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Those of us stargazers in New England were short changed the last couple of nights with the overcast sky and a chance to view the highly anticipated Geminids Meteor shower. The best meteor show of the year has now peaked and was hidden from view behind overcast skies.
I was able to witness a couple of good nights of shooting stars last Friday and Saturday nights. If the skies should clear up in the next few days, there should be a good possibility of catching a view of the remaining Geminids meteors in the night skies.
There is also another rare celestial event due later this month!
This year, Christmas tidings will also come with a full moon. The December full moon on Christmas Day is a rare occurrence; this is the first time it's happened since 1977, and the event won't align again until 2034.
The last full moon of the year is often called the Cold Moon as winter takes a firm grip. It’s also known as the Full Long Night's Moon, in honor of the month's dark, cold nights as winter nights grow longer and the moon spends more time above the horizon.
This was a great year for stargazers and the sightings in night skies for 2015: A couple of the highlights were,
1. The Northern Lights
The Northern Lights lit up the sky across New England on June 22nd, putting on quite a show for stargazers. The aurora borealis could be seen much farther south than usual thanks to a severe solar storm that hit the Earth.
2. A Blue Moon
The first blue moon since 2012 happened in late July, meaning that two full moons occurred within the same month.
3. The Perseid Meteor Shower
Although the Perseid Meteor Shower occurs every year, this year’s was especially spectacular, because its peak occurred during a new moon. This created the darkest sky possible during the event, allowing for prime visibility of the meteors.
4. A Super Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse
For the first time in three decades, a super moon coincided with a lunar eclipse in September, resulting one of the largest and brightest eclipses of our lifetime. In addition, this super moon was also a blood moon, giving the sky a strong, red hue, and making the event an even rarer one.
I was able to witness a couple of good nights of shooting stars last Friday and Saturday nights. If the skies should clear up in the next few days, there should be a good possibility of catching a view of the remaining Geminids meteors in the night skies.
There is also another rare celestial event due later this month!
This year, Christmas tidings will also come with a full moon. The December full moon on Christmas Day is a rare occurrence; this is the first time it's happened since 1977, and the event won't align again until 2034.
The last full moon of the year is often called the Cold Moon as winter takes a firm grip. It’s also known as the Full Long Night's Moon, in honor of the month's dark, cold nights as winter nights grow longer and the moon spends more time above the horizon.
This was a great year for stargazers and the sightings in night skies for 2015: A couple of the highlights were,
1. The Northern Lights
The Northern Lights lit up the sky across New England on June 22nd, putting on quite a show for stargazers. The aurora borealis could be seen much farther south than usual thanks to a severe solar storm that hit the Earth.
2. A Blue Moon
The first blue moon since 2012 happened in late July, meaning that two full moons occurred within the same month.
3. The Perseid Meteor Shower
Although the Perseid Meteor Shower occurs every year, this year’s was especially spectacular, because its peak occurred during a new moon. This created the darkest sky possible during the event, allowing for prime visibility of the meteors.
4. A Super Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse
For the first time in three decades, a super moon coincided with a lunar eclipse in September, resulting one of the largest and brightest eclipses of our lifetime. In addition, this super moon was also a blood moon, giving the sky a strong, red hue, and making the event an even rarer one.
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