Astronomy

Comet Borisov Comes this Weekend!

Comet 2I/Borisov, the first-ever interstellar space comet, will sweep around the Sun this weekend.  On Dec. 28 it’ll have its closest approach to the Earth.

Borisov is remarkable because all other known comets have come from within our own solar system.  Borisov, in contrast, has travelled 100 million miles or so from some other solar system (scientists don’t know which one) to visit us. This Sunday it’ll slingshot around the Sun before beginning its return journey to . . . wherever.  

Comet Borisov, of course, reminds us of another famous Christmas comet–Comet Kohoutek, which caused such a stir when it swept around the Sun in December of 1973. Astronomers then wondered if Kohoutek might be an interstellar comet, too.  (It wasn’t.) An excellent and entertaining fictional account of Comet Kohoutek, I’m told, can be found in the novel THE NIGHT OF THE COMET, by Mr. George Bishop, Jr.

It’ll be too faint to see with the naked eye, but you can read more about it here at CNN.com, and track its path here at https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4758

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beaver Moon + Taurid Meteor Shower!

November’s full moon is called the “Beaver Moon.” This year’s moon, on Nov. 12, will coincide with the peak of the Taurid meteor shower. If you’re lucky, you might catch some falling stars.

More here at Space.com.

 

November Full Moon 2019: How to See the ‘Beaver Moon’ (and Meteors!)

By Jesse Emspak, Space.com

The November full moon is often called the Full Beaver Moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, because that was when the eponymous animals become active to prepare for winter.  

The Ojibwe peoples called November’s full moon the Mnidoons Giizisoonhg, according to the Ontario Native Literacy Coalition. The name means the Little Spirit Moon, reflecting that it was the 12th month for the Ojibwe, a time for spiritual reflection ahead of a new year. 

In the Pacific Northwest, the Tlingit called the November full moon the Scraping Moon, or Kukahaa Dís, because bears would start to prepare their dens, while the Haida called the month the Cha’aaw Kungaay (“bears hibernate”), according to the Tlingit Moon and Tide Teaching Resource published by the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. 

In the Southern Hemisphere, November is the late spring; the Māori of New Zealand called the lunar months of November to December (measured from new moon to new moon, with the full moon falling right in the middle) Hakihea,meaning “Birds are now sitting in their nests,” according to the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 

Meteor Shower!

If you’ve seen balls of fire falling from the sky recently, don’t be alarmed.  It’s the annual Orionid meteor shower, peaking this week.  Best viewing time this year is likely 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday nights.  

The Orionids are flecks of dust and rock left over from Halley’s Comet.  Think of it as a long, long trail of flotsam left in the wake of the comet, spread out all along its orbit.  Halley’s Comet only swoops around the Earth once every 75 years, but every year, we pass through these scraps of it.  

More info here at Space.com.  Happy viewing.

(The image above, by the way, is a rendering of the Leonids, not the Orionids:  “Leonid Meteor Storm, as seen over North America on the night of November 12-13, 1833,” by E. Weiß in Bilderatlas der Sternenwelt, 1988.)

Tonight! Friday the 13th Full Moon / Harvest Moon!

Go out to see it, but be sure to bring along some garlic and crosses. For protection.  

Info and song below. Enjoy!

from Farmers’ Almanac:

September’s full Moon is coming up, the so-called “Harvest Moon,” which is the full Moon nearest to the autumnal equinox (September 23rd). The arrival of this year’s Harvest Moon will depend on which time zone you happen to live in. If you live in the Eastern Time Zone, the moment the Moon turns full will occur just after midnight—at 12:33 a.m. on Saturday, the 14th. But if you live elsewhere in the country—in the Central, Mountain, or Pacific time zones—the moment that the Moon turns full comes before midnight on Friday, the 13th!

Split Time Zone Full Moon: How Often Does This Happen?

Interestingly, the last time this happened—June 13, 2014—it was the reverse of what will happen this month. It was a Friday the 13th full Moon solely for the Eastern Time Zone, with the Moon turning full just after midnight; for the rest of the country, the full Moon was the day before, on Thursday, the 12th. Nationwide we haven’t had a Friday the 13th full Moon since October 13th, 2000, and it won’t happen again until August 13th, 2049!

It has been calculated that to have a full Moon occur on the 13th day of a particular month, and for that day to be a Friday, it is (on average) a once in 20-year occurrence!

Why The Harvest Moon is Unique

What sets this upcoming full Moon apart from the others is that farmers, at the peak of the current harvest season, can work late into the night by this Moon’s light. The Moon rises about the time the Sun sets, but more importantly, at this time of year, instead of rising its normal average 50 minutes later each day, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night leading up to when it’s full. For example, between September 12th and 14th, the rising of the Moon comes, on average, less than 27 minutes later each night, thus providing light for the farmer to continue gathering crops, even after the Sun has set.

The reason for this seasonal circumstance is that at this time of the year, the path of the Moon through the sky is as close to being along the horizon as it can get. Thus, from night to night the Moon moves more horizontally than vertically and thus rises sooner from one night to the next.

A Micro Moon?

To add to this full Moon “madness,” this upcoming full Moon very nearly coincides with apogee—that point in its orbit which places it at its greatest distance from the Earth: 252,100 miles away. Remember last February, when the full Moon coincided with perigee, its closest point to Earth? The Moon was more than 30,000 miles closer and was accordingly branded a “Supermoon.”

But this month’s full Moon will appear about 14 percent smaller, leading some to call it a “Micro” Moon.

It is almost certain that many will claim that this year’s full Harvest Moon indeed appears to be smaller than usual. But the truth of the matter is, that without knowing in advance whether a full Moon of a given month might be branded either “Super” or “Micro,” the appearance of our natural satellite to most really doesn’t look all that much different.

Here’s hoping for clear skies so you can get outside an enjoy it!

 

Clair de Lune

Today’s the birthday of French composer Claude Debussy, 1862 – 1918. One of his best-loved pieces is this, “Clair de Lune.”  Its title comes from a poem by Paul Verlaine, written in  1869.  

The last verse of the poem reads (translated from the French):

With the sad and beautiful moonlight,
Which sets the birds in the trees dreaming,
And makes the fountains sob with ecstasy,
The tall slim water streams among the marble statues.

 

Tonight would surely be a great night to go outside and look at the moon.

Super Black New Moon Tonight!

Yes, I know, the names of these moons are getting a little ridiculous. But this one’s for real. You won’t be able to see it, but rest assured it’s there.

It’ll look something like this:

 

A “black moon” is the second new moon of a month. This one is also a “super moon” because it’s at its closest point to the earth in its monthly orbit.  For more, see the explanation here.  Happy viewing!

 

“Rare Full Flower Blue Moon” Rising Saturday, May 18. Get Your Seats.

It’s called the “Rare Full Flower Blue Moon.” In case you were wondering.  And it looks just like this:

 

From Farmers’ Almanac

On Saturday, May 18, 2019, at 5:11 p.m. Eastern Time, May’s Flower Moon officially turns full. This particular full Moon is also referred to as a “Blue Moon,” however some may be confused by this name. Most people know that we usually refer to a “Blue Moon” when we have two full Moons in a month.  There is, however, an alternate definition for a Blue Moon, which is what the Moon on May 18th is.

The Seasonal Blue Moon Definition

Typically, each of the four seasons contains three full Moons. However, sometimes a particular season will have four. When that happens, the third full Moon of that seasonal lunar quartet is designated as a Blue Moon (although no one is sure why the third, and not the fourth, is the one that gets the Blue Moon moniker).

In 2019, spring in the Northern Hemisphere runs from March 20th to June 21st. During that time span of slightly more than three months, these are the full Moon occurrences (in Eastern Time zones):

  1. Full Worm Moon: March 20, 2019
  2. Full Pink Moon: April 19, 2019
  3. Full Flower Moon: May 18, 2019 (Blue Moon)
  4. Full Strawberry Moon: June 17, 2019

That final full Moon falls before the summer solstice, so it’s not the first full Moon of summer, but rather the fourth full Moon of spring. That makes the May 18th Moon—the third of the four full Moons of spring—a “Blue Moon.” It will also be the last seasonal Blue Moon until August 22, 2021.

And no, it will not be blue in color!

Super Worm Equinox Moon Tonight!

You’ve got to hand it to the astronomers, at least, for coming up with these names.

Tonight: The last Supermoon of 2019, plus the Spring equinox, plus the March “Worm Moon.”

What’s a Worm Moon, you ask?

Answer: “March’s full moon is sometimes called the “worm moon,” because according to folklore tradition, it occurs at a time when the frosty ground is melting and earthworms start to emerge.”

So tonight, go outside to enjoy a spectacular full moon and the start of Spring. But watch out for those worms.

How to See the “Super Worm Equinox Moon,” the Last Supermoon of 2019

The skywatching event coincides with the spring equinox, which heralds the start of a new season.

NBC News
March 19, 2019, 3:45 PM CDT
By Denise Chow

Get ready, skywatchers. The last supermoon of 2019 will be visible in the night sky Wednesday, coinciding with the spring equinox that heralds the start of a new season.

The March 20 spectacle will be the final of this year’s three back-to-back supermoons. The first was on Jan. 21, and the second — the biggest and brightest supermoon of 2019 — was on Feb. 19.

A supermoon is a full moon that has reached the closest point to Earth in its monthly elliptical orbit around the planet. As such, supermoons appear larger and brighter in the night sky, though these changes are typically far too subtle to detect.

Full moons can be observed with the naked eye and don’t require any special equipment. But, for skywatchers who are thwarted by clouds or bad weather, the Virtual Telescope Project, which remotely operates several telescopes in Italy, will livestream the skywatching event online. The broadcast, which will show the supermoon rising over Rome, will begin at 12:45 p.m. ET (16:45 UTC) on Wednesday.

The moon will reach its closest point to Earth — what’s known as lunar perigee — on Tuesday at 3:47 p.m. ET, but the moon won’t be completely full until Wednesday at 9:43 p.m. ET. The moon is usually about 240,000 miles away from Earth, but at perigee this month, it will come within about 223,300 miles of our planet, according to NASA.

The equinox will arrive at 5:58 p.m. ET on Wednesday, less than four hours before the full supermoon. In the Northern Hemisphere, the equinox is the official start of spring, but in the Southern Hemisphere, it marks the beginning of autumn.

March’s full moon is sometimes called the “worm moon,” because according to folklore tradition, it occurs at a time when the frosty ground is melting and earthworms start to emerge.

Super Snow Moon Tonight, Feb 19, 2019

Step outside tonight, look up, and you’ll feel better.

Supermoon, 2019’s Biggest and Brightest, will Light up the Sky

Ashley Strickland and Rob Picheta, CNN
Tue February 19, 2019

February’s full moon will brighten the skies on Tuesday as the biggest and brightest supermoon of the year.

The super snow moon is the second of three supermoon events in the first three months of the year — a packed lunar calendar for 2019, which marks the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, the mission that took the first humans to the moon.
 
It will make the moon appear unusually large when it rises and sets, and — like most lunar events — is sure to draw amateur star gazers around the world outside.
 
The supermoon will occur during this full moon because it will be closest in its orbit to Earth.
Technically, the supermoon will reach its peak on Tuesday morning at 10:54 a.m. ET, but it won’t be visible then. Instead, keep an eye out later in the day.
 
Moonrise will be the best time for those interested in capturing dramatic supermoon photos because the moon will be closest to the horizon. Check your local time for moonrise here.
 
The moon looking deceptively large is known as a “Moon illusion,” which occurs when the moon is close to the horizon and objects such as buildings or trees are in front of it for scale, which tricks our brains into thinking the moon is closer to the objects than it really is.
 
Each month, the full moon carries a different name signifying what is most associated with that time. This is because centuries ago, lunar months were associated with the changing seasons rather than the solar year.

Super Blood Wolf Moon this Sunday

You have to watch for it if for no other reason than its great name:  a Super Blood Wolf Moon.  

This total lunar eclipse will be visible all across the US this Sunday night. (The next one won’t be until 2021.)  Watch for it at midnight on the east coast, 9 pm on the west coast.  

It’s called a “Wolf Moon” because that’s the name sometimes given to a full moon in January.  

A “Supermoon” because it’ll be at its closest point in its orbit around the Earth this weekend.  

And “Blood Moon” because a total lunar eclipse like this will have a coppery-red appearance.  

More here from Reuters:

Super Blood Wolf Moon to get Star Billing in Weekend Lunar Eclipse

Barbara Goldberg
Jan. 18, 2019 

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Look up into the night sky on Sunday and – if it is clear – you may witness the so-called “Super Blood Wolf Moon” total lunar eclipse, which will take a star turn across the continental United States during prime time for viewing.

The total eclipse, which will begin minutes before midnight on the East Coast (0500 GMT) and just before 9 p.m. in the West, will unfold on the day before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday when most Americans have no school or work.

That means even the youngest astronomy buffs may get to stay up late and attend one of many watch parties that have been organized from Florida to Oregon.

The total eclipse will last for about an hour, and the best viewing is from North and South America, according to National Geographic. Partial eclipses leading up to and following the total eclipse mean the entire event will last 3.5 hours.

 

Total lunar eclipses occur when the moon moves into perfect alignment with the sun and earth, giving it a copper-red or “blood” appearance to those watching from below.

“Amateur astronomy clubs are throwing parties because this is what they live for – to get entire families excited about our place in the universe by seeing the mechanics of the cosmos,” said Andrew Fazekas, spokesman for Astronomers Without Borders.

In Pennsylvania, the York County Astronomical Society has invited the public to peer through its observatory’s telescopes for a close-up look. In Los Angeles, Griffith Observatory said it was anticipating “extremely large crowds,” and its website will live-stream a telescopic view of the eclipse.

Coppery Red Glow

A “super” moon occurs when the moon is especially close to earth, while a “wolf moon” is the traditional name for the full moon of January, when the howling of wolves was a sound that helped define winter, according to The Farmers Almanac.

In a total lunar eclipse, the moon never goes completely dark. Rather, it takes on a reddish glow from refracted light as the heavenly bodies move into position – hence the “blood moon” moniker. The more particulate or pollution in the atmosphere, the redder the moon appears.

“All of the sunrises and sunsets around the world are simultaneously cast onto the surface of the moon,” Fazekas said.

As many as 2.8 billion people may see this weekend’s eclipse from the Western Hemisphere, Europe, West Africa and northernmost Russia, according to Space.com.

While total lunar eclipses are not especially rare, the 2019 version takes place early enough in the evening that it can be enjoyed by U.S. stargazers of all ages, said George Lomaga, a retired astronomy professor from Suffolk County Community College. He plans to attend an eclipse party at Hallock State Park Preserve on New York’s Long Island.

There, astrophotographer Robert Farrell will demonstrate how to use a mobile phone to photograph celestial objects through a telescope so the spectacle can be shared online.

If skies are clear, the phenomenon can be seen with the naked eye and no protection is needed to safely enjoy the view, Griffith Observatory said.

Granted permission to stay up past his 8 p.m. bedtime, Gabriel Houging, 8, of Citrus Heights, California, is already dreaming of what he’ll see.

“It’s going to be a moon, but it’s going to look like you painted it orange!” Houging said.