Lunar Trifecta – Possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity…
Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 23, 2018 at 15:04
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Baz - The Landy
I’m sure many are aware of a rare lunar phenomenon that is set to occur next week.
It is being billed as a “once-in-a-lifetime” lunar trifecta and Australian’s have one of the best vantage points around the globe to view what is being described as a “super red blue moon” as three lunar conditions converge.
Apparently, a super moon occurs when the moon reaches its closest point to earth and appears much larger than normal (some 30% they say). The red part happens during a lunar eclipse, and the blue moon is when there are two full moons in a month.
Some experts suggest that it is unlikely to see all three events converge again this century, although I have seen conflicting reports on this with suggestions there will be another one in 2028 – but given it last occurred in 1866 I’ll try and observe this one and leave it to the experts to argue over the timing of the next one.
I was pondering where to view it from away from the glare of city lights and decided on heading to the World
Heritage listed
Mungo National Park, south east of
Broken Hill.
It has been at least two decades since I last visited the area so I am looking forward to it, although with daytime temperatures getting up to around the 45C mark I doubt I will linger there for too long afterwards. But it is a spectacular area, so I’ll play that one by ear and see how the weather is…
The phenomena is due to start on 31 January around 10:30pm (AEDT) and end just after 2:00AM (AEDT) on 1 February…
Cheers, Baz – The Landy
Reply By: Member - Boobook - Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 07:42
Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 07:42
Well Baz, call me old and cynical but I wouldn't get too upset if I miss it, especially in the Eastern States as you point out.
More media hype.
Sure a red moon is worth seeing. Tick.
A super moon.
Well I don't know about you, but I have been caught by the ol' supermoon media hype before. This super moon is 13% bigger than a mini moon, when it's at its smallest., or about 6% bigger than average. I can tell you now, it isn't detectable to the naked eye. It looks like ......
well ...the moon.
Depending on atmospheric conditions it can be 30% brighter than when it is dullest. or about 15% more than average. But your eyes will largely negate that.
And as you point out, in eastern Australia there simply is no blue moon. The eclipse occurs in February so it misses out by a day.
Places that get in in January ( WA) will get the blue moon FWIW.
It will be a media frenzy in the lead up but I am sure many will be disappointed, especially when they can't see any difference in size, and realize there is no blue moon. The Blue moon media hype is out of the US where they do get a blue moon.
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Follow Up By: Baz - The Landy - Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 08:38
Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 08:38
Okay, I'll call you "old and cynical..."
For me, any excuse works for me to get Out & About in this great country of ours.
Cheers, Baz - The Landy
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 14:29
Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 14:29
Well I have to say Baz, that is a better attitude than
mine.. LOL
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 14:45
Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 14:45
"And as you point out, in eastern Australia there simply is no blue moon. The eclipse occurs in February so it misses out by a day.
Places that get in in January ( WA) will get the blue moon FWIW."
Depends upon whether you are working on EDST or
solar time.. As it is a solar event you should be working on solar time. DST is just a means of getting people up earlier, nothing to do with how the solar system works.
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 15:35
Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018 at 15:35
LOL true Peter, but then I guess it's a moot point given a blue moon has even less to do with how the solar system works.
The concept of 2 full moons appearing in a single Georgean calender kind of makes the daylight savings thing irrevelent. If we worked on solar time there is no such thing as a Blue moon.
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Reply By: Baz - The Landy - Thursday, Feb 01, 2018 at 16:29
Thursday, Feb 01, 2018 at 16:29
Well, as it turns out I was ‘eclipsed’ By cloud cover at Mungo NP.
I remained hopeful of photographing the moon rising over ‘
The Walls of China’ in the NP, and later photographing the eclipse in a clear Outback sky...
But it wasn’t too be as a front moved through. Mind you it brought day-time temperature of 20C, much cooler than 45C a few days back.
However, every cloud has a silver lining - I’ll just have to go back again soon to capture the full moon rise over this spectacular part of Australia...
In the meantime, I’ll just continue on relaxing by the
Murrumbidgee River as I head
home!
Cheers, Baz - The Landy
Murrumbidgee River
Murrumbidgee River
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