Here comes Rahu? - Lunar Eclipse

[theist 1]

 

 

 

<!-- overline--><!--title-->Eclipse won't keep you up

<!--subtitle-->LUNAR SPECTACLE TO OCCUR IN EARLY EVENING

<!--byline-->By Julie Sevrens Lyons

Mercury News

<!--date-->Article Launched: 02/18/2008 01:30:40 AM PST

 

 

If you missed the total eclipse of the moon in August - who's awake at 3:37 a.m.? - you'll be in luck, assuming the weather cooperates.

On Wednesday, the eclipse will make a command performance, and while this astronomical wonder won't last nearly as long as last summer's four-hour display, it is scheduled for prime time.

"You don't have to stay up until dawn or anything obnoxious like that," explained David Morrison, interim director of the Lunar Science Institute at the NASA/Ames Research Center.

The best part of the show - when the moon is entirely in the Earth's shadow - will last nearly an hour, from 7:01 to 7:51 p.m. It's early enough for the children in the house to go out and take a look.

"Anyone can afford it - all you need is your eyes - and anyone can see it," said Andrew Fraknoi, chairman of the astronomy program at Foothill College.

And, experts say, this is one that shouldn't be missed.

"A really good opportunity like this only comes along once a decade," Morrison said.

Usually there is one lunar eclipse a year, but some years have none and others have as many as three. And most are only partial eclipses "and not very exciting," Fraknoi said. Some are visible only from other continents.

The next total lunar eclipse won't occur until Dec. 21, 2010.

Lunar eclipses occur when the full moon and the sun are exactly opposite each other in the sky and the Earth gets between them. The Earth's shadow falls on the moon, darkening it over the course of several hours. But even when the moon is entirely in the Earth's shadow, the orb won't appear completely dark, Fraknoi said. Light bent through the Earth's atmosphere will give the moon a dull brown or reddish glow. The exact color depends on lots of factors: how dirty the atmosphere is - whether volcanoes have recently erupted and how much cloud cover, storm activity and human pollution there is, Fraknoi said.

"It kind of makes Earth this giant red flashlight shining onto the moon, although not very bright," said Ben Burress, staff astronomer at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland.

During this one, Burress expects the moon to appear particularly red at mid-eclipse because it will be visible in the western United States while the moon is still low on the horizon.

Eclipses also give a hint of how the ancient Greeks determined the world was round and not flat, Fraknoi said. Take a careful look at the shadow of the Earth as it moves across the bright face of the moon. What shape is it? Just like a tree's shadow looks like the tree, the round shape of the Earth's shadow suggested to observers, more than 2000 years ago, that the Earth must be round too, he explained.

During eclipse after eclipse, the ancient Greeks saw the Earth cast a round shadow, and deduced that the planet is round - long before spacecraft and astronaut pictures showed the Earth's blue globe from orbit.

Modern observers, of course, are hoping for clear skies Wednesday. But the National Weather Service says it's likely to be cloudy with a chance of rain.

Astronomers advise eclipse-watchers to find a place with a clear view of the eastern skies. Tall trees, buildings or even local foothills could easily block the view of this low-lying eclipse.

And Fraknoi, who plans on watching it with his son, advises parents to tell youngsters what to expect if this is their first lunar eclipse. Even adults who are new to eclipse viewing should have realistic expectations in these BlackBerry-paced times.

"If you go out, be patient. This is not fireworks," he said. "The moon changes slowly and you have to prepare your kids that it isn't like Roadrunner cartoons where things happen very fast."

[mahak 0]

hes so hungry. he gobbles it up, but, alas, when it gets to the neck, she escaspes. Rahu can satisfy the tongue, but has no belly to complete the deal. I feel bad for rahu, but he made his bed, now hes gotta lay in it.

 

Moon dont care, she knows his limitation, knows that getting eaten by rahu is a mental, not physical problem. The idea of being eaten is horrible, but if one knows that digestion is impossible, that survivaql is certain. Chandra remains serene. Now if only humans could develop such serentity, know of ultimate survival of the self, now there would be a great boon.

 

mahak

[theist 1]

LOL Top form today Mahak.:D:D:D:D:D

[mahak 0]

thats what I like about the controversies of Srila Prabhupadas wonderful storytelling. There is always ways to use these stories to tell our own stories, to derive meaning, to earmark devotional life. The head of rahu floating thru space eating planets may or may not be accurate, but the purpose of these stories is always fulfilled. Storytelling is the heart of culture, and our own vedic cultre is perhaps the fulest. So many wonderful stories that can be used to entertain us enough to make us want to give this ol "chant hare krsna and our life will be sublime" proposal a try.

 

It personally worked for me, the ultimate cynic. I came to reject the avatar of the Who, mehar baba, when I found out god got killed by a truck. But at the height of this cynicism, I found the story of Lord Varaha, a Boar lifting the earth planet from an ocean of filth, placed there because all the gold was taken by a really big dude named hiranyaksa.

 

Did I renounce cynicism? No, but I sure was affected by the story, and tears flowed for no apparent reason. So I got off my jefferson airplane where I was gratefully dead, and tried the system that was hidden in such a fantastic story.

 

Suddenly, It was all true, no highr trth.

 

But Im still a cynic. I mean who the hells obama. Why is he going to be the leader of the free world while no one knows a thing about him.

 

Lerts get rahu on the line and tell him that amerikan politicos taste much better than the green cheese he is craving. Tell him well get the brahmanas to give him back the rest of him so they dont reappear.

 

Hope homelamnd security doesnt take this tongue and cheek wrong, I gave up waterboarding when my surfboard lost its fin.

 

harebol, bro, hope all is well witchya. mahaksadasa

[theist 1]

Yeah and hey, whatever gets people to take shelter of the Holy Rivers and chant the Holy Names is service well done and that is the literal truth of the matter.

 

Feeding the politicans to Rahu. Now I like that. Maybe we should start our own sacrifical cult. right here in the USofA. I'll offer up one Republican and you match it with a Democrat and we will toss in a Green or Libretarian from time to time. Variety being the spice of life. Appease Rahu so he stops harassing the Moon and Sun.

 

I hope for a clear night and I hope it is not too low because I have the Berkeley hills to my East. I want to see this celestial event. Being a city dweller I get few such oppurtunities.

[mahak 0]

februarys are awesomely clear up here in the great white northwest.

 

I got two dems whose names are being chanted endlessly lately. Rahu can have them, reform them, maybe the expulsion from the neck will make them give back their dirty money and speak at least one truth. Thats all I want, one truth, but its two much to ask from either side of the aisle. Go to world events, ill say something different.

 

haribol, ys, mahaksadasa

[theist 1]

No way, I am staying out of that forum. I might give myself a stroke. I just pray to God that I can hold out until next Nov. is past.

[sopatel 0]

Since I really want to see the eclipse tomorrow and it is said that in the light we can see planet Saturn, it will be the one that is just a dim glow but doesn't twinkle. I had a question for anyone who may know but I heard that you shouldn't look at an eclipse or saturn directly because of some negative effect it may have. Is there any truth or scriptural or philosophical refrences pertaining to this superstition or not. Just for some knowledge.

 

Jai Shri krishna

[theist 1]

It was a close call but the Moon survived another assault by that rascal Rahu just as Mahaksa predicted.

 

Too cloudy where I live so I missed the show. Damn! Some nice pictures taken though from other areas. Here are some pictures of the earth's shadow being cast over the moon as Earth came between the Moon and the Sun.

 

Now you see it, now you don’t: Last night’s total lunar eclipse. (Photos: Quad City Times via Associated Pres