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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSuper moon to shine bright on Saturday night
For stargazers, werewolves and lovers, its going to be a great night.
A bright and beautiful super moon will rise over the horizon on Saturday. Why super? Because its a full moon and will make its closest approach to Earth this year a mere 221,802 miles away.
And if this celestial feast doesnt bring out the romance in you, well, we dont know what to say.
By now you are probably wondering where is the best spot to watch. Try an outdoor café overlooking the beach, head out to a fishing pier or park along open spaces on Alligator Alley and U.S. 27.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-05-04/news/fl-super-moon-saturday-20120504_1_super-moon-earth-buehler-planetarium
onehandle
(51,122 posts)I was wondering if it was a 'super moon' time.
Thanks.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,756 posts)An old idea turned new.
Great clip! Thanks.
guitar man
(15,996 posts)My daughter and I will be breaking this bad boy out for a closer look
Baitball Blogger
(46,756 posts)guitar man
(15,996 posts)I have to find an adapter to fit my camera to the eyepiece, I'm wanting to take astro pics with it.
Cooley Hurd
(26,877 posts)Renew Deal
(81,869 posts)It's going to be a wild night!
WillyT
(72,631 posts)A nearly full moon rises behind the cross of the Frauenkirche in the German city of Dresden in May 4.
Robert Michael / AFP - Getty Images
The supermoon is not the only celestial sight gracing the evening skies this weekend. On Saturday night, the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower is due to hit its peak, promising up to 60 meteors per hour for skywatchers with optimum viewing conditions (clear weather and away from city lights).
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is one of two "shooting star" displays created by dust left over by the famed Halley's comet as it makes its 76-year trip around the sun. The Orionid meteor shower in October is the other meteor show from the comet.
While the supermoon is expected to outshine the fainter Eta Aquarid meteors, NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke predicts that some bright fireballs may be visible. Cooke and his observing team at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center have already recorded several bright fireballs from the Eta Aquarids and are looking forward to seeing more using the agency's network of all-sky meteor cameras.
"Ideal viewing conditions are clear skies away from city lights, especially just before dawn," NASA officials wrote in an Eta Aquarid meteor observing guide. " Find an area well away from city or street lights. Lie flat on your back on a blanket, lawn chair or sleeping bag and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse."
Views from NASA's all-sky cameras are available to view the Eta Aquarid meteor shower remotely here: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/allsky.htm
More: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47305718/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.T6XP4uhDyrk
& Rec !!!
Baitball Blogger
(46,756 posts)Not even the idiot who started a fire in this drought environment has detracted from it.