topic Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning in Community Spirit

Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

icyfroth — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 01:16:48 GMT

RELAX: the lunar god is not really angry with us, despite appearances to the contrary this week. The harvest will not be affected, and no virgins need be sacrificed to appease his terrible wrath.

The moon’s orangey-red appearance this week is due to a syzygy — or a perfect alignment of three celestial bodies — of the sun, the Earth and the moon.

National Geographic explains that the moon’s red colouring is due to sunlight passing through the Earth’s atmosphere and refracting to the red end of the spectrum.

Lunar eclipses do not happen every month, because of the moon’s tilted orbit around us. Their frequency varies widely: from one every few years to five in a year.

Tuesday night’s eclipse will be the first in a tetrad, or series of four. Subsequent eclipses will occur on October 8 this year and April 8 and September 28 next year.

The shade of red that the moon turns cannot be forecast, and is largely dependent on the amount of dust circulating in Earth’s atmosphere at the time of the eclipse.

The best time to see this week’s blood moon — as it is called — is on Tuesday night, although Perth residents will miss it altogether due to their position.

The Sydney Observatory recommends the following local times for best viewing:

Adelaide: Moon rises at 5.48pm; eclipse ends at 7.03pm

Brisbane: Moon rises at 5.27pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm

Darwin: Moon rises at 6.41pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm

Hobart: Moon rises at 5.33pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm.

Melbourne: Moon rises at 5.49pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm

Sydney: Moon rises at 5.28pm; eclipse ends at 7.33pm

Perth residents will unfortunately be unable to view the phenomenon

Astronomers advise looking low on the horizon and to the east to see the phenomenon.

Unlike solar eclipses, the lunar eclipse/blood moon phenomenon is perfectly safe to view and to photograph.

Blood moons have been believed to be omens for many different cultures throughout history, and this week’s one is no different.

Wikipedia notes that American pastor Mark Blitz believes the second coming of Jesus Christ will coincide with the final eclipse in the current tetrad.

Another American pastor, John Hagee, believes the eclipse is a portent of significant changes for the world.

Goody I'll be able to watch it before Resurrection comes on.

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

spotweldersfriend — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 01:30:56 GMT

Owoooo werewolves of London.

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

*crikey*mate* — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 04:53:27 GMT

virginal sacrifices?

second comings?

Thanks icy - will be sure to get the kids to have a look at the blood moon. (and me too)

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

ufo_investigations — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 04:57:03 GMT

Yeap it should be great.

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 05:34:06 GMT

its rainy and cloudy here 😞

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

debra9275 — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 05:57:34 GMT

thanks for the reminder Icy.

it's fairly clear today and I hope it stays that way so we can get a good look at it

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

imastawka — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 07:49:33 GMT

Thanks for the heads up. Time to start watching now.

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

amber-eyed-girl — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 10:50:02 GMT

For anyone who missed it, there will be another on October 8.

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

the*scarlet*pimpernel — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 10:55:38 GMT

my sister said there was a meteorite shower as well. She's in Albury. I didn't see any meteorites

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

boris1gary — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 10:59:02 GMT

can't see anything but darkness and rain.

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

imastawka — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:12:02 GMT

Poor boris - viewing time finished at about 7.30 - 7.45 pm

I messaged some people to watch right when it was happening.

They texted back ' can't see anything'. I told 'em to look east

and then they said "oh, yeah' Where did they think the moon

was rising?

But it was beautiful

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

icyfroth — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:14:41 GMT

where are you, Stawks?

Pouring rain and shrouded in fog here in Sydney could'nt see anything

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

imastawka — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:20:45 GMT

Melbourne. Daughter has a massive, huge telescope. Clear sky - beautiful!

She tried to hook up her camera to the telescope, then didn't have sd card.

Found sd card - then battery flat in infra red on telescope! Comedy of errors!

Told her she was too much like her dad - leaving everything til the last minute.

Would have loved photos, but by the time everything was sorted, the moon

wasn't red anymore. Still, to the naked eye was a sight to see

Will nag her on October 7th, just to make sure next time

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

flashie* — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:28:17 GMT

My son-in-law took this picture tonight...........(Tasmania)

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

*crikey*mate* — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:31:06 GMT

That's awesome Flashie! mine looked like this on film, but was dusty red in the sky

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

debra9275 — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:31:33 GMT

have you got any more Flashie??

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

flashie* — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:34:45 GMT

Sure have................just let me load them into photobucket.

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

debra9275 — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:36:28 GMT

yes please

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

flashie* — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:37:11 GMT

Re: Tonight's A Great Night For Mooning

imastawka — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:38:41 GMT

Beautiful pics flashie - made me jealous now - lol