Here's a report from local astronomy buff Felton Davis:
It rained all day Saturday, and that must have washed a lot of soot out of the atmosphere, because the waxing moon came up unusually sharp and clear. Gassendi Crater on the edge of the Mare Humorum was spectacular as the shadow of the sun receded across its sharp edges and central blip. And down and to the left of Tycho was another stretch of jagged craters that will all look smooth on Tuesday night when the moon is full.
The eclipse of the moon will take place just before dawn on Wednesday, Oct. 8, as the earth passes directly between the rising sun and setting moon.
We've had a whole lot of partly-cloudy-chance-of-showers in the last week, so don't get your hopes up for anything different on Wednesday. If it is clear, all the way down to the horizon, I plan to get on the #5 Train to Bowling Green at 4:30 am, and walk over to Battery Park. The moon will set long before the eclipse is over.
It's too cold and too far away to bring the telescope, but anyone with a camera and a tripod should be able to get some amazing photos. Will the darkened moon set over the Statue of Liberty, over Ellis Island, or north of Ellis Island? I have no idea!
All those spots are the next frontier for the real estate developers to conquer. Next neighborhood hot spot: the SinIr; MaIm; The Kep; MaHu... all has the nice view of Earth.
ReplyDeleteFew people may know this but Tycho is also called Midtown South.
ReplyDeleteToo bad, suckers -- I've already bought all of Gassendi!
ReplyDeleteHow does one find out when Felton Davis is out with his telescope? I would like to go have a look some time.
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