[ FirstLight Astronomy Club ] The Skies Above

« August 2004 | Main | October 2004 »

Shine On

The Solar System >

It is time once more to reap liberally from the ripened fields of knowledge. It is the autumnal equinox, which is traditionally a time of harvest, the namesake for next week's full Moon --- the Harvest Moon.

Actually every full Moon of every month has a special name --- like October's Hunting Moon, November's Beaver Moon, or July's Blood Moon --- but the one at this time of the year is probably the best known of the lot.

Perhaps it is such a recognizable name because of that song written over 100 years ago by Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth --- Shine on Harvest Moon. If you are like I am, you are probably already singing it to yourself and are finding it difficult to get out of your head --- make that very difficult. But where did the name come from?

In Europe for hundreds of years during this time of the year, it would be time to harvest the crops. But headed for winter, with daylight hours get shorter and shorter, any extra light during this time, any extra time to work the fields, was welcome. Enter the Harvest Moon.

We define the Harvest Moon as the full Moon closest to the fall equinox, one of two days of the year that the earth is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun; the so-called first day of fall.

What is unique about this full Moon, and what made it a Godsend for farmers in the days of old, is the time and way it rises.

Most readers know that a full Moon rises after sunset. The sun, setting over there in the west, fully illuminates the face of the Moon rising there in the east, on the other side of the Earth. And we all know the full Moon can be awfully bright. This bright light, in days before artificial lighting, could help farmworkers harvest for a longer period of time. Good for business if not for the back.

But there's more to it than that.

The geometry of the Sun, Earth, and Moon at this time plays an unexpected role. The way the three heavenly bodies are oriented at the time of the fall equinox allows the Moon to pull off a nifty little trick as it ascends after sunset.

Instead of coming right off the horizon and launching high into the sky like most would expect, the Moon rises instead at a shallow angle. That one bizarre characteristic is responsible for the real reason the Harvest Moon is so helpful. Time for the thinking cap.

The Moon is orbiting around the earth slowly but surely, taking about a month to crawl out a complete circuit. Doing so means it won't be in the same part of the sky every day. For example, because of its movement the Moon rises in the east on average nearly an hour later each day than the previous. Got that so far?

The dance we have with the Sun and Moon at this time of the year, however, allows the Moon to rise only 20 minutes later each day. And the farther north you go the smaller the time difference. In England, for example, successive Moon risings around equinox differ by only about 15 minutes a day.

Bottom line? For the days just before, during, and just after Harvest Moon, farmers had the equivalence of a daylight extension as a very bright natural light immediately followed the sun to help illuminate the farmstead. Shine on, Harvest Moon!

Keep the ancient tradition alive in a modern way by going out sometime next week after sundown and harvesting the mail or picking a weed out of the lawn by the light of the big, bright, autumn Harvest Moon.

Mark Ritter teaches astronomy at Temecula Valley High School and can be reached at mritter@firstlightastro.com.

Posted by Administrator at 2004.09.17 12:07 PM | Comments (0)

Hobnob with the Stars

Observing >

For all intents and purposes, summer is over. Most kids are back to school. Scouts of all types are gathering around the campfires again. Youth groups are regrouping. And the days are getting shorter.

Why, come to think of it, this is the perfect time to consider having a party. But not just any party. This one involves using paraphernalia that would offend no one. One need bring nothing but a profound curiosity to this shindig. No designated drivers are required, no police will be called, and people of all ages are invited. It is a time to turn on, tune in, and look up. The soiree I am referring to is what is known in the amateur astronomy world as a "star party."

A star party can happen anytime people want to get together to marvel at the sky. It might be as simple as inviting some celestially knowledgeable person to take your group on a visual trip through the night sky with all its ancient stories and mesmerizing science. Or you can up the interest value by busting out a few scopes.

Having several telescopes available to your group is like putting a microscope to a butterfly. Without a microscope, of course, the butterfly is a beautiful creature. But get close-up views of its wings or body or antennae and its stunning design elements jump right out at you. So it is looking at the night sky with a telescope.

For example, hidden from naked-eye view but brought to life with a scope are the awesome creatures astronomers know as globular clusters and open clusters --- areas in the sky that can fill your field of view with hundreds or thousands of twinkling stars.

Scopes bring out the detail of planets, too: the magnificent rings of Saturn, the streaked weather patterns on Jupiter, the crescent shape of a partially lit Venus.

With a telescope one can see the different colors of stars --- the reds and blues, the whites and orangey yellows.

And sharing all this with friends or students in a star party setting under the dark skies is a great time of fellowship, one in which the total collective excitement is greater than the sum of the parts.

"But I don't have a telescope!" you exclaim. Fear not! I know people who do.

All around the country amateur astronomy groups lie in wait. These groups of men and women with their own telescopes and equipment live to share the beauty of the skies with others less fortunate.

You can find a constellation of astronomy clubs in or around your city by visiting several websites, including skyandtelescope.com, astronomy.com, and astronomyclubs.com.

Picking the right time for your party is very important. The astronomy club people can help you here, but below are just a couple of quick tips before you call them up.

The deeper we get into winter the earlier it gets dark, which is great for groups with kids who have to be home early. The downside is that the winter weather isn't always an ally for stargazing, and it can get a wee nippy.

Stay away from nights on or around full Moon. That Moon, for which we are otherwise extremely thankful, makes a mess of the skies with its overwhelming brightness. Probably the best nights are those surrounding the First Quarter Moon. This only-half-lit Moon is high above at sunset and sinks towards the horizon thereafter, hardly interfering at all. And the shadows on the surface of the Moon at that time take your breath away.

Consider what planets might be up and viewable. For example, Saturn is absent at the moment but at the end of the year will reappear in the western skies. And Saturn with its other-worldly ring system is always a show-stopper.

Just between you and me: Keep in mind that although many astronomy clubs will do parties for free, donations to their club are graciously accepted. And pizza offerings help --- a lot.

I hope this all puts some ideas into your head. Go now and knock heads with others in your particular group and see if this doesn't appeal to them, as well. A star party is a great and thoroughly meaningful chance to get together with friends, and with them dive into the vast treasure chest of the night skies.

Mark Ritter teaches astronomy at Temecula Valley High School and can be reached at mritter@firstlightastro.com.

Posted by Administrator at 2004.09. 4 12:14 PM | Comments (0)



Looking for something?	« August 2004 \| Main \| October 2004 » Shine On The Solar System > It is time once more to reap liberally from the ripened fields of knowledge. It is the autumnal equinox, which is traditionally a time of harvest, the namesake for next week's full Moon --- the Harvest Moon. Actually every full Moon of every month has a special name --- like October's Hunting Moon, November's Beaver Moon, or July's Blood Moon --- but the one at this time of the year is probably the best known of the lot. Perhaps it is such a recognizable name because of that song written over 100 years ago by Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth --- Shine on Harvest Moon. If you are like I am, you are probably already singing it to yourself and are finding it difficult to get out of your head --- make that very difficult. But where did the name come from? In Europe for hundreds of years during this time of the year, it would be time to harvest the crops. But headed for winter, with daylight hours get shorter and shorter, any extra light during this time, any extra time to work the fields, was welcome. Enter the Harvest Moon. We define the Harvest Moon as the full Moon closest to the fall equinox, one of two days of the year that the earth is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun; the so-called first day of fall. What is unique about this full Moon, and what made it a Godsend for farmers in the days of old, is the time and way it rises. Most readers know that a full Moon rises after sunset. The sun, setting over there in the west, fully illuminates the face of the Moon rising there in the east, on the other side of the Earth. And we all know the full Moon can be awfully bright. This bright light, in days before artificial lighting, could help farmworkers harvest for a longer period of time. Good for business if not for the back. But there's more to it than that. The geometry of the Sun, Earth, and Moon at this time plays an unexpected role. The way the three heavenly bodies are oriented at the time of the fall equinox allows the Moon to pull off a nifty little trick as it ascends after sunset. Instead of coming right off the horizon and launching high into the sky like most would expect, the Moon rises instead at a shallow angle. That one bizarre characteristic is responsible for the real reason the Harvest Moon is so helpful. Time for the thinking cap. The Moon is orbiting around the earth slowly but surely, taking about a month to crawl out a complete circuit. Doing so means it won't be in the same part of the sky every day. For example, because of its movement the Moon rises in the east on average nearly an hour later each day than the previous. Got that so far? The dance we have with the Sun and Moon at this time of the year, however, allows the Moon to rise only 20 minutes later each day. And the farther north you go the smaller the time difference. In England, for example, successive Moon risings around equinox differ by only about 15 minutes a day. Bottom line? For the days just before, during, and just after Harvest Moon, farmers had the equivalence of a daylight extension as a very bright natural light immediately followed the sun to help illuminate the farmstead. Shine on, Harvest Moon! Keep the ancient tradition alive in a modern way by going out sometime next week after sundown and harvesting the mail or picking a weed out of the lawn by the light of the big, bright, autumn Harvest Moon. Mark Ritter teaches astronomy at Temecula Valley High School and can be reached at mritter@firstlightastro.com. Posted by Administrator at 2004.09.17 12:07 PM \| Comments (0) Hobnob with the Stars Observing > For all intents and purposes, summer is over. Most kids are back to school. Scouts of all types are gathering around the campfires again. Youth groups are regrouping. And the days are getting shorter. Why, come to think of it, this is the perfect time to consider having a party. But not just any party. This one involves using paraphernalia that would offend no one. One need bring nothing but a profound curiosity to this shindig. No designated drivers are required, no police will be called, and people of all ages are invited. It is a time to turn on, tune in, and look up. The soiree I am referring to is what is known in the amateur astronomy world as a "star party." A star party can happen anytime people want to get together to marvel at the sky. It might be as simple as inviting some celestially knowledgeable person to take your group on a visual trip through the night sky with all its ancient stories and mesmerizing science. Or you can up the interest value by busting out a few scopes. Having several telescopes available to your group is like putting a microscope to a butterfly. Without a microscope, of course, the butterfly is a beautiful creature. But get close-up views of its wings or body or antennae and its stunning design elements jump right out at you. So it is looking at the night sky with a telescope. For example, hidden from naked-eye view but brought to life with a scope are the awesome creatures astronomers know as globular clusters and open clusters --- areas in the sky that can fill your field of view with hundreds or thousands of twinkling stars. Scopes bring out the detail of planets, too: the magnificent rings of Saturn, the streaked weather patterns on Jupiter, the crescent shape of a partially lit Venus. With a telescope one can see the different colors of stars --- the reds and blues, the whites and orangey yellows. And sharing all this with friends or students in a star party setting under the dark skies is a great time of fellowship, one in which the total collective excitement is greater than the sum of the parts. "But I don't have a telescope!" you exclaim. Fear not! I know people who do. All around the country amateur astronomy groups lie in wait. These groups of men and women with their own telescopes and equipment live to share the beauty of the skies with others less fortunate. You can find a constellation of astronomy clubs in or around your city by visiting several websites, including skyandtelescope.com, astronomy.com, and astronomyclubs.com. Picking the right time for your party is very important. The astronomy club people can help you here, but below are just a couple of quick tips before you call them up. The deeper we get into winter the earlier it gets dark, which is great for groups with kids who have to be home early. The downside is that the winter weather isn't always an ally for stargazing, and it can get a wee nippy. Stay away from nights on or around full Moon. That Moon, for which we are otherwise extremely thankful, makes a mess of the skies with its overwhelming brightness. Probably the best nights are those surrounding the First Quarter Moon. This only-half-lit Moon is high above at sunset and sinks towards the horizon thereafter, hardly interfering at all. And the shadows on the surface of the Moon at that time take your breath away. Consider what planets might be up and viewable. For example, Saturn is absent at the moment but at the end of the year will reappear in the western skies. And Saturn with its other-worldly ring system is always a show-stopper. Just between you and me: Keep in mind that although many astronomy clubs will do parties for free, donations to their club are graciously accepted. And pizza offerings help --- a lot. I hope this all puts some ideas into your head. Go now and knock heads with others in your particular group and see if this doesn't appeal to them, as well. A star party is a great and thoroughly meaningful chance to get together with friends, and with them dive into the vast treasure chest of the night skies. Mark Ritter teaches astronomy at Temecula Valley High School and can be reached at mritter@firstlightastro.com. Posted by Administrator at 2004.09. 4 12:14 PM \| Comments (0)
	Powered by Movable Type 3.14