PDA

View Full Version : Another Rare Solar Event This Weekend.....



MMC
05-18-2012, 12:31 PM
http://l.yimg.com/dh/ap/ap/default/120517/venus.jpg

As the annular eclipse approaches, watch for this second uncommon celestial event.

Why settle for dusty ol' Mayan calendars (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2114645,00.html?iid=tsmodule) and 12/12/12 apocalyptic visions (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=At0k9ZmO2J0DIOQlhWApt79S_tx_;_ylu=X3oDMTFoYzY wOGR0BG1pdANCbG9nIEJvZHkEcG9zAzMEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ 0JvZHlUZW1wQXNzZW1ibHk-;_ylg=X3oDMTJqbzUwZXFmBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRw c3RhaWQDZGIzZmJhMTgtY2JkNi0zMzkzLTg2NDMtOWNhMDQxM2 RmZTljBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdl;_ylv=0/SIG=139fo90m1/EXP=1338570263/**http%3A//www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/01/us-mayancalendar-poll-idUSBRE8400XH20120501), when 2012 has been offering up so many stellar—and planetary—sightings? We Earthlings have already been treated to nice meteor showers as well as a magnificent supermoon, and this weekend brings an annular solar eclipse.

http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/PJUfgMZStCJuP6S.eYJhAw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTMxMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/trending-now/supermoon-may-2012-tim-mccord.jpg1336303505
Supermoon May 5, 2012.

That's not even the best treat: Venus will be ambling between Earth and the sun in a rare (though non-earth-shattering) planetary alignment. Sure, the event might look like a black pimple floating across the face of the sun, but this celestial rarity once guided adventurous astronomers in their quest to determine the size of the solar system and yielded the first-ever global scientific collaboration. Don't blink—Venus doesn't cross our path again until December 2117.

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/V8K_874iwDGaSUe76lLZZQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTMxMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/trending-now/598254main-hinode-eclipse-lg-jpg_163141.jpg

An annular solar eclipse and that ring of fire: A solar eclipse happens this Sunday, except for the Eastern seaboard (sorry). It's an "annular" eclipse rather than a total one, which means the sun's edges peek out from behind the moon, creating the illusion of a ring of fire. (The word "annular" comes from the Latin word for ring.) The lower 48 states will have to wait until Aug. 17, 2017, for a total shutout. This weekend's eclipse.....

"begins at dawn in southern China. It then sweeps across the Pacific Ocean, passing south of Alaska, and makes landfall on the Pacific coast near the California-Oregon border. It ends near Lubbock, Texas, at sunset. Partial phases of this eclipse will be visible over most of western North America." (May 9, Space.com (http://www.space.com/15620-solar-eclipse-may20-skywatching-tips.html)).....snip~

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/y-big-story-annular-solar-eclipse-transit-venus-212122216.html


Some interesting times we have going on with 2012. Solar flares of intense magnitude. Then a Solar Tornado. Plus lets not forget the couple of asteroids that just missed us that the media waited until the next day to report the near misses.
That Supermoon looked like you could reach out and touch it. I work nights and it was quite bright out that night.

This is the astrological alignment they were talking about with the Sun, Earth, Moon and Venus. It is alleged to a line up with the Center of Universe. Although, I wonder if they didnt mean just the Milky Way Galaxy.

Mister D
05-18-2012, 12:44 PM
A solar eclipse happens this Sunday, except for the Eastern seaboard (sorry).

:angry:

MMC
05-18-2012, 01:01 PM
Sorry Charlie.....only Good tasting tuna gets to be Starkist. :laugh:

But hey.....after the West Coast gets in those Shipments From Japan. You Will be able to See West-Coasters glowing at night. :wink: :evil:

wingrider
05-18-2012, 03:12 PM
they say that here in colorado it is going to be pretty cool.. I am truing to find out what time of day it will be happening here, so far havent heard

waltky
09-01-2016, 05:04 PM
Have noticed solar flares tend to raise temperatures on earth a few degrees...
http://www.politicalforum.com/images/smilies/icon_flame.gif
Solar activity has a direct impact on Earth's cloud cover
August 25, 2016 - A team of scientists from the National Space Institute at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Space) and the Racah Institute of Physics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has linked large solar eruptions to changes in Earth's cloud cover in a study based on over 25 years of satellite observations.


The solar eruptions are known to shield Earth's atmosphere from cosmic rays. However the new study, published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, shows that the global cloud cover is simultaneously reduced, supporting the idea that cosmic rays are important for cloud formation. The eruptions cause a reduction in cloud fraction of about 2 percent corresponding to roughly a billion tonnes of liquid water disappearing from the atmosphere. Since clouds are known to affect global temperatures on longer timescales, the present investigation represents an important step in the understanding of clouds and climate variability. "Earth is under constant bombardment by particles from space called galactic cosmic rays. Violent eruptions at the Sun's surface can blow these cosmic rays away from Earth for about a week. Our study has shown that when the cosmic rays are reduced in this way there is a corresponding reduction in Earth's cloud cover. Since clouds are an important factor in controlling the temperature on Earth our results may have implications for climate change", explains lead author on the study Jacob Svensmark of DTU.


http://cdn.phys.org/newman/csz/news/800/2016/solaractivit.jpg

Very energetic particles

These particles generate electrically charged molecules—ions—in Earth's atmosphere. Ions have been shown in the laboratory to enhance the formation of aerosols, which can serve as seeds for the formation of the cloud drops that make up a cloud. Whether this actually happens in the atmosphere, or only in the laboratory is a topic that has been investigated and debated for years. When the large solar eruptions blow away the galactic cosmic rays before they reach Earth they cause a reduction in atmospheric ions of up to about 20 to -30 percent over the course of a week. So if ions affect cloud formation it should be possible to observe a decrease in cloud cover during events when the Sun blows away cosmic rays, and this is precisely what is done in this study. The so-called 'Forbush decreases' of the cosmic rays have previously been linked to week-long changes in Earth's cloud cover but the effect has been debated at length in the scientific literature. The new study concludes that "there is a real impact of Forbush decreases on cloud microphysics" and that the results support the suggestion that "ions play a significant role in the life-cycle of clouds".


http://cdn.phys.org/newman/csz/news/800/2016/1-solaractivit.jpg

Arriving at that conclusion was, however, a hard endeavor; Very few strong Forbush decreases occur and their effect on cloud formation is expected to be close to the limit of detection using global atmospheric observations measured by satellites and land based stations. Therefore it was of the greatest importance to select the strongest events for study since they had to have the most easily detected effect. Determining this strength required combining data from about 130 stations in combination with atmospheric modeling. This new method resulted in a list of 26 events in the period of 1987-2007 ranked according to ionization. This ranked list was important for the detection of a signal, and may also shed some light on why previous studies have arrived at varied conclusions, since they have relied on events that were not necessarily ranked high on the list.

Possible long term effect

The effect from Forbush decreases on clouds is too brief to have any impact on long-term temperature changes. However since clouds are affected by short term changes in galactic cosmic radiation, they may well also be affected by the slower change in Solar activity that happens on scales from tens to hundreds of years, and thus play a role in the radiation budget that determines the global temperature. The Suns contribution to past and future climate change may thus be larger than merely the direct changes in radiation, concludes the scientists behind the new study.

http://phys.org/news/2016-08-solar-impact-earth-cloud.html

waltky
11-14-2016, 02:48 PM
First time in 68 years, Harvest moon = Supermoon this year...
http://www.politicalforum.com/images/smilies/icon_cool.gif
Earthlings stunned by Supermoon witnessed after 68 years
Tuesday 15th November, 2016 - On Monday, many parts of our planet experienced a rare sight in the Supermoon, that hasn’t been seen in the last 68 years.


The NASA, describing it as an ‘extra supermoon’ has said this is the closest the moon has been to Earth since 1948 at a distance of 356,509 kilometres. Further, the Supermoon on Monday was also the biggest and brightest ever witnessed since 1948. NASA said, “When the moon is full as it makes its closest pass to Earth, it is known as a supermoon. The full moon appears that much larger in diameter and because it is larger, shines 30 percent more moonlight onto the Earth.” Skygazers from different parts of the world had been preparing to witness this rare phenomena and enthusiastic shutterbugs perched themselves on high rises to capture this historical night sky. Such a phenomena is expected to be witnessed next on November 25, 2034.

The supermoon was first visible in Asia, where the rising pollution and cloudy skies didn’t prove to be a dampner and people from various Asian countries witnessed the moon rise and snapped stunning shots of it. Many across other regions were hooked onto social media to find best viewing spots in their neighbourhood, while some camped in the deserts and on beaches to catch the rare glimpse. While many Australians posted images capture of the supermoon in Sydney, several others from Hong Kong showcased dramatic photos of the phenomena on their social media pages. Taiwan had organised telescopes outside a major public hall in the capital, Taipei where enthusiastic skywatchers queued up to catch the spectacle unfold before their eyes.


http://cdn.bignewsnetwork.com/cus1479146200.jpg

Many groups of youngsters and families gathered on rooftops in Indonesia, while several others in Thailand, where astrologers predicted the phenomena would either spell disaster or bring great fortune - caught the supermoon rising with friends. NASA's Noah Petro, deputy scientist of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission was quoted on Space.com as saying, “The main reason why the orbit of the moon is not a perfect circle is that there are a lot of tidal, or gravitational, forces that are pulling on the moon. You have all of these different gravitational forces pulling and pushing on the moon, which gives us opportunities to have these close passes."

Petro added, “One of the interesting things about the moon is that it's not only pulling on the Earth's oceans, it’s actually pulling on the Earth's crust. The Earth's crust — the land beneath our feet — actually deforms and responds to the moon in a very subtle way. We're not talking about dramatic shifts in distance, but were talking about subtle differences that are noticeable if you're used to looking at the moon.”

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/249393251/earthlings-stunned-by-supermoon-witnessed-after-68-years

waltky
11-15-2016, 12:23 AM
Won't see another like this one till 2033...
http://www.politicalforum.com/images/smilies/icon_omg.gif
Around the World, Supermoon is a Superstar
November 14, 2016 — From Beijing to Berlin, star gazers around the world admired the supermoon — the largest, brightest full moon in nearly seven decades — as it made its way across the skies on Sunday and Monday.


In Australia, some sky-watchers climbed to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to get a closer view of the moon as it ducked between the clouds over the city. Astronomers said it was closer to Earth than at any time since 1948. The supermoon, also known as a blood moon, was produced when the shadow of Earth cast a reddish glow on the moon, the result of a rare combination of an eclipse with the closest full moon of the year. For more than an hour on Sunday night and early on Monday morning, Earth's shadow blanketed the full moon as the planet passed between the sun and the moon.


http://gdb.voanews.com/172F7832-F7C6-49CE-883D-A40F3BCE48AC_cx0_cy6_cw0_w250_r1_s_r1.jpg
A jet plane flies across the moon seen from Beijing, China, Nov. 14, 2016. The brightest moon in almost 69 years lights up the sky on Monday in a treat for star watchers around the globe.

The brilliant white glow of the moon slowly transformed into a dim red, a coloring caused by Earth's atmosphere scattering sunlight into the shadow. "I think the last time I can remember this sort of [activity] is when I was very small, when Hale-Bopp came. Back then my parents took me [to watch]," said Hsieh Wei-Ting, 36, who lined up with scores of people in Taipei to look at the moon through telescopes in the Taiwanese capital. "It was like climbing a mountain to look at the stars."

In New York City, the Chrysler Building lit up when the supermoon set behind the Art Deco-style skyscraper, and photographers captured the moon rising over the U.S. Capitol dome in Washington D.C. In Boston, real estate agent Jamie Iacoi filmed video from his roof deck on Sunday. "At one point, the planes were flying right through the middle of the moon. It was so cool to see in person," Iacoi said.


http://gdb.voanews.com/BC3EED79-620A-4F68-BACC-D85B16067CD5_w250_r0_s.jpg
Two Iranian women watch the moon rising over Tehran in Iran

Spectators lined up in France, Israel and Germany to watch the moon rise behind famous monuments like the Eiffel Tower, Dormition Abbey, and the Brandenburg Gate. The full moon also shone over Jakarta in Indonesia and Thailand's Bangkok while in the Philippines, park-goers watched the spectacle in Manila. The next supermoon-lunar eclipse combination will not happen until 2033.

http://www.voanews.com/a/supermoon-to-light-up-sky-beginning-monday-morning/3595174.html

MMC
11-15-2016, 06:34 AM
Won't see another like this one till 2033...
http://www.politicalforum.com/images/smilies/icon_omg.gif
Around the World, Supermoon is a Superstar
November 14, 2016 — From Beijing to Berlin, star gazers around the world admired the supermoon — the largest, brightest full moon in nearly seven decades — as it made its way across the skies on Sunday and Monday.

It was bright last night Walt.....I even stopped by the lakefront, had a cigarette and some coffee, stared at it a few times. It did light things up. Sky was clear. It looked great. Temp dropped to 38 but no wind.

MMC
11-15-2016, 06:35 AM
Won't see another like this one till 2033...
http://www.politicalforum.com/images/smilies/icon_omg.gif
Around the World, Supermoon is a Superstar
November 14, 2016 — From Beijing to Berlin, star gazers around the world admired the supermoon — the largest, brightest full moon in nearly seven decades — as it made its way across the skies on Sunday and Monday.

It was bright last night Walt.....I even stopped by the lakefront, had a cigarette and some coffee, stared at it a few times. It did light things up. Sky was clear. It looked great. Temp dropped to 38 but no wind.