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BBC News
5 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Blood Moon lunar eclipse: When is it and how can you see it?
A lunar eclipse, also known as a 'Blood Moon', is taking place on 7 September and should be partly visible from the UK. A lunar eclipse is when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, meaning the Moon is in the Earth's shadow. When it is a total eclipse the Moon can take on a red/orange colour which is why it is sometimes called a Blood is the second lunar eclipse of 2025. Read on to find out more about what a Blood Moon is and when best to look out for it. What is a Blood Moon lunar eclipse? A Blood Moon or total lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth and Moon are lined up. That means the Earth moves directly in between the Sun and Moon, blocking the sunlight. The Moon then enters the shadow created behind the Earth, creating an the light of the Sun passes through the Earth's atmosphere, the sunlight light is removed leaving only red longer wavelengths to reach the Moon giving it a reddish colour. Unlike a solar eclipse people do not need protective glasses to see a lunar eclipse. How to see the Blood Moon lunar eclipsse? People based in Asia and parts of Australia will get to see the eclipse from start to in Europe and Africa may still see it all as Museums Greenwich advises that in the UK the Moon is due to rise above the horizon just in time for people to see the total lunar eclipse. It says the "maximum will occur at 7.33pm BST from the UK, with the eclipse's actual maximum at 7.11pm when the Moon is below the horizon." The Moon will then gradually move out of Earth's shadow until 9.55pm. The advice is to find a high point with a clear view to the east, as the Moon will be low on the horizon and quite difficult to see.
Times
02-07-2025
- Science
- Times
Professor Sir Francis Graham-Smith obituary: Trailblazing astronomer royal
While thousands of skygazers stayed awake into the early hours of August 17, 1989, to observe the lunar eclipse, Francis Graham-Smith, the astronomer royal and doyen of British astronomy, was fast asleep. 'I've seen one before, so I didn't sit up into the small hours because it is not as exciting as a total solar eclipse when the sky goes black in the day,' he said. Graham-Smith, a pioneer of radio astronomy, first measured accurate positions of a type of distant galaxies, containing quasars, in the early 1950s. The research he undertook with Sir Martin Ryle, his predecessor as astronomer royal, demonstrated that the universe must have had a definite beginning, demolishing the then-favoured 'steady state' theory of Sir Fred Hoyle and others that the universe had always existed. In the 1970s he contributed to the understanding of pulsars, collapsed stars in which matter is so densely packed that five billion tonnes could be contained in a teaspoon. This was a time when astronomy was booming. 'There were no shortages of positions for young people trying to get into scientific research,' he recalled. By the middle of that decade Graham-Smith was the director of the Royal Observatory Greenwich at Herstmonceux, overseeing the construction of an observatory for British astronomers. 'We didn't have good optical telescopes and we had to go and ask for time on telescopes, mainly in America,' he said. 'I negotiated with Spanish astronomers and the Spanish government that we might build an observatory in the Canary Islands.' To play a better part in the work he learnt to speak Spanish and the resulting Northern Hemisphere Observatory on La Palma is still an important facility for his successors. He went on to be the director of Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, part of the University of Manchester, and in 1982 was appointed astronomer royal, an office that had been created in 1675 by Charles II, who had a passion for science. 'I didn't have a particular job to do. In fact, by that time it was a purely honorary title,' he said, although he recalled enjoying the state occasions. Despite lacking a formal job description, Graham-Smith was thrust into a debate about astronomy funding after Margaret Thatcher, a scientist by training, decided it was a waste of money after being unimpressed by an over-ambitious live 1986 BBC programme in which he appeared — it was about the European spacecraft Giotto passing through the tail of Halley's comet. 'We have no shortage of excellent students, but they will probably work abroad,' he protested. 'The fact that we will go on populating the world with British astronomers is absolutely splendid, but wouldn't it be nicer to think that just a few would stay at home?' Indeed, Graham-Smith was a great champion of young people in astronomy. 'You can go and look at telescopes, you can go and look through telescopes, you can visit Jodrell Bank, you can read … But the main thing is to introduce school children to astronomy and make it look interesting, fascinating. Which it is,' he said. Rather than indulge in astrology, which he dismissed as a 'ridiculous piece of humbug', he suggested that every child be offered the opportunity to stare into space, adding: 'Like Gerard Manley Hopkins, I should direct them to the real thing. 'Look at the stars! Look up at the skies!'' Francis Graham Smith was born in Roehampton, Surrey, in 1923, the younger of two sons of Claud Smith, a civil servant and hospital administrator, and his wife Cicely (née Kingston); his brother, Derek, a civil nuclear engineer, predeceased him. He was known as Graham but started using Francis in adulthood; similarly, he only adopted the hyphenation after being knighted in 1986, changing his name by deed poll to Graham-Smith. He was educated at Epsom College, Surrey, and Rossall School, Lancashire, before reading physics at Downing College, Cambridge, where his course included a section on electronics and radio. He arrived with conventional beliefs about heavenly bodies, which were discarded 'when I started to think seriously about them', and was later a patron of Humanists UK. His studies were interrupted by service with the Home Guard in Blackpool and work on radar for the Telecommunications Research Establishment at Malvern. Immediately after VE Day he was sent to Bombay, spending six months as part of a support group for the war in the east. 'VJ day came soon after I arrived, so there was nothing much to do,' he recalled. Nevertheless, his wartime experience proved invaluable. 'At the end of the war we went back to our universities and developed the subject of radio astronomy, which was really quite new,' he told Science Café on BBC Wales in 2023. His PhD studies involved research with Ryle at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, but there was little money and their radio telescopes were either homemade or requisitioned war items. Their early work involved examining radio waves from the outer parts of the sun. 'Then we discovered that among the signals which had been detected before from the Milky Way, there were individual spots,' he said. In 1949 he and Ryle used a pair of Würzburg radio telescopes to make accurate position measurements of Cygnus A and Cassiopeia A, the two brightest radio sources in the sky. These enabled the former to be associated with a distant galaxy and the latter with a supernova explosion that took place about 250 years earlier. 'I had the good luck to be the first to observe that and to measure its position,' he said. Another Cavendish researcher was Dorothy Palmer, known by her middle name Elizabeth. They were married in 1945 and she became a maths teacher, potter and tai-chi expert, writing fitness books for the over-fifties. Keeping radio astronomy in the family Elizabeth's sister, Rowena, and Ryle married in 1947. Gradually Graham-Smith's attention turned from radio waves to astronomy, though with no experience of finding his way around the sky he had to learn the basics by lying on his back on a starlit night. 'I was always interested in radios and so physics seemed the path to follow. But during my research into radio science it became clear that what we were actually doing was astronomy,' he said. He soon became one of the leading figures in the field, publishing scientific papers and his first book, Radio Astronomy (1960, with JH Thomson). In 1964 he was appointed professor of radio astronomy at the University of Manchester under Sir Bernard Lovell (obituary, August 8, 2012), the founder of Jodrell Bank. A decade later he moved to Greenwich, his tenure coinciding with both the observatory's tercentenary in 1975 and his presidency of the Royal Astronomical Society from 1975 to 1977. In 1981 he returned to Manchester, succeeding Lovell at Jodrell Bank where he helped to develop a visitor centre. For many years Graham-Smith lived in Henbury, Cheshire, where he was among the founders of the village's Millennium Green. Home was the Old School House, an eccentric series of adaptable open spaces with a large, galleried lounge linked to other parts of the complex through an extension built by the astronomer royal himself. The family also had a cottage in the hills behind Caernarfon in north Wales, from where they enjoyed walking and sailing. Elizabeth died in 2021 and Graham-Smith is survived by their three sons: David, a geologist; Andrew, an engineer; and Piers who studied crystallography; and by their daughter, Helen, an artist. A favourite activity for the children when they were young was climbing inside the giant bowl of the Jodrell Bank radio telescope and rolling pennies around inside it. Some years later slots were added to the bowl, meaning future coin-rollers' pennies fell to the ground. Graham-Smith retired in 1990, the same year he lent his name to a campaign for darker skies. He remained active in his own field and in the wider academic world, serving as pro vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester and as physical secretary of the Royal Society. He continued to publish into his nineties. Among his later works is Eyes on the Sky (2016), a remarkable exploration of how technology can give an in-depth picture of the nature of the universe. At its core is the message to keep looking up: you just never know what you might discover. For someone whose eyes were fixed on the stars, Graham-Smith was a down-to-earth character, passionate about bricklaying, furniture-making and tending to his bees. His other interests included the music of Shostakovich and the biography of Primo Levi. The secret to a long life, he said, was 'keeping busy'. He never lost his schoolboy-like enthusiasm and in 1986 was seen giving Anneka Rice a piggy-back in an episode of Channel 4's Treasure Hunt, which was filmed at Jodrell Bank and which his family dug out for his 100th birthday celebrations. 'I've always been interested in publicity, particularly for educational activities,' he said. Although a radio astronomer, Graham-Smith specialised in studying stars that could not be seen by the naked eye. He claimed to know so little about visible stars that he would never be able to find his way home by them. 'I certainly couldn't navigate my dinghy by the stars,' he said. As for getting physically closer to them, he was having none of it. 'Space travel is far too dangerous,' he added. 'Stars are like fireworks. You stand clear and study them from afar.' Professor Sir Francis Graham-Smith FRS, astronomer royal 1982-90, was born on April 25, 1923. He died on June 20, 2025, aged 102
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The ultimate summer 2025 stargazing guide: Full moons, meteor showers, eclipses and more
Meteor showers, a total lunar eclipse and Northern Lights displays have already dazzled across the sky so far this year, with May treating stargazers to the Eta Aquarids "shooting stars," a Venus-Saturn alignment and a glowing full moon. As the weather continues to heat up and attention turns toward summer, astrology enthusiasts have a lot to prepare for. Eclipses and more meteor showers are among the many space phenomena we can expect to see in the coming months, along with classic full moons and the chance to spot at least one planet glowing extra bright. Here are a few of the biggest astronomical events to keep an eye out for in the coming summer months. The new moons of summer 2025 will occur on: June 25, July 24, Aug. 23 and Sept. 21. June's full moon is often known as the Strawberry Moon, not because the moon itself takes on a red hue (though it can), but rather because some Native American tribes associated it with the time of berry harvest in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The June solstice occurs when the sun travels along its northernmost path in the sky, creating the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere, according to the Farmer's Almanac. In the Northern Hemisphere, this marks the beginning of summer, while it marks the beginning of winter in the Southern. It can occur from June 20-22 and the moment of the sun's peak northern position is expected to happen on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 02:42 UTC. Mercury is small and close to the sun, making it difficult to spot with the naked eye on most days. On July 4, however, it will be at its greatest elongation east, meaning it will appear its furthest distance from the sun in the evening sky and therefore will be easier to spot, according to Time and Date. If you're more of a morning person, you'll get another chance on Aug. 19, when Mercury is at its greatest elongation west, meaning it will appear at its furthest distance from the sun in the morning sky. July's full moon is commonly called the "Buck Moon" again to signify a natural phenomenon that occurs around that time. Deer bucks shed their antlers to grow new ones seasonally; early June is roughly the time during which their new antlers begin regrowing from their heads, according to Time and Date. August's full moon is often called the "Sturgeon Moon," again deriving its name from Native tribes who found an abundance of giant lake sturgeon ready to catch in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain in the later summer months, according to the Farmer's Almanac. The Perseid meteors, the product of space debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle falling to Earth, can be seen as "shooting stars" periodically between July 17 and Aug. 24. However, the meteor activity is supposed to peak between Aug. 12 and 13, creating one of the most vibrant meteor showers of the year, according to Time and Date. A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes between the sun and moon, blocking the sun's light and casting a shadow on the moon, creating a reddish glow. Unfortunately for U.S. stargazers, totality this time around will only be visible from Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe. However, some people in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America will be able to see at least some of the event, according to Time and Date. The September full moon is generally called the "Corn Moon," as some Native American tribes traditionally harvested corn during this time, according to the Farmer's Almanac. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the sun and Earth, only partially covering the sun's disk and often creating a crescent or "bite" illusion. Unfortunately for Americans, this partial solar eclipse will only be viewable in New Zealand, Australia, various Pacific islands and parts of Antarctica, according to Time and Date. Americans may not get a chance to see the Sept. 21 eclipse, but they may be able to spot Saturn. Saturn will be in opposition on that date, meaning the Earth, Saturn and Sun align, giving us the closest view of the ringed planet. It will then be visible from sunrise until sunset and be most visible from this point through October, according to the Farmer's Almanac. The September equinox, also known as the Autumnal or Fall equinox, occurs when the sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south. It signals the beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and Spring in the Southern Hemisphere, according to Time and Date. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Summer 2025 stargazing guide: When are the next full moons, eclipses?
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
When is May's full moon? What to know about the Flower Moon
It's quite fitting that May's full moon is called the Flower Moon because as the old saying goes: April showers bring May flowers. This month's moon, which is also a micromoon, will rise in the night sky in mid-May amid a few other celestial events. Here's what to know about May's full moon. The full Flower Moon will make its appearance on Monday, May 12 and will reach peak illumination at 12:56 p.m. EDT, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Many people are familiar with the term 'supermoon,' but a micromoon is the opposite. It occurs when the moon is at its farthest point from Earth, but it won't look any smaller, according to Time and Date. May's full moon is called the Flower Moon as it's a reflection of flowers blooming across large swaths of North America, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The Flower Moon is also known as the Budding Moon, Frog Moon, and the Moon of Shedding Ponies. What to know: When to see 2025's full moons, total lunar eclipse and supermoons According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise for the Rochester area will happen by roughly 8:54 p.m. Monday, May 12 and will set at 5:23 a.m. Tuesday, May 13. Moonrise for the White Plains area will happen by roughly 8:30 p.m. Monday, May 12 and will set at 5:13 a.m. Tuesday, May 13, the Old Farmer's Almanac says. The next full moon is the Strawberry Moon, which occurs on June 11. Moonrise in the Rochester area is roughly 9:50 p.m. and around 9:24 p.m. in the Westchester area. When is Rochester's last frost?: What climate data tells us A few additional celestial events are taking place this month. Here's when you should take a look at the night sky to try and catch a glimpse: New Yorkers, specifically, will have a good chance of seeing the first quarter moon's close approach with Mars around May 3-4. Look for the half moon just after sunset to see a reddish planet nearby, Time and Date says. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower will peak May 5-6, according to NASA, which can bring fast meteors and up to 50 per hour during the peak. The moon, Venus and Saturn are aligning around May 23. See what it will look like from New York here: Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network's New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Flower Moon: Date, timing and what to know about the micromoon
