By the Light of September’s Silvery Moon
BIG FULL MOON:
Tonight’s full moon is the closest and biggest of 2006. Why? The Moon’s orbit is lopsided: one side is closer to Earth than the other. When the Moon turns full on Sept 7th, it will be on the close side, making it seem a bit wider than usual. Look for the extra-wide Moon rising in the east at sunset–very pretty.
BONUS–A LUNAR ECLIPSE:
If you live in eastern Europe, Asia, Africa or Australia, you might also see a partial lunar eclipse tonight. The Moon will dip into Earth’s shadow for about 90 minutes around 1851 UT on Sept. 7th. Only 19% of the Moon will be covered, but that’s enough for a nice display. Maps and animations may be found at http://Spaceweather.com
PLUTO PETITION:
Got an opinion about Pluto? Sign the Pluto Petition: http://plutopetition.com
A SPOT OF FOLKLORE:
September’s full Moon is usually called the Harvest Moon, but not this year. By definition, the Harvest Moon is the full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox. This year’s equinox falls on Sept. 23rd and the full Moon closest to that comes on October 7th. The 2006 Harvest Moon will have to wait until October.
hat tip to dano’s photo Texas Moon
Originally posted 2006-09-07 01:05:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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