hours, it’ll be the longest lunar eclipse in almost 600 years.  Expect excellent visibility all across North and South America, much of Asia, and parts of Europe and west Africa.  During the period of maximum eclipse, the Moon may appear a deep red color.

In North America, the period of maximum eclipse will be right around 4:00 a.m. EST, with almost 2 hours of partial eclipse before and after that. 

More below, from Space.com.

 

Beaver Moon lunar eclipse 2021: When, where and how to see it on Nov. 19

Visibility will be excellent across the Americas, much of Asia and parts of Europe and west Africa, and with the long event time you’ll have maximum opportunity to dodge clouds or crowded schedules to see the event unfold.

“Partial lunar eclipses might not be quite as spectacular as total lunar eclipses – where the moon is completely covered in Earth’s shadow – but they occur more frequently,” NASA said in a description of the eclipse. “And that just means more opportunities to witness little changes in our solar system that sometimes occur right before our eyes.”

Lunar eclipses are long events. This one will last about six hours and will peak at 4:02 a.m. EST (0902 GMT). The event will be visible from North and South America, Australia, and parts of Europe and Asia. 

The eclipse will take place in four main phases, according to NASA. At 1:02 a.m. EST (0602 GMT) the moon will enter the penumbra, or the lighter part of the moon’s shadow. This phase is usually hard to spot without special equipment because the darkening is so slight. 

The moon will then arrive at the umbra, or the darker part of the shadow, at 2:18 a.m. EST (0718 GMT). Here you will get to enjoy about 3.5 hours of the moon passing through the deep shadow until it exits the umbra at 5:47 a.m. (1047 GMT). The eclipse will end at 6:03 a.m. EST (1203 GMT).

Assuming you can see the entire eclipse, the moon will have different appearances at different stages of the event. While it is in the penumbra or lighter part of the Earth’s shadow, it may be difficult for you to see anything at all, especially if you live in a light-polluted region. But as the moon moves closer to the umbra or deep shadow, it will begin to darken, turning a bit greyer than usual.

As the moon approaches the deepest part of the eclipse, the moon will likely turn a dark red or a brown region as it will be 97% eclipsed at the peak. The moon won’t be covered all the way, though, as at the point of greatest eclipse there will still be a region near the bottom of the moon (or top of the moon, if you are viewing through many kinds of telescopes) that is in full sunlight.

Depending on where you are located, you may not be able to see all of the eclipse. The entire sequence is visible for most of North and Central America, along with the far east of Asia, although extreme eastern regions of the Americas may only be able to view the eclipse before the moon exits the umbral phase.

South America will see most of the eclipse before moonset. Europe and western Africa will see some of the beginning of the eclipse, and central Asia along with the southern Pacific and Australia will see some of the eclipse around moonrise. You can find more details about your region at the NASA website.

Comet Leonard – the New Year’s Comet

Look for Comet Leonard–sighted just last year–to make a bright showing this New Year’s.

 

Comet Leonard, Oct 29, 2021

From EarthSky News:

Exciting news! A much-anticipated comet is brightening and still might become 2021’s brightest comet. Astronomer Greg Leonard discovered the comet that now bears his name – C/2021 A1 (Leonard) – last January 3. Astronomers reported then that discovery images showed a tail for the comet, suggesting we might see a nice tail as Comet Leonard draws closer to the Earth and sun. The comet is now between the orbits of Mars and Earth, heading inward. Comets are typically brightest around the time they’re closest to the sun. And Comet Leonard will reach perihelion, its closest point to the sun, around January 3, 2022. That’s after its closest point to Earth on December 12.

Read more here.

 

 

Hunter’s Moon Tonight, Oct. 20

You don’t have to be a hunter to enjoy the Hunter’s Moon tonight, Oct. 20.   More below from EarthSky.  Happy viewing and/or hunting.

“The Hunter’s Moon is the full moon after the Harvest Moon. It usually falls in October, but, if not, it falls in early November. [ . . .] It’s a characteristic of the Hunter’s Moon to rise around the time of sunset for several evenings in a row, as if this month has more than one full moon.”

 

Hunter’s Moon

 

Hunter’s Moon October 20, 2021

The Hunter’s Moon is the full moon after the Harvest Moon. It usually falls in October, but, if not, it falls in early November. October 2021’s full moon – the Northern Hemisphere’s Hunter’s Moon – will be 100% lit on October 20 at 14:56 UTC; translate UTC to your time. On October 21, and even on October 22, you might glimpse a full round moon ascending in the east in early evening. It’s a characteristic of the Hunter’s Moon to rise around the time of sunset for several evenings in a row, as if this month has more than one full moon.

Eastern Australia and New Zealand will see the full moon on October 21. It’s not a Hunter’s Moon for the Southern Hemisphere because it’s spring in that hemisphere now. So the full moon has different characteristics.

Every full moon has a slew of nicknames, and most are tied to months of the year. But some moon names, such as the Harvest and Hunter’s Moons, are tied to seasons. The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the September equinox, or autumnal equinox for the Northern Hemisphere. The equinox is typically September 22 or 23. So most Harvest Moons come in September. But, every three years, the Harvest Moon falls in early October and the Hunter’s Moon in November.

In North America, the Harvest Moon was a time when the bright moon meant farmers could stay out later, working in their fields, gathering in the crops before the first freeze. After the harvest, farmers would turn to hunting deer and other animals to bolster their food stores before winter. The light of the full moon would let them hunt into the evening hours. So today we have a Hunter’s Moon.

Hunter's Moon: Big, round, white full moon above temple with candles around every floor and onion dome on top.
The West’s Hunter’s Moon is sometimes celebrated as Kartik Purnima in India. In 2021, the dates vary a bit. The festival will come around the November full moon (night of November 18-19 in India). Swami Krishnananda in Ranchi, India, captured this photo during Kartik in 2017. Thank you, Swami Krishnananda!

What makes this moon special?

Nature is particularly cooperative around the time of the autumn equinox to make the fall full moonrises unique. On average, the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day. But when a full moon happens close to the autumnal equinox – either a Harvest or a Hunter’s Moon – the moon (at mid-temperate latitudes) rises only about 30 to 35 minutes later daily for several days before and after the full moon. The reason is that the ecliptic – or the moon’s orbital path – makes a narrow angle with the evening horizon around the time of the autumn equinox.

The result is that there’s a shorter-than-usual lag time between successive moonrises around the full Hunter’s Moon.

Early evening moonrises make every Hunter’s Moon special. Every full moon rises around sunset. After the full Hunter’s Moon, you’ll see the moon ascending in the east relatively soon after sunset for a few days in a row at northerly latitudes.

If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, look for the moon to be bright and full-looking for several nights from around October 19 to the 22. Around all of these nights, you’ll see a bright round moon ascending in the east in the evening hours.

Harvest Moon Tonight – Which I’m Calling the “Hurricane Moon”

It’s not too late to catch 2021’s Harvest Moon.  From NPR:  “For three days, moonrise will come shortly after sunset, but the harvest moon will reach its peak illumination at 7:54 p.m. ET Monday. Historically this lunar event provided farmers a little extra light to harvest their crops.”

Read more below.  Happy viewing, and happy Fall. 

For those in the Northern Hemisphere, summer will come to an end next Wednesday. Slowly but surely since the middle of June, days have been getting shorter. With the arrival of the autumn equinox comes cooler weather and a change of color amongst the trees. And Monday, two days before the official start of fall, the harvest moon.

For three days, moonrise will come shortly after sunset, but the harvest moon will reach its peak illumination at 7:54 p.m. ET Monday. Historically this lunar event provided farmers a little extra light to harvest their crops. However, unlike the equinoxes, which take place at the same time each year, the harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. Which means it can fall in September or October, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

But that’s not all that changes with the last full moon of the summer. You may recall glancing up at the night sky and noticed the moon varies in size from time to time. That’s because the its orbit around the Earth isn’t a perfect circle, NASA explains.

Sometimes the harvest moon appears to be enormous, such as in 2015, when it was the year’s closest and biggest super moon. The moon appears so much larger during super moon events because it’s closer to Earth, known as the perigee. At its closest point the moon is about 226,000 miles from Earth. But sometimes the harvest moon occurs when the moon is furthest from Earth in orbit, the apogee, at 253,000 miles away.

If spectators catch the moon rising at just the right time, it will appear orange in color. But this theatrical touch isn’t specific to the harvest moon. The moon varies in color depending on a handful of factors, including where the viewer is standing. When Earth’s satellite is closest to the horizon it takes on a red or yellow color, NASA says. But as it continues to rise it will gradually take on its traditional pale, white color.

East Asian culture celebrates the August Moon Festival, which doesn’t always coincide with the rising of the harvest moon itself. According to the Boston Public Library, the festival can be traced back to 771 B.C. and was celebrated by harvesting rice and wheat on the night of the full moon. Similar to Thanksgiving in the United States, the August moon is celebrated by the gathering of friends and families, but instead of turkey, people eat mooncakes, a sweet and savory dessert.

SUPER FLOWER BLOOD MOON Tomorrow, May 26

 
 
Heads up, stargazers. Tomorrow, May 26, you can see the SUPER FLOWER BLOOD MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE from pretty much anywhere in the world.
 
It’s a Supermoon because the moon will be at its closest point to Earth in its orbit.
 
It’s a Flower Moon because that’s a nickname for the Spring moon.
 
And it’s a Blood Moon because the Earth will be positioned directly between the moon and the sun, blocking the sun’s rays and causing the moon to appear red.
 
Viewing times and details in the article below. Enjoy.
 

How to Watch this Week’s Spectacular “Super Flower Flood Moon” Lunar Eclipse

By Sophie Lewis

The most spectacular full moon of 2021 is quickly approaching, gracing the night sky in all its glory on May 26. That date marks not just a supermoon, but also a blood moon, thanks to a lunar eclipse.

“When this happens, the only light that reaches the moon’s surface is from the edges of the Earth’s atmosphere,” the space agency explains. “The air molecules from Earth’s atmosphere scatter out most of the blue light. The remaining light reflects onto the moon’s surface with a red glow, making the moon appear red in the night sky.”

NASA says the result will be a “ring of light” around the moon. 

“Just how red it will look is hard to predict, but dust in the atmosphere can have an effect. (And keep in mind there have been a couple of prominent volcanic eruptions recently),” NASA said. 

Not only does May bring a lunar eclipse, but also the year’s best supermoon. A supermoon occurs when the moon appears larger than usual in the night sky because it is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, known as perigee. 

May’s full supermoon is known as the “Flower Moon,” and it marks the second of three supermoons this year. It’s appropriately named for the abundance of flowers associated with spring in the Northern Hemisphere. 

How to watch 

On Wednesday, May 26, the cosmic phenomenon will be at least partly visible anywhere on the night side of the planet, NASA said. Under clear weather conditions, skywatchers around the world will be able to enjoy the show. 

This includes parts of Asia and Australia, as well as much of the U.S. and South America. For skywatchers in the U.S., the best viewing will be in Hawaii, Alaska, and the western states, though the eclipse is partially visible further East during dawn twilight. And if you’re in the U.S. you should wake up early to see the rare celestial event. 

According to NASA, the peak of the eclipse will last for about 14 minutes, but the entire event will last about five hours, from 08:47:39 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) to 13:49:41 UTC. It will peak at 11:19:52 UTC. 

This means that in Asia, the eclipse occurs in the early evening when the moon first rises, while on the west coast of the Americas, it occurs in the early morning hours, when the moon is setting. 

Solar eclipses should never be viewed with the naked eye, but lunar eclipses are completely safe to look at. 

Don’t worry if you’re not located in the best place to spot the eclipse. The Virtual Telescope Project will have a live feed of the entire event, starting at 3 a.m. PT on May 26.