Eclipse? What eclipse?

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Rob Pettengill in Austin, Texas – an experienced moon photographer – caught this image of the full moon Saturday night, July 4, 2020, one minute before midnight, at the height of the partial penumbral eclipse. He wrote: “A beautiful full moon for Independence Day in the United States, but where did the eclipse go? Partial penumbral eclipses are very subtle. Only a small sliver of the sun is hidden by the Earth, in roughly the top third of this image. This small gradual change in illumination is almost impossible to detect without careful photometric measurement.” Thanks, Rob!

By all reports, the faint partial penumbral lunar eclipse of July 4-5, 2020 was barely discernible (if that), even by experienced observers. At maximum eclipse, only about a third of the moon was covered by Earth’s faint, outer penumbral shadow. And – for most of us – that’s not enough to make the eclipse visible, according to experts.

For example, prior to July 4, eclipse guru Fred Espenak had written at the Facebook group Solar Eclipse Chasers:

During past lunar eclipses, I have made a concerted effort to determine when I can first see the subtle shading of Earth’s penumbral shadow on the moon (using unaided eye and binoculars). I have consistently found the penumbral shading is only detectable when at least 2/3 of the moon lies within the penumbral shadow.

Since the moon will only pass 1/3 of the way into the penumbral shadow during the July 4/5 lunar eclipse, it will not be visible to the unaided eye. But digital photography can reveal the subtle shading if the contrast of the image is greatly increased.

On the other hand, it’s been my experience that people’s powers of observation vary greatly. Some people have exceptional eyesight. Some have a really remarkable ability to notice subtle details. If that’s you, and you noticed Earth’s shadow on the moon during this eclipse, let us know in the comments below!

Eliot Herman in Tucson, Arizona – another experienced sky photographer – told EarthSky: “The eclipse was mostly a bust, but I do think there was a slight shadow. This is a side-by-side comparison of the moon one hour before, and at, maximum eclipse. There appears to be a very slight shading in the north of the moon as expected by prediction. These images were acquired in Tucson under somewhat degraded seeing from the Bighorn fire smoke particles still in the sky. The capture equipment is a Questar telescope and a Nikon D850. The exposures were matched closely as possible and the imagery was processed as a duo unit as to be identical.” Thank you, Eliot!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Iqbal Khan in Columbia, Missouri wrote: “A subtle penumbral lunar eclipse.” Thank you, Iqbal!

Bottom line: Even experienced observers say they couldn’t discern the Earth’s shadow on the moon during the partial penumbral eclipse of July 4-5, 2020. Did you see it? Do your photos show it? Let us know in the comments below, or post at EarthSky Community Photos.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2AuVw0y

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Rob Pettengill in Austin, Texas – an experienced moon photographer – caught this image of the full moon Saturday night, July 4, 2020, one minute before midnight, at the height of the partial penumbral eclipse. He wrote: “A beautiful full moon for Independence Day in the United States, but where did the eclipse go? Partial penumbral eclipses are very subtle. Only a small sliver of the sun is hidden by the Earth, in roughly the top third of this image. This small gradual change in illumination is almost impossible to detect without careful photometric measurement.” Thanks, Rob!

By all reports, the faint partial penumbral lunar eclipse of July 4-5, 2020 was barely discernible (if that), even by experienced observers. At maximum eclipse, only about a third of the moon was covered by Earth’s faint, outer penumbral shadow. And – for most of us – that’s not enough to make the eclipse visible, according to experts.

For example, prior to July 4, eclipse guru Fred Espenak had written at the Facebook group Solar Eclipse Chasers:

During past lunar eclipses, I have made a concerted effort to determine when I can first see the subtle shading of Earth’s penumbral shadow on the moon (using unaided eye and binoculars). I have consistently found the penumbral shading is only detectable when at least 2/3 of the moon lies within the penumbral shadow.

Since the moon will only pass 1/3 of the way into the penumbral shadow during the July 4/5 lunar eclipse, it will not be visible to the unaided eye. But digital photography can reveal the subtle shading if the contrast of the image is greatly increased.

On the other hand, it’s been my experience that people’s powers of observation vary greatly. Some people have exceptional eyesight. Some have a really remarkable ability to notice subtle details. If that’s you, and you noticed Earth’s shadow on the moon during this eclipse, let us know in the comments below!

Eliot Herman in Tucson, Arizona – another experienced sky photographer – told EarthSky: “The eclipse was mostly a bust, but I do think there was a slight shadow. This is a side-by-side comparison of the moon one hour before, and at, maximum eclipse. There appears to be a very slight shading in the north of the moon as expected by prediction. These images were acquired in Tucson under somewhat degraded seeing from the Bighorn fire smoke particles still in the sky. The capture equipment is a Questar telescope and a Nikon D850. The exposures were matched closely as possible and the imagery was processed as a duo unit as to be identical.” Thank you, Eliot!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Iqbal Khan in Columbia, Missouri wrote: “A subtle penumbral lunar eclipse.” Thank you, Iqbal!

Bottom line: Even experienced observers say they couldn’t discern the Earth’s shadow on the moon during the partial penumbral eclipse of July 4-5, 2020. Did you see it? Do your photos show it? Let us know in the comments below, or post at EarthSky Community Photos.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2AuVw0y

How to see Comet NEOWISE

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Composite image of Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE, captured by Marsha Kirschbaum in San Leandro, California on the morning of July 5, 2020. She wrote: “It was a really early a.m. wakeup call for me. This icy celestial visitor survived its pass by the sun to put on a splendid show at 4:45 a.m. this morning. After a night and early morning of the dull background roar of fireworks punctuated by really loud ‘bombs’ with the smell of smoke, I was really doubtful I would see the comet because of the haze. And there was a lot of it as can be seen on the horizon in this image. I couldn’t quite see it with the unaided eye, but my 200 mm lens saw it just fine. My kind of celestial fireworks.” Thank you, Marsha!

We still have to wait for another very bright comet, what astronomers call a great comet. There’s no strict definition for great comet, but everyone agrees that Hale–Bopp – widely seen by people in 1997 – was one. Lesser comets are moderately frequent, though, and, right now, there’s a nice binocular comet in the dawn sky. Some skilled observers have reported that – once you spot it with binoculars – you can remove them and see the comet with the unaided eye. Using binoculars or other optical aid is a must, though, if you want to see this comet’s split tail. The comet is called C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE). In this post, we provide charts (below) that can help you see this celestial visitor.

Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was discovered on March 27, 2020 from some 326 miles (525 km) above Earth’s surface by NEOWISE, the Near Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, which is a space telescope launched by NASA in 2009.

Comet NEOWISE was closest to the sun on July 3, 2020, passing at about 26.7 million miles (43 million km) from the sun, or a bit closer than the average distance from the sun to Mercury. Observers are still reporting seeing it, and so it appears to have survived the close encounter with our star.

Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is up at dawn now and should remain in the dawn sky until around July 11. Then it will temporarily disappear below the horizon while making a transition to the early evening sky, becoming visible again in the evening around July 15-16.

If the comet remains relatively bright, it might be easier to see in the second half of July during evening dusk, because, at that time, it will appear somewhat higher in the sky.

During the first days of July, Comet NEOWISE is a little tricky to catch because it appears not against a dark sky, but very close to the northeastern horizon just as dawn is brightening the sky.

Yet skilled astrophotographers are catching it and producing some glorious photos.

Here are a few charts for early this week that might help you see the comet. Again, it will probably be best seen in binoculars. If you don’t have binocs but do have a good camera, a great alternative is to capture a 20- or 30-second long exposure image of the approximate area of the sky. Try at different magnification or zoom settings, and the results should reveal the comet’s nice tail.

Now, take a look at these charts. The first one shows the planet Venus, which is the third-brightest object in the sky (after the moon and sun). If you are standing facing east, looking at Venus, look to the planet’s left to see the bright star Capella. The comet will be below Capella on the morning of July 6. Then note that it moves toward the north (to the left, as you stand facing east) with respect to Capella on the mornings of July 7 and 8.

Wide-sky view showing the location of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) just before dawn on Monday, July 6, 2020. As seen from central U.S. facing northeast about 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise. Venus is the very bright planet, while Capella is a bright star seen towards the northeast now, at dawn. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

A closer look. Comet NEOWISE just before dawn on Monday, July 6, 2020. Look for bright star Capella in the northeast, then find these other visible stars below it (Menkalinan and Mahasim). You may find Comet NEOWISE below these stars, as seen here. Using binoculars or long-exposure photography is highly recommended. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

Location of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) just before dawn on Tuesday, July 7, 2020. As seen from central U.S. facing northeast about 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise. You can see here that Comet NEOWISE appears a little more to the left (north) each day. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

Comet NEOWISE just before dawn on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. As seen from central U.S. facing northeast about 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

Comet NEOWISE just before dawn on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. As seen from central U.S. facing northeast about 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise. The comet should remain in the dawn sky until around July 11. For additional charts, try TheSkyLive.com. Afterwards, Comet NEOWISE will temporarily disappear below the horizon while making a transition to the early evening sky, becoming visible again in the evening around July 15-16. For evening charts, see below. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

As of early July, reports indicated that Comet NEOWISE has a visual magnitude between 1 to 2. If you know the magnitude scale, where smaller numbers indicate brighter objects, that may sound very bright! However, stars are pinpoints of light, whereas the light of comets is diffuse (spread out). So, for comets, a magnitude of 1 or 2 is fainter than it would be for a star of equal magnitude. The reason is, the comet’s light is distributed over a relatively wide area, instead being concentrated in a single point.

Now let’s look at some more photos!

This image – taken on the morning of July 5, 2020 by Jeremy Perez at Sunset Crater in Arizona – shows Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) on the same scale that you might see it with the eye alone. Try to use binoculars to reveal all the beauty of this comet. Used with permission. Thank you, Jeremy!

Another July 5 shot of comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) by Jeremy Perez in Arizona. This one is more of a close-up. “It was an easy naked-eye object,” wrote this experienced sky observer, who was looking in a desert sky, “but really rewarding through binoculars.” Used with permission. Thanks again, Jeremy!

Comet NEOWISE has been seen even from the International Space Station!  Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner says the comet’s tail is clearly visible from the space laboratory’s cupula. Look at this amazing image:

Its tail is quite clearly visible from the @Space_Station!#ISS #comet #NEOWISE pic.twitter.com/FnWkCummD6

— Ivan Vagner (@ivan_mks63) July 4, 2020

Here is another great image by Philipp Salzgeber from Austria:

Comet C/2020 F3 Neowise image taken with 300mm lens, f/5.6, Nikon Z6, 0,4s, ISO 1600 from Wolfurt / Austria. The comet was clearly visible with the unaided eye, it was beautiful in the 10×50 binoculars. #comet #neowise pic.twitter.com/hBGeJZKtie

— Philipp Salzgeber (@astro_graph) July 5, 2020

Now look below for are a couple of evening charts, for later this month. Comet NEOWISE will be closest to Earth on July 23, 2020. It will pass at some 64 million miles (103 million km) from our planet. The good news is that – if the comet continues looking great – the view during the night of closest approach should be nice. Although binoculars might be required for the celestial visitor, it will be visible at the same time we see a beautiful crescent (not too bright) moon.

As a reminder, around mid-July, comet NEOWISE reappears early in the evening sky. This illustration shows location of the celestial visitor on July 15,2020. As seen from the central U.S., facing northwest just after sunset. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

Location of Comet NEOWISE on the night of closest approach to Earth (July 23, 2020). As seen from the central U.S., facing west-northwest just after sunset. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

In the meantime, it’s still a good idea to get up early in the morning this week and try for a glimpse of Comet NEOWISE while it’s still relatively bright, just in case it gets fainter later in the month.

And forget about making plans to view this comet’s next apparition in Earth’s skies. Comet NEOWISE might visible again from Earth, but not until around year 8,786!

Bottom line: Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is basically a binocular object, although some experienced observers with pristine skies are reporting they can see it with the eye alone. This post has information and charts that will help you see the comet.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2VKrg9q

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Composite image of Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE, captured by Marsha Kirschbaum in San Leandro, California on the morning of July 5, 2020. She wrote: “It was a really early a.m. wakeup call for me. This icy celestial visitor survived its pass by the sun to put on a splendid show at 4:45 a.m. this morning. After a night and early morning of the dull background roar of fireworks punctuated by really loud ‘bombs’ with the smell of smoke, I was really doubtful I would see the comet because of the haze. And there was a lot of it as can be seen on the horizon in this image. I couldn’t quite see it with the unaided eye, but my 200 mm lens saw it just fine. My kind of celestial fireworks.” Thank you, Marsha!

We still have to wait for another very bright comet, what astronomers call a great comet. There’s no strict definition for great comet, but everyone agrees that Hale–Bopp – widely seen by people in 1997 – was one. Lesser comets are moderately frequent, though, and, right now, there’s a nice binocular comet in the dawn sky. Some skilled observers have reported that – once you spot it with binoculars – you can remove them and see the comet with the unaided eye. Using binoculars or other optical aid is a must, though, if you want to see this comet’s split tail. The comet is called C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE). In this post, we provide charts (below) that can help you see this celestial visitor.

Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was discovered on March 27, 2020 from some 326 miles (525 km) above Earth’s surface by NEOWISE, the Near Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, which is a space telescope launched by NASA in 2009.

Comet NEOWISE was closest to the sun on July 3, 2020, passing at about 26.7 million miles (43 million km) from the sun, or a bit closer than the average distance from the sun to Mercury. Observers are still reporting seeing it, and so it appears to have survived the close encounter with our star.

Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is up at dawn now and should remain in the dawn sky until around July 11. Then it will temporarily disappear below the horizon while making a transition to the early evening sky, becoming visible again in the evening around July 15-16.

If the comet remains relatively bright, it might be easier to see in the second half of July during evening dusk, because, at that time, it will appear somewhat higher in the sky.

During the first days of July, Comet NEOWISE is a little tricky to catch because it appears not against a dark sky, but very close to the northeastern horizon just as dawn is brightening the sky.

Yet skilled astrophotographers are catching it and producing some glorious photos.

Here are a few charts for early this week that might help you see the comet. Again, it will probably be best seen in binoculars. If you don’t have binocs but do have a good camera, a great alternative is to capture a 20- or 30-second long exposure image of the approximate area of the sky. Try at different magnification or zoom settings, and the results should reveal the comet’s nice tail.

Now, take a look at these charts. The first one shows the planet Venus, which is the third-brightest object in the sky (after the moon and sun). If you are standing facing east, looking at Venus, look to the planet’s left to see the bright star Capella. The comet will be below Capella on the morning of July 6. Then note that it moves toward the north (to the left, as you stand facing east) with respect to Capella on the mornings of July 7 and 8.

Wide-sky view showing the location of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) just before dawn on Monday, July 6, 2020. As seen from central U.S. facing northeast about 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise. Venus is the very bright planet, while Capella is a bright star seen towards the northeast now, at dawn. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

A closer look. Comet NEOWISE just before dawn on Monday, July 6, 2020. Look for bright star Capella in the northeast, then find these other visible stars below it (Menkalinan and Mahasim). You may find Comet NEOWISE below these stars, as seen here. Using binoculars or long-exposure photography is highly recommended. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

Location of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) just before dawn on Tuesday, July 7, 2020. As seen from central U.S. facing northeast about 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise. You can see here that Comet NEOWISE appears a little more to the left (north) each day. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

Comet NEOWISE just before dawn on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. As seen from central U.S. facing northeast about 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

Comet NEOWISE just before dawn on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. As seen from central U.S. facing northeast about 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise. The comet should remain in the dawn sky until around July 11. For additional charts, try TheSkyLive.com. Afterwards, Comet NEOWISE will temporarily disappear below the horizon while making a transition to the early evening sky, becoming visible again in the evening around July 15-16. For evening charts, see below. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

As of early July, reports indicated that Comet NEOWISE has a visual magnitude between 1 to 2. If you know the magnitude scale, where smaller numbers indicate brighter objects, that may sound very bright! However, stars are pinpoints of light, whereas the light of comets is diffuse (spread out). So, for comets, a magnitude of 1 or 2 is fainter than it would be for a star of equal magnitude. The reason is, the comet’s light is distributed over a relatively wide area, instead being concentrated in a single point.

Now let’s look at some more photos!

This image – taken on the morning of July 5, 2020 by Jeremy Perez at Sunset Crater in Arizona – shows Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) on the same scale that you might see it with the eye alone. Try to use binoculars to reveal all the beauty of this comet. Used with permission. Thank you, Jeremy!

Another July 5 shot of comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) by Jeremy Perez in Arizona. This one is more of a close-up. “It was an easy naked-eye object,” wrote this experienced sky observer, who was looking in a desert sky, “but really rewarding through binoculars.” Used with permission. Thanks again, Jeremy!

Comet NEOWISE has been seen even from the International Space Station!  Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner says the comet’s tail is clearly visible from the space laboratory’s cupula. Look at this amazing image:

Its tail is quite clearly visible from the @Space_Station!#ISS #comet #NEOWISE pic.twitter.com/FnWkCummD6

— Ivan Vagner (@ivan_mks63) July 4, 2020

Here is another great image by Philipp Salzgeber from Austria:

Comet C/2020 F3 Neowise image taken with 300mm lens, f/5.6, Nikon Z6, 0,4s, ISO 1600 from Wolfurt / Austria. The comet was clearly visible with the unaided eye, it was beautiful in the 10×50 binoculars. #comet #neowise pic.twitter.com/hBGeJZKtie

— Philipp Salzgeber (@astro_graph) July 5, 2020

Now look below for are a couple of evening charts, for later this month. Comet NEOWISE will be closest to Earth on July 23, 2020. It will pass at some 64 million miles (103 million km) from our planet. The good news is that – if the comet continues looking great – the view during the night of closest approach should be nice. Although binoculars might be required for the celestial visitor, it will be visible at the same time we see a beautiful crescent (not too bright) moon.

As a reminder, around mid-July, comet NEOWISE reappears early in the evening sky. This illustration shows location of the celestial visitor on July 15,2020. As seen from the central U.S., facing northwest just after sunset. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

Location of Comet NEOWISE on the night of closest approach to Earth (July 23, 2020). As seen from the central U.S., facing west-northwest just after sunset. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.

In the meantime, it’s still a good idea to get up early in the morning this week and try for a glimpse of Comet NEOWISE while it’s still relatively bright, just in case it gets fainter later in the month.

And forget about making plans to view this comet’s next apparition in Earth’s skies. Comet NEOWISE might visible again from Earth, but not until around year 8,786!

Bottom line: Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is basically a binocular object, although some experienced observers with pristine skies are reporting they can see it with the eye alone. This post has information and charts that will help you see the comet.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2VKrg9q

Why fireflies light up

Photo via Fiona M. Donnelly in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Fireflies are sometimes called lightning bugs. Many a child has spent a summer evening chasing them. And maybe you’ve wondered how and why these insects are able to light up? The answer is that the light of a firefly is a chemical reaction caused by an organic compound in their abdomens.

Image via Matt Pollock in upstate New York.

The compound is called luciferin. As air rushes into a firefly’s abdomen, it reacts with the luciferin, and a chemical reaction gives off the firefly’s familiar glow. This light is sometimes called “cold light” because it generates so little heat. The firefly can regulate the airflow into the abdomen to create a pulsating pattern.

Did you ever do this? Image via Flickr user jamelah e.

Some experts think the firefly’s flashy style may warn predators of the insect’s bitter taste. On the other hand, some frogs don’t seem to mind. They eat so many fireflies that they themselves begin to glow. Male fireflies also light up to signal their desire for mates, and willing females attract the males with flashes of their own.

“Fireflies on top of the wave of grass and overflowing. Biggest firefly show in years.” Image via Eileen Claffey in West Brookfield, Massachusetts, June 2015.

But not all the flashing of fireflies is motivated by romance. While each firefly species has its own pattern of flashing, some females imitate the patterns of other species. Males land next to them, only to be eaten alive.

Cool firefly photo – a 30-second exposure – from astrophotographer Tom Wildoner. Astrophotographers often capture fireflies when trying to photograph the night sky.

So the next time you see a firefly, keep in mind that its flickering isn’t just a wonder of the night. It’s also a unique love language … that can be deadly.

You can see what looks like trails made by fireflies, via long-exposure photography from Jack Fusco Photography. There’s also a single meteor in the upper left of this photo. See it? It’s straighter than the firefly trails.

Enjoying EarthSky? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!

Fireflies and star trails from Michael A Rosinski.

Bottom line: Fireflies – aka lightning bugs – light up because of a chemical reaction between an organic compound in the fireflies’ abdomens – called luciferin – and the air.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2DfHlOd

Photo via Fiona M. Donnelly in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Fireflies are sometimes called lightning bugs. Many a child has spent a summer evening chasing them. And maybe you’ve wondered how and why these insects are able to light up? The answer is that the light of a firefly is a chemical reaction caused by an organic compound in their abdomens.

Image via Matt Pollock in upstate New York.

The compound is called luciferin. As air rushes into a firefly’s abdomen, it reacts with the luciferin, and a chemical reaction gives off the firefly’s familiar glow. This light is sometimes called “cold light” because it generates so little heat. The firefly can regulate the airflow into the abdomen to create a pulsating pattern.

Did you ever do this? Image via Flickr user jamelah e.

Some experts think the firefly’s flashy style may warn predators of the insect’s bitter taste. On the other hand, some frogs don’t seem to mind. They eat so many fireflies that they themselves begin to glow. Male fireflies also light up to signal their desire for mates, and willing females attract the males with flashes of their own.

“Fireflies on top of the wave of grass and overflowing. Biggest firefly show in years.” Image via Eileen Claffey in West Brookfield, Massachusetts, June 2015.

But not all the flashing of fireflies is motivated by romance. While each firefly species has its own pattern of flashing, some females imitate the patterns of other species. Males land next to them, only to be eaten alive.

Cool firefly photo – a 30-second exposure – from astrophotographer Tom Wildoner. Astrophotographers often capture fireflies when trying to photograph the night sky.

So the next time you see a firefly, keep in mind that its flickering isn’t just a wonder of the night. It’s also a unique love language … that can be deadly.

You can see what looks like trails made by fireflies, via long-exposure photography from Jack Fusco Photography. There’s also a single meteor in the upper left of this photo. See it? It’s straighter than the firefly trails.

Enjoying EarthSky? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!

Fireflies and star trails from Michael A Rosinski.

Bottom line: Fireflies – aka lightning bugs – light up because of a chemical reaction between an organic compound in the fireflies’ abdomens – called luciferin – and the air.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2DfHlOd

10 years of the sun in 1 hour

On June 24, 2020, NASA released this incredible timelapse of the sun that condenses an entire solar cycle into one hour. The video uses images of the sun taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory – SDO – every hour continuously over 10 years.

As of June 2020, the SDO spacecraft has been watching the sun non-stop for over a full decade. From its orbit in space around the Earth, SDO has gathered 425 million high-resolution images of the sun, amassing 20 million gigabytes of data over the past 10 years.

Every second of the 61-minute video represents images taken over a single day, starting on June 2, 2010, with the last frame captured on June 1, 2020.

According to NASA:

With a triad of instruments, SDO captures an image of the sun every 0.75 seconds. The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument alone captures images every 12 seconds at 10 different wavelengths of light. This 10-year time lapse showcases photos taken at a wavelength of 17.1 nanometers, which is an extreme ultraviolet wavelength that shows the sun’s outermost atmospheric layer – the corona. Compiling one photo every hour, the movie condenses a decade of the sun into 61 minutes. The video shows the rise and fall in activity that occurs as part of the sun’s 11-year solar cycle and notable events, like transiting planets and eruptions.

While SDO has kept an unblinking eye pointed towards the sun, there have been a few moments it missed. The dark frames in the video are caused by Earth or the moon eclipsing SDO as they pass between the spacecraft and the sun. A longer blackout in 2016 was caused by a temporary issue with the AIA instrument that was successfully resolved after a week. The images where the sun is off-center were observed when SDO was calibrating its instruments.

Some noteworthy events appear briefly in this timelapse. Use the time links below to jump to each event.

6:20 June 7, 2011 – A massive prominence eruption explodes from the lower right of the sun.

12:24 June 5, 2012 – The transit of Venus across the face of the sun. Won’t happen again until 2117.

13:06 July 19, 2012 – A complex loop of magnetic fields and plasma forms and lasts for hours.

13:50 August 31, 2012 – The most iconic eruption of this solar cycle bursts from the lower left of the sun.

20:25 September 29, 2013 – A prominence eruption forms a long ‘canyon’ that is then covered with loops of plasma.

26:39 October 8, 2014 – Active regions on the sun resemble a jack o’ lantern just in time for Halloween.

36:18 May 9, 2016 – Mercury transits across the face of the sun. Smaller and more distant than Venus, it is hard to spot.

43:20 July 5, 2017 – A large sunspot group spends two weeks crossing the face of the sun

44:20 September 6, 2017 – The most powerful sequence of flares during this solar cycle crackle for several days, peaking at X9.3.

57:38 November 11, 2019 – Mercury transits the sun once more for SDO. The next transit won’t be until 2032.

The music for the video, titled Solar Observer, was composed by Lars Leonhard.

Bottom line: Watch a video that condenses an entire solar cycle into one hour.

Via NASA

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/3iB3vuu

On June 24, 2020, NASA released this incredible timelapse of the sun that condenses an entire solar cycle into one hour. The video uses images of the sun taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory – SDO – every hour continuously over 10 years.

As of June 2020, the SDO spacecraft has been watching the sun non-stop for over a full decade. From its orbit in space around the Earth, SDO has gathered 425 million high-resolution images of the sun, amassing 20 million gigabytes of data over the past 10 years.

Every second of the 61-minute video represents images taken over a single day, starting on June 2, 2010, with the last frame captured on June 1, 2020.

According to NASA:

With a triad of instruments, SDO captures an image of the sun every 0.75 seconds. The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument alone captures images every 12 seconds at 10 different wavelengths of light. This 10-year time lapse showcases photos taken at a wavelength of 17.1 nanometers, which is an extreme ultraviolet wavelength that shows the sun’s outermost atmospheric layer – the corona. Compiling one photo every hour, the movie condenses a decade of the sun into 61 minutes. The video shows the rise and fall in activity that occurs as part of the sun’s 11-year solar cycle and notable events, like transiting planets and eruptions.

While SDO has kept an unblinking eye pointed towards the sun, there have been a few moments it missed. The dark frames in the video are caused by Earth or the moon eclipsing SDO as they pass between the spacecraft and the sun. A longer blackout in 2016 was caused by a temporary issue with the AIA instrument that was successfully resolved after a week. The images where the sun is off-center were observed when SDO was calibrating its instruments.

Some noteworthy events appear briefly in this timelapse. Use the time links below to jump to each event.

6:20 June 7, 2011 – A massive prominence eruption explodes from the lower right of the sun.

12:24 June 5, 2012 – The transit of Venus across the face of the sun. Won’t happen again until 2117.

13:06 July 19, 2012 – A complex loop of magnetic fields and plasma forms and lasts for hours.

13:50 August 31, 2012 – The most iconic eruption of this solar cycle bursts from the lower left of the sun.

20:25 September 29, 2013 – A prominence eruption forms a long ‘canyon’ that is then covered with loops of plasma.

26:39 October 8, 2014 – Active regions on the sun resemble a jack o’ lantern just in time for Halloween.

36:18 May 9, 2016 – Mercury transits across the face of the sun. Smaller and more distant than Venus, it is hard to spot.

43:20 July 5, 2017 – A large sunspot group spends two weeks crossing the face of the sun

44:20 September 6, 2017 – The most powerful sequence of flares during this solar cycle crackle for several days, peaking at X9.3.

57:38 November 11, 2019 – Mercury transits the sun once more for SDO. The next transit won’t be until 2032.

The music for the video, titled Solar Observer, was composed by Lars Leonhard.

Bottom line: Watch a video that condenses an entire solar cycle into one hour.

Via NASA

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/3iB3vuu

‘Astonishing discovery’ of massive prehistoric circle near Stonehenge

A team of archaeologists have discovered a massive ring of prehistoric trenches at the site of an ancient village about two miles (3.2 km) from the famous Stonehenge monument in the UK. The team believes the circle of pits – carbon dated to about 2,500 BC – could have guided people towards the religious sites and warned others not to cross the boundary.

The find also makes the site the largest prehistoric structure in Britain and possibly in Europe. That’s according to University of Bradford archaeologist Vincent Gaffney, lead author of the analysis, which was published online in Internet Archaeology. Bradford told the New York Times:

It has completely transformed how we understand this landscape — there is no doubt about it.

The 1.2 mile-wide (2 km-wide) ring of shafts – up to 33 feet (10 meters) across and 16 feet (5 meters) deep – was discovered around the ancient village known as the Durrington Walls henge monument. Researchers have identified up to 20 shafts but estimate there may have been more than 30 originally.

This low-level aerial photograph clearly shows the earlier circular earthwork that surrounds the stone monument. Image via English Heritage.

Nick Snashall is National Trust archaeologist for the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site. She said:

As the place where the builders of Stonehenge lived and feasted, Durrington Walls is key to unlocking the story of the wider Stonehenge landscape, and this astonishing discovery offers us new insights into the lives and beliefs of our Neolithic ancestors.

Archaeologists believe the circle of shaft marks a boundary around the massive henge at Durrington. the features, along with an internal post line, could have guided people towards the religious sites and warned others not to cross the boundary. Gaffney told the New York Times:

Stonehenge was for the dead, Durrington was for the living. But now, what we are probably looking at was this great big boundary around them probably warning people of what they are approaching.

Image via The Guardian.

Gaffney said it was extraordinary such a major find had been made so close to Stonehenge. He said in a statement:

The area around Stonehenge is amongst the most studied archaeological landscapes on earth and it is remarkable that the application of new technology can still lead to the discovery of such a massive prehistoric structure which, currently, is significantly larger than any comparative prehistoric monument that we know of in Britain, at least.

When these pits were first noted it was thought they might be natural features – solution hollows in the chalk. Only when the larger picture emerged, through the geophysical surveys undertaken as part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscape Project, could we join the dots and see there was a pattern on a massive scale.

Stonehenge closed on March 18, 2020 as the British government introduced measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic. But English Heritage has announced that Stonehenge is now open for visitors, although tickets, and other safety measures are required. If you can’t visit, take a virtual tour instead. Image via The Salsbury Journal

Gaffney said:

The size of the shafts and circuit surrounding Durrington Walls is without precedent within the UK. It demonstrates the significance of Durrington Walls Henge, the complexity of the monumental structures within the Stonehenge landscape, and the capacity and desire of Neolithic communities to record their cosmological belief systems in ways, and at a scale, that we had never previously anticipated.

The research on the pits at Durrington was undertaken by a consortium of archaeologists as part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscape Project.

? Watch the sunrise live over Stonehenge! #summersolstice https://t.co/NlVYtUYIu4

— English Heritage (@EnglishHeritage) June 21, 2020

Source: A Massive, Late Neolithic Pit Structure associated with Durrington Walls Henge

Via University of Bradford

Image via EarthSky Facebook friend Buddy Puckhaber.

Bottom line: A team of archaeologists have discovered a massive ring of prehistoric trenches at the site of an ancient village about 2 miles from the famous Stonehenge monument in the UK.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/31NavOW

A team of archaeologists have discovered a massive ring of prehistoric trenches at the site of an ancient village about two miles (3.2 km) from the famous Stonehenge monument in the UK. The team believes the circle of pits – carbon dated to about 2,500 BC – could have guided people towards the religious sites and warned others not to cross the boundary.

The find also makes the site the largest prehistoric structure in Britain and possibly in Europe. That’s according to University of Bradford archaeologist Vincent Gaffney, lead author of the analysis, which was published online in Internet Archaeology. Bradford told the New York Times:

It has completely transformed how we understand this landscape — there is no doubt about it.

The 1.2 mile-wide (2 km-wide) ring of shafts – up to 33 feet (10 meters) across and 16 feet (5 meters) deep – was discovered around the ancient village known as the Durrington Walls henge monument. Researchers have identified up to 20 shafts but estimate there may have been more than 30 originally.

This low-level aerial photograph clearly shows the earlier circular earthwork that surrounds the stone monument. Image via English Heritage.

Nick Snashall is National Trust archaeologist for the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site. She said:

As the place where the builders of Stonehenge lived and feasted, Durrington Walls is key to unlocking the story of the wider Stonehenge landscape, and this astonishing discovery offers us new insights into the lives and beliefs of our Neolithic ancestors.

Archaeologists believe the circle of shaft marks a boundary around the massive henge at Durrington. the features, along with an internal post line, could have guided people towards the religious sites and warned others not to cross the boundary. Gaffney told the New York Times:

Stonehenge was for the dead, Durrington was for the living. But now, what we are probably looking at was this great big boundary around them probably warning people of what they are approaching.

Image via The Guardian.

Gaffney said it was extraordinary such a major find had been made so close to Stonehenge. He said in a statement:

The area around Stonehenge is amongst the most studied archaeological landscapes on earth and it is remarkable that the application of new technology can still lead to the discovery of such a massive prehistoric structure which, currently, is significantly larger than any comparative prehistoric monument that we know of in Britain, at least.

When these pits were first noted it was thought they might be natural features – solution hollows in the chalk. Only when the larger picture emerged, through the geophysical surveys undertaken as part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscape Project, could we join the dots and see there was a pattern on a massive scale.

Stonehenge closed on March 18, 2020 as the British government introduced measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic. But English Heritage has announced that Stonehenge is now open for visitors, although tickets, and other safety measures are required. If you can’t visit, take a virtual tour instead. Image via The Salsbury Journal

Gaffney said:

The size of the shafts and circuit surrounding Durrington Walls is without precedent within the UK. It demonstrates the significance of Durrington Walls Henge, the complexity of the monumental structures within the Stonehenge landscape, and the capacity and desire of Neolithic communities to record their cosmological belief systems in ways, and at a scale, that we had never previously anticipated.

The research on the pits at Durrington was undertaken by a consortium of archaeologists as part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscape Project.

? Watch the sunrise live over Stonehenge! #summersolstice https://t.co/NlVYtUYIu4

— English Heritage (@EnglishHeritage) June 21, 2020

Source: A Massive, Late Neolithic Pit Structure associated with Durrington Walls Henge

Via University of Bradford

Image via EarthSky Facebook friend Buddy Puckhaber.

Bottom line: A team of archaeologists have discovered a massive ring of prehistoric trenches at the site of an ancient village about 2 miles from the famous Stonehenge monument in the UK.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/31NavOW

How do fireworks get their colors?

Different kinds of metal salts produce different colors in fireworks. Image via NASA.

On Wednesday, July 1, 2020, Canadians celebrated Canada Day, and Saturday, July 4 is Independence Day – commonly referred to as the Fourth of July – in the United States. And that means – whether you love or hate it – it’s fireworks season in North America.

For fireworks (a type of pyrotechnics) enthusiasts, the red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple colors exploding in the skies create a lot of “ohhhhs” and “ahhhhs.” But what actually creates those brilliant colors?

As might be expected, science has the answer and it is simple: pure chemistry. The beautiful colors in fireworks are created by the use of metal salts. These salts are different from table salt, and in chemistry ‘salt’ refers to any compound that contains metal and non-metal atoms. Some of these compounds produce intense colors when they are burned, which makes them ideal for fireworks. Others, like potassium nitrate, sulfur and charcoal are often used to help the fireworks burn. Nitrates, chlorates and perchlorates provide oxygen for the combustion of the fuel. Dextrin, often used as a starch, holds the mixture together. Some colors can be strengthened with the use of chlorine donors.

A more detailed overview as to how fireworks get their vibrant colors. Image via Compound Interest 2015.

Metal salts commonly used in firework displays include: strontium carbonate (red fireworks), calcium chloride (orange fireworks), sodium nitrate (yellow fireworks), barium chloride (green fireworks) and copper chloride (blue fireworks). Purple fireworks are typically produced by use of a mixture of strontium (red) and copper (blue) compounds.

The metal salts are packed into small pea- to plum-sized pellets called “stars” or “pyrotechnic stars.”

After a firework is ignited, a lift charge propels it into the sky. That’s just explosive black powder in a confined space that, when lit, causes a fast increase of heat and gas that can send a firework as high as 1,000 feet (300 meters) into the air.

Meanwhile, a time-delay fuse burns slowly into the interior of the firework shell. After about 5 seconds, as the shell is soaring overhead, the fuse kindles a charge that reaches the core of the firework, explodes and ignites the stars that contain the metal salts.

Fireworks in Austin, Texas, on July 4, 2013. Photo via our friend Sergio Garcia Rill.

Voila! A beautiful and colorful fireworks display.

By the way, the people who create fireworks are precise, expert craftsmen. Putting on a fireworks display is a complex process, and must be done safely. If even one thing is off — too much black powder, stars that aren’t aligned correctly or a trigger that fires too soon or too late — can cause everything else to go wrong.

Bottom line: The red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple colors exploding in the night sky during a fireworks festival are created by the use of metal salts.

Read more: The Chemistry of Fireworks Colors

Read more: The Chemistry of Fireworks

Enjoying EarthSky? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2ZAbYW3

Different kinds of metal salts produce different colors in fireworks. Image via NASA.

On Wednesday, July 1, 2020, Canadians celebrated Canada Day, and Saturday, July 4 is Independence Day – commonly referred to as the Fourth of July – in the United States. And that means – whether you love or hate it – it’s fireworks season in North America.

For fireworks (a type of pyrotechnics) enthusiasts, the red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple colors exploding in the skies create a lot of “ohhhhs” and “ahhhhs.” But what actually creates those brilliant colors?

As might be expected, science has the answer and it is simple: pure chemistry. The beautiful colors in fireworks are created by the use of metal salts. These salts are different from table salt, and in chemistry ‘salt’ refers to any compound that contains metal and non-metal atoms. Some of these compounds produce intense colors when they are burned, which makes them ideal for fireworks. Others, like potassium nitrate, sulfur and charcoal are often used to help the fireworks burn. Nitrates, chlorates and perchlorates provide oxygen for the combustion of the fuel. Dextrin, often used as a starch, holds the mixture together. Some colors can be strengthened with the use of chlorine donors.

A more detailed overview as to how fireworks get their vibrant colors. Image via Compound Interest 2015.

Metal salts commonly used in firework displays include: strontium carbonate (red fireworks), calcium chloride (orange fireworks), sodium nitrate (yellow fireworks), barium chloride (green fireworks) and copper chloride (blue fireworks). Purple fireworks are typically produced by use of a mixture of strontium (red) and copper (blue) compounds.

The metal salts are packed into small pea- to plum-sized pellets called “stars” or “pyrotechnic stars.”

After a firework is ignited, a lift charge propels it into the sky. That’s just explosive black powder in a confined space that, when lit, causes a fast increase of heat and gas that can send a firework as high as 1,000 feet (300 meters) into the air.

Meanwhile, a time-delay fuse burns slowly into the interior of the firework shell. After about 5 seconds, as the shell is soaring overhead, the fuse kindles a charge that reaches the core of the firework, explodes and ignites the stars that contain the metal salts.

Fireworks in Austin, Texas, on July 4, 2013. Photo via our friend Sergio Garcia Rill.

Voila! A beautiful and colorful fireworks display.

By the way, the people who create fireworks are precise, expert craftsmen. Putting on a fireworks display is a complex process, and must be done safely. If even one thing is off — too much black powder, stars that aren’t aligned correctly or a trigger that fires too soon or too late — can cause everything else to go wrong.

Bottom line: The red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple colors exploding in the night sky during a fireworks festival are created by the use of metal salts.

Read more: The Chemistry of Fireworks Colors

Read more: The Chemistry of Fireworks

Enjoying EarthSky? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2ZAbYW3

Full moon, faint eclipse, on July 4-5

For us in the Americas, the moon will turn precisely full during the nighttime hours on July 4-5, 2020, to present a partial penumbral eclipse of the moon. It’ll be such a faint eclipse – so nearly imperceptible – that some of you will swear nothing is happening even while staring straight at it. Then again … very observant people might notice something strange happening on the moon, even without knowing an eclipse is taking place. Who will see it (or not) in this post. But first …

On the night of July 4-5, there’s another astronomical event taking place that we all can see. This July full moon will shine near on the sky’s dome to the very bright planet Jupiter, and also to the ringed planet Saturn. You need a telescope to see Saturn’s rings. But you’ll get a kick out of seeing Jupiter and Saturn close together!

What’s more, Jupiter and Saturn are now at their best. Later this month, Earth will pass between each of these worlds and the sun, so that both Jupiter and Saturn reach their oppositions, Jupiter on July 13-14 and Saturn on July 20.

Don’t miss these worlds near the moon on July 4 and 5!

Read more: Jupiter at opposition on July 13-14, 2020

Read more: Saturn at opposition on July 20, 2020

Read more: Before 2020 ends, a great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn

Now about that penumbral lunar eclipse on the night of July 4-5 … The eclipse happens for everyone at the same time worldwide. The time on your clock will depend on your location.

To find eclipse times for your location for the July 4-5 eclipse, visit TimeandDate.com

Day and night sides of Earth at the instant of full moon (July 5, 2020 at 04:44 UTC). The shadow line at left – crossing the Pacific Ocean and northern North America – depicts sunset July 4. The shadow line at right – running through Spain and Africa – depicts sunrise July 5. Notice North America. This faintest of eclipses will occur in our night sky on July 4-5. How well you see it will depend on your sky conditions, eyesight and ability to observe subtle details. Worldwide map via Fourmilab.

We in the Americas are well situated to view this extremely faint, partial penumbral eclipse of the moon on the night of July 4-5.

The chance is there … but will you notice anything even if you catch the eclipse? That depends in part on your eyesight, in part on your experience watching eclipses, and in part on your powers of observation.

So of course many will watch it! Just don’t be disappointed if it’s, shall we say, lacking in drama? At best, it’ll be a subtle shading on the moon.

This eclipse wins some distinction because it’s the third of three eclipses in one eclipse season. More often than not, an eclipse season only harbors two eclipses.

Read more: What is an eclipse season?

Read more: Middle of eclipse season June 20, 2020

To find eclipse times for your location for the July 4-5 eclipse, visit TimeandDate.com

Not only does the moon completely miss the Earth’s dark umbral shadow at this July 4-5 eclipse, but the moon barely clips the fainter penumbral shadow. Thus, at greatest eclipse (July 5, 2020, at 04:30 Universal Time), you might – or might not – note a subtle shading on the northern side of the lunar disk. Read more: Penumbral lunar eclipse of July 5, 2020.

What about the rest of the world? For most of the world’s Eastern Hemisphere, the moon will turn precisely full during daylight hours on July 5, when the moon is still below the horizon.

From the westernmost parts of Africa, people might spot this partial penumbral eclipse just before dawn July 5, but for most of the eclipse area in western Africa (and Spain and Portugal), the eclipse will be obscured by the glow of morning twilight. For reference, see the worldwide map above.

To find eclipse times for your location for the July 4-5 eclipse, visit TimeandDate.com

A lunar eclipse can only happen at full moon, but more often than not the full moon swings above or below the Earth’s shadow. On the night of July 4-5, 2020, the full moon swings south of the dark umbra but partially passes through the faint penumbra.

Astronomers say the moon is full when it’s precisely 180 degrees opposite the sun in ecliptic longitude. Although the moon turns full at the same instant worldwide, the time of day or local clock time of the full moon varies across the globe. Full moon happens on July 5 at 04:44 Universal Time. At United States time zones, that places the full moon at 12:44 a.m. EDT (on July 5) – yet on July 4 at 11:44 p.m. CDT, 10:44 p.m. MDT and 9:44 p.m. PDT.

Moon’s present position in front of the constellations of the zodiac via Heavens-Above

Generally speaking, half the globe won’t see the moon at the instant it turns precisely full. Still, from almost everywhere worldwide, the moon will appear plenty full to the eye on the nights of July 4-5 and 5-6. That’s because, for several days around full moon, the moon remains more or less opposite the sun and appears in Earth’s sky for most hours of the night.

Look for the moon to appear low in your eastern sky around sunset July 4. It’ll climb highest up for the night around midnight and will shine low in your western sky at dawn July 5. In other words, look for the moon to light up the sky from dusk till dawn.

The full moon lies almost opposite the sun, so the path of the July full moon across the nighttime sky will resemble that of the January sun across the daytime sky. Therefore, far-northern regions of the globe won’t see the moon at all these next few nights. That’s because the July full moon, like the January sun, resides too far south on the sky’s dome to be seen from northern Arctic latitudes.

In North America, we often call the July full moon the Buck Moon, Thunder Moon or Hay Moon. At this time of year, buck deer begin to grow velvety antlers, while farmers are working to put hay in their barns, and trying to avoid the summer season’s frequent thunder showers.

Bottom line: The penumbral lunar eclipse of July 4-5, 2020, will be so nearly imperceptible that some will see nothing even while staring at it. Then again … very observant people will notice something strange happening on the moon, without knowing an eclipse is taking place.

To find eclipse times for your location for the July 4-5 eclipse, visit TimeandDate.com

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2BVg6I0

For us in the Americas, the moon will turn precisely full during the nighttime hours on July 4-5, 2020, to present a partial penumbral eclipse of the moon. It’ll be such a faint eclipse – so nearly imperceptible – that some of you will swear nothing is happening even while staring straight at it. Then again … very observant people might notice something strange happening on the moon, even without knowing an eclipse is taking place. Who will see it (or not) in this post. But first …

On the night of July 4-5, there’s another astronomical event taking place that we all can see. This July full moon will shine near on the sky’s dome to the very bright planet Jupiter, and also to the ringed planet Saturn. You need a telescope to see Saturn’s rings. But you’ll get a kick out of seeing Jupiter and Saturn close together!

What’s more, Jupiter and Saturn are now at their best. Later this month, Earth will pass between each of these worlds and the sun, so that both Jupiter and Saturn reach their oppositions, Jupiter on July 13-14 and Saturn on July 20.

Don’t miss these worlds near the moon on July 4 and 5!

Read more: Jupiter at opposition on July 13-14, 2020

Read more: Saturn at opposition on July 20, 2020

Read more: Before 2020 ends, a great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn

Now about that penumbral lunar eclipse on the night of July 4-5 … The eclipse happens for everyone at the same time worldwide. The time on your clock will depend on your location.

To find eclipse times for your location for the July 4-5 eclipse, visit TimeandDate.com

Day and night sides of Earth at the instant of full moon (July 5, 2020 at 04:44 UTC). The shadow line at left – crossing the Pacific Ocean and northern North America – depicts sunset July 4. The shadow line at right – running through Spain and Africa – depicts sunrise July 5. Notice North America. This faintest of eclipses will occur in our night sky on July 4-5. How well you see it will depend on your sky conditions, eyesight and ability to observe subtle details. Worldwide map via Fourmilab.

We in the Americas are well situated to view this extremely faint, partial penumbral eclipse of the moon on the night of July 4-5.

The chance is there … but will you notice anything even if you catch the eclipse? That depends in part on your eyesight, in part on your experience watching eclipses, and in part on your powers of observation.

So of course many will watch it! Just don’t be disappointed if it’s, shall we say, lacking in drama? At best, it’ll be a subtle shading on the moon.

This eclipse wins some distinction because it’s the third of three eclipses in one eclipse season. More often than not, an eclipse season only harbors two eclipses.

Read more: What is an eclipse season?

Read more: Middle of eclipse season June 20, 2020

To find eclipse times for your location for the July 4-5 eclipse, visit TimeandDate.com

Not only does the moon completely miss the Earth’s dark umbral shadow at this July 4-5 eclipse, but the moon barely clips the fainter penumbral shadow. Thus, at greatest eclipse (July 5, 2020, at 04:30 Universal Time), you might – or might not – note a subtle shading on the northern side of the lunar disk. Read more: Penumbral lunar eclipse of July 5, 2020.

What about the rest of the world? For most of the world’s Eastern Hemisphere, the moon will turn precisely full during daylight hours on July 5, when the moon is still below the horizon.

From the westernmost parts of Africa, people might spot this partial penumbral eclipse just before dawn July 5, but for most of the eclipse area in western Africa (and Spain and Portugal), the eclipse will be obscured by the glow of morning twilight. For reference, see the worldwide map above.

To find eclipse times for your location for the July 4-5 eclipse, visit TimeandDate.com

A lunar eclipse can only happen at full moon, but more often than not the full moon swings above or below the Earth’s shadow. On the night of July 4-5, 2020, the full moon swings south of the dark umbra but partially passes through the faint penumbra.

Astronomers say the moon is full when it’s precisely 180 degrees opposite the sun in ecliptic longitude. Although the moon turns full at the same instant worldwide, the time of day or local clock time of the full moon varies across the globe. Full moon happens on July 5 at 04:44 Universal Time. At United States time zones, that places the full moon at 12:44 a.m. EDT (on July 5) – yet on July 4 at 11:44 p.m. CDT, 10:44 p.m. MDT and 9:44 p.m. PDT.

Moon’s present position in front of the constellations of the zodiac via Heavens-Above

Generally speaking, half the globe won’t see the moon at the instant it turns precisely full. Still, from almost everywhere worldwide, the moon will appear plenty full to the eye on the nights of July 4-5 and 5-6. That’s because, for several days around full moon, the moon remains more or less opposite the sun and appears in Earth’s sky for most hours of the night.

Look for the moon to appear low in your eastern sky around sunset July 4. It’ll climb highest up for the night around midnight and will shine low in your western sky at dawn July 5. In other words, look for the moon to light up the sky from dusk till dawn.

The full moon lies almost opposite the sun, so the path of the July full moon across the nighttime sky will resemble that of the January sun across the daytime sky. Therefore, far-northern regions of the globe won’t see the moon at all these next few nights. That’s because the July full moon, like the January sun, resides too far south on the sky’s dome to be seen from northern Arctic latitudes.

In North America, we often call the July full moon the Buck Moon, Thunder Moon or Hay Moon. At this time of year, buck deer begin to grow velvety antlers, while farmers are working to put hay in their barns, and trying to avoid the summer season’s frequent thunder showers.

Bottom line: The penumbral lunar eclipse of July 4-5, 2020, will be so nearly imperceptible that some will see nothing even while staring at it. Then again … very observant people will notice something strange happening on the moon, without knowing an eclipse is taking place.

To find eclipse times for your location for the July 4-5 eclipse, visit TimeandDate.com

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2BVg6I0