Tuesday 30 January 2018

Moon 30th January 2018

Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning!

Nothing to do with the Moon, but a great sky this morning (07:40).

SUPER BLUE BLOOD MOON

Really impressive Moon yesterday.

First 2 photos were taken at 4 o'clock - lovely blue sky but the Moon really shone out.
Last 2 photos later during the evening & night. Great detail; and you can easily see the rotation.

This is building up to the...
!!! SUPER BLUE BLOOD MOON !!!
...on January 31st - first time since 1982!

1 - Supermoon - when it's closest to the Earth; looks very big and bright.

2 - Blood Moon (lunar eclipse) - when the Earth goes between the Sun and the Moon; the Moon looks red because of how the light goes through the atmosphere.

3 - Blue Moon - the 2nd full moon in a month.

But I probably won't be able to see it because the weather forecast here tomorrow is rain and cloud.

Date Monday 29th January 2018
Time 16:00.
Distance 223,190 miles.
Waxing gibbous phase.
72 degrees E compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 10.9 degrees.




Friday 26 January 2018

Moon 26th January 2018

Moooo! You can't beat a bit of Bully.

And tonight the Moon passes the brightest star in the constellation Taurus the Bull - Aldebaran. You should be able to see it, just be careful of the Moon's glare.

The Pole Star nowadays is Polaris but IT USED TO BE Aldebaran!
Not only that, it was half of a DOUBLE POLE STAR, with capella.
This was a long time ago - 450,000 years ago.

Time 16:01.
Distance 229,204 miles.
Waxing gibbous phase.
110 degrees E compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 33 degrees.

http://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-aldebaran-ex-pole-star

Tuesday 23 January 2018

Moon 23rd January 2018

The image is a bit blurred, partly because of the rain, cloud and rain, but also because I had to take this quickly and I had to lean out of the window.

Time 17:15.
Distance 238,918 miles.
Waxing crescent phase.
180 degrees S compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 39.6 degrees.

Saturday 13 January 2018

3rd December 2017


 Here's a video from December that I didn't have time to post.

It's a great full moon but look at how much cloud there was and how fast it was moving.

Time 23:31.
Distance 222,212 miles.
Full moon phase.
160 degrees S compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 53.9 degrees.

(https://youtu.be/QTkYfTeNMj8)


Sunday 7th January 2018 - half past midnight

I was very late coming back from seeing a friend and followed this great Moon on the way home!

Because of the tilt of the Moon you can clearly see what I think are the Montes Pyrenaeus and Sinus Asperitatis to the east of Mare Nectaris ("Sea of Nectar").

Time 00:30.
Distance 235,365 miles.
Waning gibbous phase.
110 degrees SE compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 19.9 degrees.

!!! Happy 1st Birthday !!!

Sam's Lunar Look-In has been going since 12th January 2017.
Happy 1st Birthday!

Wednesday 10 January 2018

Moon 1st & 2nd January 2018

Two whoppers to start the year!

1st:
Time 20:38.
Distance 221,566 miles.
Full moon phase.
120 degrees SE compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 39.5 degrees.

2nd:
Time 22:52.
Distance 222,372 miles.
Full moon phase.
130 degrees SE compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 47.8 degrees.


Monday 1 January 2018

Moon 31st December 2017

Hogmanay Moon.
What a whopper to end the year!
Happy new year.

Time 21:52.
Distance 222,128 miles.
Waxing gibbous phase.
150 degrees SE compass point (azimuth).
Altitude 53.7 degrees.