Latest news with #AstronomicalSociety
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Alabama officials dedicate ‘Moon Tree' in Huntsville
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Alabama State Park officials and the Von Braun Astronomical Society gathered on Thursday, March 20 to dedicate a Moon Tree. 'The Monte Sano Moon Tree serves as an inspirational symbol of the relationship between Earth and space,' Alex Hall, President of the Von Braun Astronomical Society, said. 'This space traveler reminds us to look to the stars and holds special meaning for many of our members who have been and continue to be involved in the exploration of space. We can't wait to see people posting selfies with the tree on social media.' The Moon Tree, located near the John Scoble Memorial Pavilion in the park, will be protected by fencing and permanent signage will be installed soon to commemorate its significance. In 2022, several different types of seeds traveled into orbit aboard the Orion Spacecraft as part of the Artemis I mission. The seeds spent more than 25 days in space before returning to Earth. 📲 to stay updated on the go. 📧 to have news sent to your inbox. The loblolly tree arrived in Huntsville this week and was immediately planted at Monte Sano State Park. Volunteers will check on it regularly to make sure the tree is in good shape. Hall said back in the early 1970s, seeds that went around the moon on Apollo 14 were similarly planted in Huntsville. 'This tree for us is such an awesome symbol of the relationship between the Astronomical Society and the park. We're in our 70th year,' Alex Hall, President of Von Braun Astronomical Society said. 'We've been up here in the park for that long, educating and inspiring people. And for us, this tree is yet another touchpoint for people to really be inspired by the heavens and look at where we're going.' The tree had been growing in a USDA forestry nursery and was shipped to Huntsville earlier in the week. Officials said the Artemis moon trees are intended to be a celebration of space exploration, with this one being planted in the Rocket City as a nod to the rocket being developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Visitors to the park are encouraged to use the #MonteSanoMoonTree hashtag when posting about it on social media. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Iraqi News
13-03-2025
- Science
- Iraqi News
A total lunar eclipse will occur tomorrow, Friday
Follow-up - INA The Earth will witness a total lunar eclipse tomorrow, Friday. This is the first of two eclipses expected to occur this year. The Earth's curved shadow will be clearly visible on the surface of the moon during this rare astronomical phenomenon. Majed Abu Zahra, head of the Astronomical Society in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, confirmed that the total eclipse will be visible to the naked eye in several regions around the world, including parts of Antarctica, the western half of Africa, Western Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Americas, the Pacific Ocean, eastern Australia, northern Japan, and eastern Russia. However, residents of the Middle East will not be able to see it. Abu Zahra explained that the eclipse will occur in all its phases between 6:57 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Mecca time, and the moon will be three days away from reaching apogee, which will cause it to appear 5.2% smaller than average. During the partial eclipse phase, the Earth's arched shadow will appear on the lunar surface, a phenomenon historically used to demonstrate the sphericity of the Earth. He pointed out that the most exciting part of this phenomenon is the total eclipse, which will occur between 9:25 and 10:31 a.m. Mecca time. During this phase, the moon will appear coppery or reddish in color due to the reflection of sunlight through the Earth's atmosphere, a phenomenon that depends on the amount of dust and clouds in the atmosphere. He added that this eclipse is considered eccentric, as the moon will not pass through the center of the Earth's shadow, meaning the southern end of the moon will be closer to the center of the shadow than the northern end. As a result, the northern end of the moon will appear less dark than the southern end. The total eclipse phase lasts 65 minutes. Abu Zahra pointed out that the term "blood moon" is not a scientific term; it first appeared in 2013 and is used to refer to a total lunar eclipse. He pointed out that the lunar surface cools rapidly during a total eclipse, losing approximately 140 degrees Celsius in a few minutes. This rapid cooling will be monitored to extract data that will help understand the composition and geological characteristics of the lunar surface.
