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Boston Globe
12-05-2025
- Science
- Boston Globe
Flower Moon offers a celestial treat tonight, but this time it will look slightly different
It's a trick of the mind. 'The moon is so far away that no matter where you are on Earth, the moon always looks the same size,' said Silas Laycock, an astronomy professor at UMass Lowell. 'It is actually the things your mind compares the moon with — a house, a mountain, or anything else — that look bigger or smaller depending on how far away from them you are. So when the moon rises next to a distant house or a faraway mountain, the moon looks enormous." Advertisement This particular moon is known as the Flower Moon because of the profusion of wildflowers that spring up this time of year. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the name can be traced back hundreds of years to the Algonquin and Ojibwe peoples, who used moon names to track the seasons. Advertisement Usually, there are multiple names for each moon, which are based on the traditions of indigenous tribes and colonial America. The Flower Moon has also been called the Planting Moon, Frog Moon, and Egg-laying Moon. One distinction with this Flower Moon is its appearance. It will look a bit smaller and fainter than a typical full moon because it's a micromoon, the third of three this year. That means it's the most distant: at or near the farthest point from Earth — known as apogee — along its slightly elliptical path orbiting the Earth. A micromoon is about 6 percent to 7 percent smaller than an average full moon, according to NASA. A micromoon is about 6 percent to 7 percent smaller than an average full moon, according to NASA. NASA If you miss the the chance to this celestial body tonight, don't worry. The Flower Moon will be out Tuesday and Wednesday nights as well, according to Jackson.
Boston Globe
28-03-2025
- Science
- Boston Globe
A partial solar eclipse takes place at sunrise Saturday. Here's what you need to know.
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on the Earth. But because all three are not perfectly lined up, only a part of the sun will appear covered, giving it a crescent shape. Advertisement The eclipse will begin at 6:30 a.m. and end around 7:10 a.m. The Boston area would normally see 'about a 43 percent eclipse, where the sun takes on a crescent shape at sunrise,' said Ryan French, a solar astrophysicist at the National Solar Observatory in Boulder, Colo. What will the weather be like? As of Friday morning, Forecast cloud cover around sunrise on Saturday. TropicalTidbits Silas Laycock, an astronomy professor at UMass Lowell, said if you want an even better view, head north. 'If you can travel, it's worth it. Heading north will dramatically improve the experience,' Laycock said. In Downeast Maine, he said, the sun will be 'about 80 percent covered, and further up in Quebec, it'll reach up to 93 percent.' Sunrise will be around 6:20 a.m. in Downeast Maine. However, the clouds will likely obscure any view of the eclipse. Safety glasses are a must Keep in mind that you must use safe eclipse glasses to view the eclipse. Advertisement This partial eclipse will also be visible in Europe, parts of Asia, Africa, South America, and the Arctic. The next partial solar eclipse on Sept. 21 won't be visible in North America, so those who miss this weekend's spectacular event will have to wait until Aug. 12, 2026, when the Northeast will be able to catch a partial solar eclipse. Unfortunately, an eclipse on the scale of the Left to right, a total solar eclipse; an annular 'ring of fire' eclipse; and a partial solar eclipse. NASA/Joseph Matus/Bill Dunford/Bill Ingalls Here are other noteworthy celestial phenomena to catch this year: Planetary Alignment — April 12–18 You've probably heard the idiom 'when the stars align,' but this astronomical spectacle will include three planets near the horizon during the early morning. 'Around April 15, just before sunrise, several planets - Venus, Mercury, and Saturn - will be visible in a line above the eastern horizon,' said Paul Withers, a Boston University astronomy professor. It will appear that the planets are right next to each other, but they are not. 'Planets move through the sky in a predictable path because they all orbit the sun in roughly the same flat plane. When we see them clustered together, it's simply a matter of perspective - though they appear close in the sky, they're separated by vast distances in space,' Withers said. Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower — Peak May 5 If you are down on your luck, early May might be the time to wish upon a shooting star as you might see up to 50 per hour during the Eta Aquarids meteor shower. According to NASA, the types of meteors associated with this event are called 'earthgrazers' because they are long and appear to skim the Earth's surface at the horizon. Advertisement 'The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is linked to Halley's Comet, the first comet recognized as having a repeating orbit around the sun,' said Withers. This photo provided by NASA shows an Eta Aquarid meteor streaking over northern Georgia on April 29, 2012. B. Cooke/Associated Press Despite its famous origins, it doesn't mean this show will be better than other meteor showers. 'It's a neat connection to a famous comet, but in terms of spectacle, this meteor shower is neither better nor worse than others,' Withers added. The Eta Aquarids are viewable in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres during the pre-dawn hours. Halley's Comet was last seen in Earth's skies in 1986 and will return in 2061 on its regular 76-year journey around the sun. In 1986, the European spacecraft Giotto became one of the first spacecraft to encounter and photograph the nucleus of a comet, passing and imaging Halley's nucleus as it receded from the sun. NASA/Giotto Project, ESA Perseid Meteor Shower — Peak Aug. 12-13 If you miss the Aquarid meteor shower, you will have another opportunity to marvel at sand-sized comet debris busting through Earth's atmosphere at 45 miles per second and lighting up the night's sky. 'The two best meteor showers of the year are the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December, both of which tend to be brighter and more active,' said French. Every Perseid meteor is a tiny piece of the comet Swift-Tuttle, which swings by the sun every 135 years. The Perseids last from July 17 to Aug. 23 each year but peak Aug. 12 to 13. 'With meteor showers, patience is key. Bring a blanket, head somewhere dark, and expect to wait between sightings,' French said. 'While numbers like '100 per hour' are often reported. In reality, you might see 10 notable meteors in an hour.' Advertisement If you live in a big city, those numbers are drastically lower due to light pollution limiting the number of meteors you can see. Geminid Meteor Shower — Peak Dec. 13-14 Jackson calls the Geminid meteor shower, one of the brightest, 'the best of the year.' 'Unlike the Perseids, the Geminids' radiant point is high in the sky all night long, meaning you don't have to wait for it to rise,' Jackson said. The Geminids are quite prolific and fast. They can be viewed from Dec. 1 to 21, but during its peak, 120 meteors that give off a yellowish color can be seen per hour under perfect conditions, according to NASA. The reason this celestial phenomenon is often more popular than others has to do with the time of year, near the holidays. Chris Gloninger is a meteorologist and a senior climate scientist at the Woods Hole Group.
