1st solstice/lunar eclipse in 500 years

Subject: RE: Lunar Eclipse
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 23 Dec 10 - 06:37 PM

Spring tides (the highest monthly tides having nothing to do with the season of the year) occur when when the sun and moon pull together or in opposition. An eclipse can only happen during a full moon and at a time when the sun and moon are directly opposed. Therefore the tides are at their highest point at that time. Canada's Atlantic coastline has just been battered by an intense Nor'easter at the time of the peak rise of the sea. Hurricane force winds pushed this high water into a storm surge that swept much farther inland than normal causing great damage to shoreline and coastal infrastructure. All part of the fun of living on an island stuck out in the ocean. My home and neighbourhood escaped unscathed but other areas were much less fortunate.
Due to stormy skies the eclipse could not be seen here.

Subject: RE: 1st solstice/lunar eclipse in 500 years
From: Donuel
Date: 24 Dec 10 - 12:45 AM

It was crisp and cold with a sky so clear you could see the Milky way. My 10 year old and I went out a couple times to see the deep orange dark circle on the moon and came in for hot chocolate, which was the highlight.

It does not compare to the full lunar eclipse of May 1975 when I saw an impact take place just beyond the upper left hand horizon of the moon. One big shower of dust followed by a puny little after explosion. I had a piece of jewelry commisioned for that event. The gold ring had a full moon made of bronze with a sliver of white gold.
The bronze would get very dark but would shine right back up with buffing.

Subject: RE: Lunar Eclipse
From: mikesamwild
Date: 24 Dec 10 - 03:59 AM

Thanks all, still not clear about the relative size/distance thing.

Subject: RE: Lunar Eclipse
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 24 Dec 10 - 04:11 AM

The sun is about 400 million times bigger than the moon, but also about 400 million times further away.
Thus they appear the same size in the sky, and the moon exactly covers the sun in a solar eclipse.
This is just held to be an amazing cosmic coincidence.

The earth's shadow is much bigger than the moon, and the curvature of the edge of it is visible as it crosses the moon in a lunar eclipse.

Subject: RE: 1st solstice/lunar eclipse in 500 years
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 24 Dec 10 - 01:10 PM

Doh!
Delete "million"

Subject: RE: 1st solstice/lunar eclipse in 500 years
From: mikesamwild
Date: 26 Dec 10 - 07:28 AM

Thanks ,Spooky!