Author: Eric Christensen

  • Nearly Full Moon Tonight

    Getting close to the Worm Moon.

    Probably won’t be able to see it tomorrow due to rain.

    Here it is behind some clouds.

  • Wednesday – 12 Mar 2025

    71st day of the year, 13th day of lunar cycle
    Sunset 7:31 – Sunrise tomorrow 7:42
    LON 12:11 – LOD 11:47
    Moonrise today 6:02 PM – Moonset tomorrow 6:59 AM

    Conjunction of Saturn and the Sun.
    Hummingbirds migrate north now.

    Tomorrow night there will be a total lunar eclipse and a full moon.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_2025_lunar_eclipse
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse

  • Tuesday – 11 Mar 2025

    70th day of the year, 12th day of the lunar cycle
    Sunset 7:29 – Sunrise tomorrow 7:44
    LON 12:15 – LOD 11:44
    Moonrise today 4:56 PM – Moonset tomorrow 7:08 AM

    On this date in 2020 the World Health Organization COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.

    Sky watchers have tracked lunar eclipses since ancient times; both the Chinese and the Maya, for instance kept careful tables of such occurrences.

    On the evening of 29 Feb 1504 in the Americas (1 Mar elsewhere), Christopher Columbus using his astronomical tables famously tricked the inhabitants of Jamaica. Stranded on the island and desperately needing food from the native Arawak, Columbus consulted his almanacs and noted that a total lunar eclipse was due. He told the Arawak that God was displeased with them and would darken the moon with this wrath. Sure enough, as predicted and on schedule, the moon turned the characteristic bloody red of a lunar eclipse. The Arawak were both impressed and frightened, and promised complete aid if only God would relent. Columbus went into his cabin to pray. About an hour before the end of totality he emerged to proclaim the Arawak would be forgiven. When the moon began to appear normal Columbus was relieved to tell the Arawak God had pardoned them.

    And thus we see how a clever man can profit by pretending to be an intercessor.

    Or we see how a resourceful man who indeed worshipped the Christian God was blessed with the knowledge and skill necessary to manipulate his captors in order to save himself and friends from perishing.

    Which is it? The Lady, or the Tiger? Somewhere in between or something else entirely?

    Note: many historians are skeptical of the accuracy of this story.

    References
    [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1504_lunar_eclipse
    [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lady,_or_the_Tiger%3F
    [3] National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Night Sky, 2nd Edition, Andrew Fazekas

  • Monday – 10 Mar 2025

    69th day of the year, 11th day of the lunar cycle
    Sunset 7:28 – Sunrise tomorrow 7:45
    Length of night 12:17 – Length of day 11:41
    Moonrise today 3:49 PM – Moonset tomorrow morning 6:46 AM

    On this day in 2018, Alexandra Trusova was the first female to land a quadruple toe loop in figure skating competition.

    An Oblique Question
    In an oblique-angled triangle, the product of the two sides is 186 and their difference is 3.5. The ratio of the shortest side to the base is 4:7. What are the lengths of the sides? from the 1825 Old Farmer’s Almanac

  • Sunday – 9 Mar 2025

    68th day of the year, 10th day of the lunar cycle
    Sunset 7:27 – Sunrise tomorrow 7:47
    LON 12:20 – LOD 11:38
    Moonrise today 2:39 PM – Moonset tomorrow morning 6:17 AM
    DST began at 2:00 AM

    Golden Rule (it’s true in all faiths)
    What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.
    Talmud, Shabbat 31a (Judaism)

    If you’re a grower in our area, this week (before the full moon Friday morning) would be a good time to plant broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, collards, kale, parsley, parsnips, and spring wheat. I’ll tell you tomorrow what to plant this week after the full moon.

  • Saturday – 8 Mar 2025

    67th day of the year, 9th day of the lunar cycle
    Sunset 6:26 – Sunrise tomorrow 7:49
    LOD 11:36 – LON 12:23 (13:23 on the clock because we lose an hour to DST)
    Moonrise today 12:32 PM
    Moonset tomorrow 5:42 AM – Moonrise tomorrow 2:39 PM
    DST begins at 2:00 AM

    The moon is extremely close to Mars, with Gemini’s Castor and Pollux to the left.

  • March 7, 2025

    66th day of the year
    Sunset 6:25 – Sunrise 6:50 – LON 12:25
    Moonset 3:56 AM – Moonrise 12:32 PM

  • March 6, 2025

    65th day of the year and 7th of the lunar cycle: 1st quarter.
    The sun will set at 6:23 and rise at 6:50; length of night: 12hr, 27min.
    Tonight a conjunction of Jupiter and the Moon will occur. The moon will set at 2:58 AM and rise at 11:28 AM.
    On this date in 1475 the artist Michelangelo was born.

    Speaking of Orion, it contains more bright stars than any other constellation. Sitting on the celestial equator, Orion is visible from everywhere on Earth. Rigel (Arabic for “foot”) is the brightest star in the constellation and the 7th brightest in the sky. Historically it has been very important for navigation, as it is visible from every ocean in the world. It is the most luminous star in our region of the galaxy.

  • March 5

    March 5: 64th day of the year and 6th day of the lunar cycle.
    The sunset will occur at 6:23 and rise at 6:52; length of night*: 12hr, 30min.
    Tonight in the southern sky, the moon meets Jupiter with Taurus’s famous orange star Aldebaran below them. The moon will set at 1:48 AM and rise again at 10:33 AM, having passed its first quarter of this cycle at 9:31 AM tomorrow morning.
    Today is Ash Wednesday. On this date in 1950 calculations for the first computerized (ENIAC) weather forecast began.

    *The author would like to note, that the sunset/sunrise info given in the March 3 update was incorrect due to human error interpreting the Almanac’s system presenting the information. The actual sunset/sunrise times for that day were 6:20 PM and 6:55 AM; length of night: 12hr, 35min.

    So the nights have only shortened five minutes over the past three days, not the nine that would be presumed had one calculated based on this erroneous info. The author deeply regrets any harm this incorrect reporting may have caused you, your families, your animals, or your plants.

    ** Shit! Today’s sunset is at 6:22. This is Ogden from the Farmer’s Almanac. Too many tables and dates and numbers.c. Too many tables and dates and numbers.

  • March 4

    March 4, 63rd day of the year, and 5th day of the lunar cycle. Today is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. On this data in 1910, an avalanche killed 58 men clearing a railroad line in Rogers Pass through the Selkirk Mountains in Canada. The sun will set this evening at 6:21. The moon will set 32 minutes past midnight and rise at 9:48 AM. Look for a conjunction of the moon and Uranus in the sky tonight. Day length: 11hr, 26min.

  • March 3

    Today is March 3, 62nd day of the year, and the 4th day of the current lunar cycle. On this date in 1845 Florida became a state. The sun will set this evening at 6:20 and rise tomorrow at 6:59; length of night: 12hr 39min. The crescent moon will set tonight at 11:12 PM and rise tomorrow morning at 9:10 AM. Also in the sky tonight look for a conjuction of Mercury and Neptune.

  • About

    This is just me writing sunrise/sunset and moon information for my area from the farming almanacs.

    Most of the thoughts and ramblings are inspired by the almanacs, though I do research elsewhere.

    Some of this is plagiarized. I am not making money off this or turning it in for homework. Just organizing the information for my personal use.

    The Old Farmer’s Almanac

    Farmers’ Almanac