October Full Moon and other stuff...

It’s an exciting Month for sky viewers!! There is of course the Full Moon/Lunar eclipse on the 8^th….but it doesn’t stop there! The night sky of October 2014 is going to deliver some enchanting opportunities for sky gazers, including two eclipses, two meteor showers and a Uranus at opposition.

On Oct. 8, 2014, sky watchers can observe a Full Moon/ total lunar eclipse which will soon be followed by partial solar eclipse on Oct. 23. See the table below for more exact times. What’s exciting is that during the various phases of eclipse the moon will turn from "bright to dull red-orange and back again." This spectacular view will be visible from most parts of Earth including Asia, Australia, North America and South America. A Lunar Eclipse can only occur when the Moon, Earth and Sun temporarily align. This almost occurs every month and coincides with the time of Full Moon. However, an eclipse doesn’t happen each month because the orbit of the Moon is tilted approximately 5 degrees relative to the plane in which the Earth orbits the Sun.  This means that the Moon usually passes above or below the Earth’s shadow and there is no lunar eclipse. This will be second lunar eclipse for this year. The first eclipse for the year occurred on the evening of 14 April 2014. Total lunar eclipses can be quite vivid. This Moon actually takes on a dark orange or even in extreme cases a dark ‘blood’ red colour (if there is a lot of volcanic dust in the Earth’s atmosphere). This is caused by the Earth’s atmosphere bending light into its shadow. Blue light is scattered easiest and doesn’t make it into the Earth’s shadow. Red light is scattered least and is bent most into the Earth’s shadow. Hence, the Moon takes on an orange or reddish appearance during a total lunar eclipse.

From an astrological perspective: Relationships are emphasized during this eclipse for it falls across the Aries/Libra axis. The moon will conjunct Uranus in Aries and both will oppose the sun in Libra. Finding bravery in our approach relationships and personal interactions so that we can be honest and abandon any patterns of hiding and secretiveness seems like an important aspect of this dynamic energy. Being bold, taking emotional risks and believing in yourself are the significant themes. Full moons also tend to be quite emotional and with Uranus attached to the moon, sudden changes could affect you, your emotional bonds or your routine arrangements. On the world scene it’s wise to recall that our words and interactions have long-term ripple effects now. Make sure you are communicating well and choosing to fight just the right battles. Fiery persons may be feeling quite full of themselves, not very open to feedback and apt to argue with those who would dare to disagree with them. Try to stay true to yourself in this and speak your truth wisely.

Total Lunar Eclipse 8 October 2014           

                     

Penumbral eclipse begins 08:14.1 UT          6:14 pm AEST     7:14 pm AEDT

Partial eclipse begins       09:14.5 UT           7:15 pm AEST     8:15 pm AEDT

Total eclipse begins         10:24.6 UT           8:25 pm AEST     9:25 pm AEDT

Greatest eclipse                10:54.6 UT           8:55 pm AEST    9:55 pm AEDT

Total eclipse ends            11:24.5 UT           9:25 pm AEST     10:25 pm AEDT

Partial eclipse ends          12:34.7 UT           10:35 pm AEST   11:35 pm AEDT

Penumbral eclipse ends    13:35.2 UT           11:35 pm AEST   12:35 pm AEDT

Oct. 8, 2014 will see Uranus at opposition. It is an excellent opportunity for sky watchers to observe the planet when it comes closest to Earth. By coincidence, the planet Uranus reaches opposition on the same night as Wednesday’s total lunar eclipse. Sadly even though Uranus is such a large planet its great distance from Earth means that through even a large telescope, it generally only appears as a very tiny disc. The good news is that Uranus is astronomically bright at magnitude +5.7. This puts it within the light grasp of an equitable pair of binoculars. So, if you haven’t seen Uranus, wait till the light of the Moon is dimmed during the total lunar eclipse and then point your binoculars to the top- right of the Moon (east Aust.) There is no other bright star in that part of the sky, so you cannot mistake Uranus. Reliant on your eyesight and sky conditions, you might also be able to perceive a very weak blue colour.

The Draconids Meteor Shower occurs on Oct. 8 and 9. It is a "minor" one that produces 10 meteors per hour. However, the brightness of the full moon may become a hindrance for watchers wanting to appreciate the meteor shower. For the best view, one should be in a place away from "city lights" at the middle of the night.

The Orionids Meteor shower will occur on Oct. 22 and 23. This is an "average" meteor shower which produces "up to 20 meteors per hour."

 On Oct. 23, a partial solar eclipse will occur when the moon will partly conceal the sun.