Latest news with #EmilyRice
BBC News
22-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hebburn flats to be demolished leaving Durham Court residents angry
Nearly 100 people living in a high-rise block of flats have been told their homes will be Tyneside Council's cabinet gave the go-ahead for Durham Court in Hebburn to be taken down, at a meeting on said the 1974-built block had outlived its "original intended lifespan" of 50 years and the estimated £12m needed to repair it was not living there - many of them elderly tenants - now face the upheaval of being rehomed over a possible five-year period. A number of those living in the building - which is seen as a landmark in the town - described the tower block as a "thriving community" of people "who all look after each other".Resident Peter Douglass said: "I know if I need any help it's right there in this building."That's a community and they're destroying it in one fell swoop."Widow Emily Rice, 94, who is partially-sighted, added: "My husband died and I've got no family - this was to be my last home, but the council in its wisdom has decided to turf me out." The Labour-led local authority has offered tenants reassurances that it will find new homes for them in Hebburn and they will not have to leave the leader Tracey Dixon said: "We will ensure right from the very beginning that the tenants that live in Durham Court will be given the homes of their choice."It's all about giving them priority, so if they want to continue living in Hebburn then they can." She added: "We know Durham Court is their family home, so we're here to support them and make sure they lead healthy and happy lives." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Sunrise Solar Eclipse Graces the Sky in March: How to Watch
Hot on the tail of the "blood moon" total lunar eclipse earlier this month comes a rise-and-shine special: a partial solar eclipse that will be visible at sunrise in some parts of the US. You don't have to be in the eclipse path to join the solar festivities. Livestreams will bring the action onto your screen as the moon takes a dramatic bite out of the sun. A solar eclipse is a shadow dance involving the sun, Earth and moon. The moon passes before the sun, blocking the star and casting a shadow on our planet. If the weather permits, people in the shadow's path can see the eclipse. The sun-moon-Earth alignment isn't perfect on March 29, though, so we will get only a partial eclipse that will look like a dark bite taken from a glowing cookie. "The central part of the moon's shadow, where the sun would appear completely blocked, misses Earth, so no one will be able to see a total solar eclipse this time," NASA said in an explainer. Don't write this one off because it's "just" a partial eclipse. "It should be a photogenic eclipse," says Emily Rice, associate professor of astrophysics at the Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York. Rice says to protect your camera with a solar filter and get ready to capture some scenery. "The sun will be low in the sky for most observers, so you can get trees, buildings or other landscape features in a shot with the Pac-Man sun," she says. Eclipse viewers in parts of North America, Africa, Asia and Europe will be able to catch at least some of the show. Greenland, Iceland and some small regions of South America are also in the path, as are wide areas of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. The northeastern US is the only part of the country that will be in the eclipse path. NASA's eclipse map shows where the eclipse will be visible. The curved yellow lines indicate the maximum percentage of the sun that will be covered. The green lines indicate time. The looping orange lines indicate sunrise and sunset. If that's confusing, just check your location with for details on timing and coverage. Viewers in the northeastern US should put the coffee pot on an automatic timer. The eclipse will already be in process at sunrise. That's 6:55 a.m. ET for Baltimore, 6:31 a.m. for Boston and 6:44 a.m. for New York City. Washington, DC. should be on eclipse lookout starting at 6:56 a.m. The eclipse will be at its maximum very close to sunrise in these locations. Places like Baltimore will get to see only a little bit of shadow for a few minutes, so it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it situation. Portland, Maine, residents will have one of the best views in the US. Partial viewing begins at 6:27 a.m. with maximum at 6:30 a.m. and the end of the eclipse coming at 7:10 a.m. You'll get to see 64% coverage of the sun, according to NASA. Compare that with Baltimore's 3%. Eclipse fans in other parts of the world won't have to get up so early. Dublin witnesses the eclipse late morning, while Paris will see the eclipse at maximum right around noon local time. Most of the US will be out of luck when it comes to seeing the eclipse in person, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on the fun. is running a livestream so anyone can enjoy the view. It starts bright and early at 5:30 a.m. ET on March 29. The Royal Observatory Greenwich in the UK goes live with its eclipse coverage at 6 a.m. ET. The lunar eclipse earlier in March didn't require fancy eyewear, but the solar eclipse does. Eye safety is key. "Because the sun is never completely covered, observers must use proper eye protection at all times while watching this eclipse," NASA cautions. That means it's time to dig out your protective solar eclipse eyewear. "The upcoming partial eclipse is why I encourage people to keep their 'eclipse" glasses' -- which would more accurately be called 'sun viewers' because they can be used to observe the sun any time," Rice says. Here's how to tell if your glasses are safe. No glasses? No problem. Make a pinhole projector. "Stand facing away from the sun and use the viewer to cast a shadow and you can see the eclipsed shape of the sun," Rice says. She also encourages viewers to examine dappled shadows around them, looking for changes in the shape. Solar and lunar eclipses happen throughout the year, but each is a special moment. It's worth a sunrise sojourn outside to witness a cosmic trick of the light.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Spring Equinox Is Almost Here: Have You Heard the Egg-Balancing Myth?
Here in New Mexico, the roadrunners are frolicking, trees are budding and I'm sowing lettuce seeds in my raised beds. Spring is so close, I can feel it. I can even mark it on my calendar. The vernal equinox happens on March 20 when we welcome the astronomical start of spring in the northern hemisphere. Equinoxes might not get the same attention as solstices, but they're a lovely way to observe the shifting of the seasons. Let's get to know the vernal equinox and why it happens. You've no doubt noticed the lengthening of daylight as winter winds down. Vernal equinox marks the tipping point into longer days. The word "equinox" comes from the Latin words for equal and night. Daylight and night are roughly equal during the equinox. We experience two each year -- the vernal equinox in the spring and the autumnal equinox in the fall. The word "vernal" also traces to Latin and references spring. The Earth spins on an axis (think of it like a line running from pole to pole) with a 23.5-degree tilt. Some parts of the planet get more direct sun than others. That's how we get our seasons, and how it can be summer in the northern hemisphere while it's winter in the southern hemisphere. "The spring equinox is when the northern hemisphere transitions from being pointed away from the sun (during winter) to being pointed toward the sun (during summer)," says Emily Rice, associate professor of astrophysics at the Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York. "The tilt is lined up with Earth's orbit for just a moment." That's when we get nearly equal amounts of daylight and night. Spring equinox has a specific time. That's 2:01 a.m. PT on March 20. No need to set an alarm. You can celebrate the equinox all day on March 20. Solstices are the extremes for days and nights. Summer solstice is the longest day while winter solstice is the shortest. Summer solstice for the northern hemisphere hits on June 20 while winter solstice occurs on Dec. 21 this year. Solstices get more love than equinoxes. "The extremes are easier to mark and to visualize than the inflection points, which are more subtle changes, so the solstices get all the attention," says Rice. All of them are related to the sun and Earth's tilt, so think of solstices and equinoxes as siblings that each have their own seasonal connection. It can be challenging to visualize the Earth's tilt and what happens during equinox from down on the ground. NASA put together a video showing the Earth as seen by a satellite. It tracks our planet through its seasons. Watch how night and daylight shift over time. Perhaps you've heard that you can balance a raw egg on its end only on the equinox. This legend might be accompanied by some vague discussion points about Earth's gravity and alignment and the sun. One of Rice's annual equinox duties is debunking the egg-balancing myth. "Astronomers are usually on the internet telling people that no, they can't actually balance an egg on its end only on an equinox," she says. You can go ahead and try it, but be sure to also test it out on a day that's not the equinox. I pulled it off on Feb. 27, in case you're wondering. Equinox is a subtle phenomenon. There are no showy celestial events to mark the day. Don't let that deter you. The vernal equinox is what you make of it. "Considering that the Earth's orbit doesn't have a beginning or an end, a year could really be started any time, and the equinox is more astronomically meaningful than Jan. 1," says Rice. You can come up with your own way to celebrate the occasion. Tell your friends and co-workers it's the start of astronomical spring. Plant some seeds. Clean your house. Spend time outside. Make spring break plans. And take a moment to toast the sun, the Earth's tilt and our place in space that brings us the vernal equinox.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Total Lunar Eclipse Brings a 'Blood Moon' in March: How to Watch
The March full moon will be an extra special one. A total lunar eclipse, visible from across the US, will turn our lunar neighbor into a glowing reddish lantern. The celestial show takes place late at night and will last for hours. Here's where, when and how to witness this beautiful natural event. While eclipses may feel like rarities, they come around throughout the year in different forms. There are solar eclipses and lunar eclipses and partial eclipses and total eclipses. The March event is a total lunar eclipse thanks to the positions of the sun, Earth and moon in relation to each other. Earth will drape its shadow over the moon until the moon is blanketed by the darkest part of the shadow. This doesn't blot out the moon, but it creates a change in its color. Depending on where you're at, the eclipse will kick off late on March 13 or early in the morning on March 14. Check in with and look up your location for the exact start time, the time when the eclipse is at maximum and when it ends. If you like staying up late, then you're in luck. Where I'm at in New Mexico on Mountain Time, the eclipse will kick off at close to 10 p.m. on March 13 and come to an end around 4 a.m. on March 14. It reaches maximum at close to 1 a.m., which is past my bedtime, but worth losing a little sleep over. "This is a great eclipse to watch because the full moon will be passing through the darkest part of the Earth's shadow (called the umbra), and it is well-timed for night-owl observers in the US," says Emily Rice, associate professor of astrophysics at the Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York. Read more: Total Solar Eclipse 2024: The Best Photos Rice points out the eclipse happens for most of the US on March 14, also known as Pi Day because the date can be written 3/14, the first three digits of Pi, 3.14. She calls it a "nicely nerdy coincidence." This could be the perfect time in indulge in a MoonPie for an eclipse snack. Earth's western hemisphere is in line for good eclipse viewing, according to NASA. Most of North America and South America will be prime viewing locations. You have a shot at seeing it as long as weather conditions are clear. "Lunar eclipses are easier to observe than solar eclipses, because the Earth's shadow is much larger than the full moon, so anyone who can see the full moon will be able to see the eclipse," says Rice. "This is different from a solar eclipse that is usually only visible along a very narrow path on the Earth." Cloudy weather in the forecast? Too cold to stand outside? No problem. You can tune into a total lunar eclipse livestream and watch the action from the comfort of your screen with coverage. Lunar eclipses have attracted a slew of sensational nicknames, so you might see terms like "super harvest wolf moon." A total lunar eclipse is sometimes called a blood moon thanks to the red or orange tinge it takes on from sunlight filtering through our planet's atmosphere. "It's as if all the world's sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the moon," NASA said. The color effect can be subtle, so don't expect a moon that's as red as a Corvette. "They are usually a bit overdramatic," Rice says of the moon nicknames, "so I worry people will have high expectations and be disappointed, but really anything that gets people paying attention to the night sky like this is wonderful." Rice has two key pieces of advice for eclipse viewers: get comfy and be patient. The full duration of the eclipse in New Mexico, for example, is about 6 hours. March evenings can still be chilly for much of the US, so you may want to bundle up or grab a blanket. Even better if you have a comfy chair and a spot with a clear view of the night sky. Try to avoid light pollution if possible. Eye safety is a key issue with solar eclipses, but lunar eclipses don't require eye protection. "You don't need any special equipment, but it's still a good opportunity to try out binoculars or a telescope if you have them," says Rice. She recommends scoping out the moon prior to the eclipse start time to get a sense of its location and brightness. If you only catch part of the eclipse, aim for totality, especially if you're setting your alarm and only plan to witness part of the celestial show. Totality is when the moon is entirely covered by our planet's shadow. "At first the change will be very gradual as the partial phases begin, but once totality starts the moon will grow dark and look orange or red for about an hour during totality," Rice says. "How striking it is will depend on local weather conditions." March's blood moon may not be at the most convenient time for a lot of people, but consider taking a late night or setting an alarm to witness the eclipse peak. It's a worthwhile moment of awe. "We've become so disconnected from the natural world," says Rice. "And a lunar eclipse is a great way to experience it first-hand."
