2008 Full Moons

[WolfPa]

Here's a list of the remaining full moons for this year.

2008 Jul 18 08:00 Fri
2008 Aug 16 21:18 Sat
2008 Sep 15 09:15 Mon
2008 Oct 14 20:04 Tue
2008 Nov 13 06:19 Thu
2008 Dec 12 16:39 Fri

[DorieTesla'sMom]

That was the biggest most beautiful full moon I've seen in years. Saturday night it was orange.

Tonight, it's waning, but while rising, it was RED.

I once had a boyfriend who was scared of a red moon- he said it meant somebody was going to die.

I thought a red moon foretold war.

Does anybody remember the superstition?

[williamstade]

Thanks Wolfpa. I've been wondering in recent days what kind of almost archtypal notions or imaginings to hold for the phases of the moon beyond the thing being simply beautiful to behold. Reminds me of an old Pink Floyd lyric from, I think it was Dark Side of the Moon, "Got to keep the lunars on the path". I may have been mishearing the exact pronunciation of what I am writing as Lunars. Laugh.

Superstitions DorieTeslasMom? Yeah. I guess that can be an applicable concept. The only one I am familiar with is the comewhat commonly joked about thoughts on the effect of a full moon on "craziness" of behavior. Perhaps.

William

[Judee]

You're correct. Seeing a red moon and relating it to war is an old superstition DTM!

MOON SUPERSTITIONS



*If you see a new moon for the first time on Monday, you will have good luck.



*If you see a new moon over your right shoulder for the first time, you had better fun.



*If you have something in each hand when you first see a new moon, you will never want.



*If you take a magnifying glass at night and hold it up to the moon, you will see a woman and a dog burning brush.



*Look for war, if you see a red moon.


*Look hard and you can see a boy and his dog burning brush on the full moon.

#####################

Red Moon dives behind Earth
By Dr David Whitehouse
BBC News Online science editor

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39208000/jpg/_39208267_eclipse_ap_b203.jpg
The colour of the Moon can change dramatically


A total lunar eclipse has been visible this weekend from Europe, Africa, the Americas, and much of Asia.
The Moon regularly passes into the Earth's shadow and becomes dimmer. It happens about every six months or so.

A lunar eclipse has no great importance astronomically but can be enjoyed by many people without special equipment.

The Moon started to enter the outer edges of our planet's shadow from 2215 GMT on Saturday.


Majestic clockwork

Mid-eclipse took place between 0106 and 0131 GMT on Sunday as the Moon transited the southern edge of the Earth's shadow.


Totality was quite short this time because the Moon only passed just inside the full shadow of the Earth, and the Moon's southern edge, in particular, remained fairly bright.
As the show progressed, the Moon got dimmer and turned reddish during mid-eclipse, when the only light that could reach the lunar surface was red light refracted through the Earth's atmosphere.

Astronomers scrutinised the Moon's surface through telescopes to note how its appearance changed as the Sun was obscured by the Earth.

The Moon left the last bit of shadow at 0422 GMT.

Skywatchers in North America were able to see the eclipse begin in twilight as the Moon rose on Saturday evening.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39547000/jpg/_39547391_moon203ap.jpg
Skygazers in New York saw the moon gradually slide into eclipse

Imperturbable serenity

Although lunar eclipses have no great scientific significance, they are a spectacle of nature that delights and enthrals.

In the past things were different. It was a portent from the sky, possibly a sign of divine displeasure.


TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE
Occurs when Moon passes into Earth's shadow
Penumbra: Region where Earth blocks some (but not all) Sun rays
Umbra: Zone where Earth blocks all direct sunlight - total eclipse

But as superstition has given way to reason, a lunar eclipse has rightly come to be regarded as an example of the majestic clockwork of the heavens.
Thomas Hardy said the movement of the Earth's shadow over the Moon had an "imperturbable serenity".

The colour effect is the stuff of myth and legend. An account in 331 BC said: "...all her light was sullied and suffused with the hue of blood."

Some ancients called it "the time of the blood of the Great Mother's wisdom", linking the Moon's colour with menstruation.

This was a natural thing to do given the link between the length of the month and human fertility.

Ugly orange glow

In 1503, Christopher Columbus, stranded in the Caribbean, used a lunar eclipse he knew would take place to impress the natives and secure respect and fear, as well as a regular supply of food.


In the UK, countryside campaigners have used the eclipse to highlight the increasing problem of light pollution of the night sky.
The Moon was visible in southern England and East Anglia, although dense cloud blocked the view in the north of England and Scotland.

But the CPRE says scattered light from towns and cities is all too often snuffing out the stars - however clear the skies may be.

"A lunar eclipse is spectacular, but more often than not the sky in which it appears is smeared with an ugly orange glow from light pollution," said Tom Oliver, the CPRE's head of rural policy.

"Why should thoughtless, wasteful outdoor lighting spoil so many people's views of the heavens?"


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/3249951.stm

[IronsGold]

Here's a list of the remaining full moons for this year.

2008 Jul 18 08:00 Fri
2008 Aug 16 21:18 Sat
2008 Sep 15 09:15 Mon
2008 Oct 14 20:04 Tue
2008 Nov 13 06:19 Thu
2008 Dec 12 16:39 Fri

Biker and I watched the full moon on Aug 16th rise over the mountains, and it took my breath away! I love my new home!

[DorieTesla'sMom]

Yep, I was driving home from the mountains of Western Maryland on the 16th as the moon was rising. It was huge, orange and beautiful!

[harshita]

I do not believe in superstitions and heheheh red moon I had not seen it anywhere in the world do not know from where you guys have seen it


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[Hadriana]

Oh I beleive in a lot of superstitions about the moon. :)

That is why I spent about 4 hours tonight outside under it. Tonight is the blood moon. It is the most powerful moon of the year.

[Judee]

As I was driving down my driveway to get my mail this evening, the full moon hit me right between the eyes! If was breath taking! It was huge, and yellow/orange.

[Alpha]

Oh I beleive in a lot of superstitions about the moon. :)

That is why I spent about 4 hours tonight outside under it. Tonight is the blood moon. It is the most powerful moon of the year.

I would really like to read some of the superstitions you believe in Had....please do share them with us.

The moon the other night was captivating to say the least.

Here is was in a background of unusual linear yet whispy clouds...almost surreal. I wish I would have taken a photo of it.

[WolfPa]

This explains why I was so restless last night.

[DorieTesla'sMom]

I do know from my career in retail that "full moon Saturday night" is a scary thing!

[Project]

I think it was Dark Side of the Moon, "Got to keep the lunars on the path". I may have been mishearing the exact pronunciation of what I am writing as Lunars. Laugh.

William

I always heard it as 'loonies on the path', now I have to go check :33:

[WolfPa]

Well, Lunars are people who are more tuned into the moons power.