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Science/nature/environment

Celestial event

(77 Posts)
annsixty Sun 27-Sep-15 19:43:09

Will anyone else try to stay awake to see the "blood moon" tonight?
Last night was clear and bright and the features on the moon were very clear but tonight it is slightly cloudy however I will try to stay awake.

tanith Sun 27-Sep-15 19:45:37

I just popped outside and the moon appears huge in a clear sky, I won't stay awake but I often can wake myself for these sorts of events at the correct time which I think is 3am so we shall see if I wake to view it tonight.

Alea Sun 27-Sep-15 19:50:09

I would love to, but a Sod's Law says I will have my best unbroken night's sleep for days!!

annsixty Sun 27-Sep-15 19:53:50

Well that's what you need at the moment Alea so you are excused,

Anne58 Sun 27-Sep-15 19:58:55

Dark here in North Devon, can't see the moon at all (well, at least from the south facing "office" window.)

Tegan Sun 27-Sep-15 20:05:57

Moon is really clear here; really looking forward to it. Have been thinking about it all week and then having periods of forgetting about it altogether so thanks for the reminder! One o'clock is the time to aim for I believe.

Tegan Sun 27-Sep-15 20:07:37

...oh, it begins then. It's going to be a long night methinks. Going to set a few alarm clocks.

hildajenniJ Sun 27-Sep-15 21:21:14

I now wake up naturally at 03:00 as that is the time I rise for work. Not on Mondays though, day off. I will probably be up to see the lunar eclipse, as long as the sky stays clear.

Tegan Sun 27-Sep-15 22:02:49

Really bright outside now, but starting to cloud over a bit sad.

rubysong Sun 27-Sep-15 22:17:47

DH has just had a look outside. The moon has just begun to show. We are in a deep valley with a lot of trees so we haven't much sky. If I wake at three I may look out but I shan't make a huge effort. We have seen huge moons sometimes in the past, so with all the hype maybe it will be worth seeing.

rubysong Sun 27-Sep-15 22:24:27

He's just had another look, it's fully in view, a full moon, quite bright and exactly the same size as usual.

durhamjen Mon 28-Sep-15 01:08:44

Anyone else still waiting?

durhamjen Mon 28-Sep-15 01:12:18

I seem to be able to see a large moon with a crescent underneath.
Is that right?

Tegan Mon 28-Sep-15 01:14:30

Yep; drinking lots of tea and coffee and cleaning out a very dirty utility room [as have been treading in lots of mud from the garden and haven't tidied up decorating stuff for months etc etc] because, if I sit down [other than at the pooter] I know I'll nod off.Just off to have another peek....

durhamjen Mon 28-Sep-15 01:36:14

Just been reading all the scary end of the world stuff about it.
Thinking about what's going on in Syria and the rest of the middle east at the same time does not make me feel happy.

WilmaKnickersfit Mon 28-Sep-15 01:43:18

I can see the moon very clearly, but so far I can't see anything unusual.

durhamjen Mon 28-Sep-15 01:55:06

It looks bigger than usual now.

durhamjen Mon 28-Sep-15 02:02:45

www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/

This is from the Kielder observatory site, to show you what you should be expecting when. Just put the nearest city in.

Tegan Mon 28-Sep-15 02:13:33

We've lost members of our family when there has been an eclipse; my daughter totally spooked her friends when she announced that her grandad was 'going to die that night' [he was old and very poorly] and he did. There is something about an eclipse that almost connects you to history and makes you think of the generations of people that have witnessed them going back to prehistoric times. Crikey, two more hours to go...better get some more coffee down me!

durhamjen Mon 28-Sep-15 02:20:21

Are you sure you should be drinking coffee?
Actually that sounds like a good idea - better than ginger tea!
I think it should be red in an hour the moon, not coffee.
Kielder has said it's better in the east. You should be on the Northumberland coast now.

Marmight Mon 28-Sep-15 02:22:07

moon It's beginning to disappear... think it will be a long wait. Sitting in the kitchen drinking milk, eating Weetabix and listening to Radio 4 [yawn]

J52 Mon 28-Sep-15 02:25:25

There's a big chunk of the moon missing now. I'm only up because I have a cold and can't sleep. Hope to still be awake for the full eclipse.

x

WilmaKnickersfit Mon 28-Sep-15 02:30:46

It's about 1/3 dark now. According to the BBC website the full eclipse will be at 2.47 am, so not long now. It will be over by about 5.00 am. I don't think I have ever been able to see an eclipse before. I am sitting in our caravan in Wales watching from my bed! grin

annsixty Mon 28-Sep-15 02:31:31

Yes it's a long night!! Disappearing quite quickly now though.

WilmaKnickersfit Mon 28-Sep-15 02:35:54

Just remembered Valentine Warleggan was born under a Black Moon in the Poldark books - old Great Aunt Agatha took great delight in cackling on about the bad omen! grin