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https://www.space.com/lunar-eclipse-2024-full-moon
Full Worm Moon brings 1st lunar eclipse of 2024 tonight. Here's how to see it
Mar 24, 2024
During the next two weeks, there will be two eclipses on the astronomical docket. The main event, of course, will be the Great North American Eclipse on April 8 that will stretch from the Pacific coast of Mexico, on to Texas and across southern and eastern portions of the United States and Atlantic Canada, before coming to an end over the north Atlantic Ocean.
But two weeks before the total solar eclipse, during the overnight hours of March 24-25, it will be the moon's turn to undergo an eclipse; a prelude to grand event coming our way in early April. That final full moon before the total solar eclipse, March's Worm Moon, will quietly slip into Earth's outer shadow, known as the penumbra.
The continents of North and South America are in the best position to see this lunar eclipse, as it occurs high in their sky while the night of March 24 transitions to March 25. The moon will take 4 hours and 40 minutes to glide across the pale outer fringe (penumbra) of Earth's shadow, never reaching the shadow's dark umbra.
Both the lunar and solar eclipses are, of course, related. A solar eclipse can occur only when the moon is at a node of its orbit. (The nodes are the two points where the moon's path on the sky crosses the sun's path, called the ecliptic). During the solar eclipse on April 8, the moon will cross the ecliptic from south to north. But a half orbit earlier, on March 24-25, the moon will cross the opposite node from north to south, encountering the Earth's shadow. The timeframe when this geometry can allow for eclipses to occur is called an "eclipse season" and in this case runs from March 16 through April 23. All this is a fine example of how an eclipse season works.
In this particular case the moon is going to pass very deep into the penumbra. In fact, at the moment of the deepest phase/greatest eclipse (7:12 UT) the penumbra will reach to an extent of 95.8 percent across the lunar disk. Put another way, the lowermost limb of the moon will be 282 miles (453 km) away from the unseen edge of the Earth's umbra.
However, penumbral eclipses are rather subtle events which are usually difficult to detect; the shadow is pale. In fact, first contact with the penumbral shadow is all but impossible to detect. But a little over an hour later, those with exceptionally acute perception might be able to detect an ever-so-slight shading of the moon's lower left limb.
Roughly for about a half hour on either side of the time of maximum eclipse, at least 70 percent of the moon's diameter will be immersed in the shadow; a distinct diminution of light corresponding to a "smudged" or "soiled" appearance; a slight grayness on the lower part of the moon should then be fairly plain to see.
Admittedly, however, a rather underwhelming event.
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The schedule
Our timetable below gives the moments for the key events of the eclipse for five time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific and Hawaii. All times are for the calendar date of March 25, except when accompanied by an asterisk (*), in which case the calendar date is March 24.
For the eastern U.S., maximum darkening occurs about a couple of hours before the break of dawn on March 25. Along the West Coast, it will be just past midnight, while for Alaska and Hawaii it will be during the mid-to-late evening hours of Sunday, March 24.
The penumbral eclipse from the moon
It might be easier to understand why the penumbral shadow of Earth is so faint, by imagining actually being on the moon when Monday's event takes place. An astronaut on the moon during this time will see an eclipse of the sun, but it would all depend on where on the moon our hypothetical moonwalker is located.
Near the moon's upper limb is the region known as Mare Frigoris — the "Sea of Cold." From here, the Earth's silhouette will appear to take a small nick out of the top of the sun; hardly enough to cause any noticeable diminishing of light on the surrounding lunar landscape. That's why the upper part of the full moon will appear to shine normally.
In contrast, as seen from Tycho, the famous brilliant lunar impact crater whose rays make it appear like a sunflower on the southern part of the moon, Earth will appear to cover more than nine-tenths of the sun's diameter; consequently, the brilliant solar illumination of the surrounding lunar landscape will turn considerably more somber.
And this diminished effect of the glare and illumination of sunlight on the moon's surface is precisely what assiduous sky watchers will be trying to detect during the deepest phase of the eclipse when concentrating their gaze toward the lower rim of the moon during the maximum phase of Monday's early eclipse.
Coming attractions
Another lunar eclipse is scheduled for later this summer. On the evening of Sept. 17, the moon will slide through the lower part of the Earth's shadow, with its uppermost limb giving a glancing blow to the dark umbral shadow of Earth. At greatest eclipse, 8.5-percent of the moon's diameter will be within the umbra, giving the impression that the top of the moon is slightly dented.
Next year, on the night of March 13-14, 2025, the moon will undergo a total eclipse. For 65 minutes, the moon will become completely immersed in the Earth's shadow; always a most interesting, and usually, colorful spectacle. Once again, the Americas will have a ringside seat, with all the action taking place high in the late winter sky; during predawn hours in the East and around midnight in the West.
Mark your calendars!
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Satellites watch Iceland volcano spew gigantic plume of toxic gas across Europe
Mar 23, 2024
Scientists are tracking a massive plume of toxic gas moving across northern Europe that was spat out by the ongoing volcanic eruption in Iceland. The gas cloud is unlikely to cause any serious health problems. However, it could impact the ozone hole above the Arctic, experts warn.
On March 16, an underground volcano in Icealnd's Reykjanes Peninsula blew its top for the fourth time in as many months, opening up the largest fissure of the current eruption cycle and unleashing a massive lava flow that narrowly missed the evacuated town of Grindavík. There were initially fears that the lava flow could reach the sea and unleash a plume of hydrochloric acid, which would have been "life-threatening" to anyone close to the coastline, Live Science previously reported. However, the lava never reached the shore.
But the eruption did release sulfur dioxide — a colorless, toxic gas that can be extremely dangerous in high concentrations.
On March 17, the volcano was spitting out around 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of sulfur dioxide every second, according to a translated statement from the Icelandic Met Office. Workers at the nearby Svartsengi power plant were evacuated from the facility due to high levels of the gas, Icelandic news site RÚV reported, and locals were temporarily warned to stay inside, according to Iceland's Civil Protection.
Sulfur dioxide emissions have diminished significantly since March 18, but new data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) — part of the European Union's Copernicus program, which tracks weather and climate changes using satellite data — shows that the initial outpouring of gas formed a 3-mile-tall (5 kilometers) concentrated column that has since blown toward other countries in northern Europe.
The gas plume has already passed above the U.K. and is currently approaching Scandinavia, where it will begin to dissipate before entering Russia.
CAMS will continue to track the plume "although we don't expect there to be any impact on surface air quality or climate," senior CAMS scientist Mark Parrington said in a statement emailed to Live Science.
However, tracking sulfur dioxide emissions is still important because the gas can react with atmospheric ozone molecules, depleting the amount of this protective substance in the ozone layer, which shields Earth's surface from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.
In October 2023, scientists partially attributed the near-record-largest ozone hole above Antarctica to the 2022 eruption of an underwater volcano in Tonga, which released high levels of water vapor into the atmosphere that may have depleted ozone levels.
Experts predict that the recent eruptions in Iceland could be the beginning of a new centuries-long period of activity in the region. As a result, the amount of sulfur dioxide being pumped toward the Arctic could also rise over the next few years, which could lead to larger northern ozone holes in the future.
"The impacts of the volcanic eruptions in Iceland in the atmosphere have not yet been so severe, but it is relevant to keep monitoring the evolution of the situation," CAMS director Laurence Rouil said in the statement.
https://www.space.com/satellites-iceland-volcano-toxic-gas-europe
Moon mining rover unveiled, set to help extract oxygen and metals from lunar soil for NASA's space missions
Mar 23, 2024
A rover prototype designed to collect oxygen and metals from the moon has been unveiled in Adelaide as part of the Australian Rover Challenge.
It is hoped the Australian-built lunar rover, to be called Roo-ver, will eventually collect and transport lunar soil to a NASA-run facility on the moon, where resources will be extracted to help astronauts breathe on the moon and create rocket fuel to travel back to earth or through the solar system.
"It will be a semi-autonomous rover that will drive around the lunar south pole looking for regolith of interest, which is lunar soil, it will then collect that regolith and bring it back to the lander where NASA will have a processing unit that will extract oxygen and other metals out of the regolith," technical director Joseph Kenrick said.
The rover was created over nine months, with plans to send a real version to the moon later this decade.
The designers said "Roo-ver" showcased Australia's expertise in mining and robotics in extreme environments.
"It's the first full-scale resource extraction mission on the moon, and it's a great stepping stone into unlocking the infinite resources and energy of space," Mr Kenrick said.
Mechanical engineer Chloe Chang said it was an important time in space science.
"It's a really exciting time with NASA going back to the moon and Mars in this generation, which is not something that comes around every decade," Ms Chang said.
She said the rover's mission was to help create a "sustainable ecosystem" that was "economically viable" for moon and space travel.
"Setting up that robotic workforce on the moon that can set up the lunar base for the astronauts [and] collect resources, so we don't have to be bringing our own water and our own oxygen up there… because obviously the more weight you want to put into those rockets the more fuel you need [and] the more expensive it is," Ms Chang said.
As part of the unveiling of the prototype, students from Hamilton Secondary College suited up in astronaut gear to watch the 20 kilogram robot traverse the rocky terrain of a simulated crater.
Assistant principal Dr Sarah Baker said the school's space academy program enabled students to explore space-based careers, with events like the Australian Rover Challenge an important opportunity for students to see real-life space technology and innovation.
"We were so proud, it links to our programs but also showcases the fact that Australia is involved in an international program - we're working with NASA to send a rover to the moon, it's amazing," Dr Baker said.
She said a number of the school's students had aspirations of becoming astronauts and that she would "love" to see them travel to space.
"I'm looking forward to one day seeing them on the moon or on Mars or building technology to get there and survive."
The rover prototype will be tested at facilities across the country over the next few months to help inform the final design.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-24/mining-oxygen-and-metals-on-the-moon/103625540
Winston Churchill's UFO cover-up as declassified 'X-files' show ex-PM's fears over leaks
08:55, Sun, Mar 24, 2024
UFO fever has for decades caught the imagination of millions of people, and though its levels aren't anywhere near what they were in the 1950s and 60s, the desire to make contact with the unknown still dominates the minds of many.
Those in the US have had their fair share of UFO revelations in the last year after the White House released scores of declassified files relating to information on sightings over the years.
The UK has also seen several previously top-secret documents enter the public sphere, with one showing how Churchill sought to carry out a major cover-up of an eerie UFO sighting on the UK coast.
In the last 20 years, the Government has made public a series of documents that are now known as the "X-files", a reference to the popular US science-fiction series.
Perhaps the most salient release came in 2010, when Churchill's name cropped up for the first time, revealing that he had put a 50-year embargo on reporting on a "bizarre" UFO incident that occurred just off the east coast of England.
His reason was simple: flood the press with such stories and public hysteria will follow.
The files show that he gave the order during a secret meeting with General Dwight Eisenhower who would later become US President.
It's unclear whre the meeting happened or who else was present, but we do know the source of the revelation.
A scientist whose grandfather was one of Churchill's bodyguards confirmed the story after the files were released.
Nick Pope, who used to investigate UFO sightings for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), told the BBC: "The reason [for the ban] apparently was because Churchill believed it would cause mass panic and it would shatter people's religious views."
The story goes that while pilots were flying over the eastern stretch of the English coast, they were approached by a metallic UFO which for a time shadowed their movements.
They took many images of the craft which they described as "hovering noiselessly".
During Churchill and Eisenhower's meeting, weapons experts are said to have rejected any notion that the UFO was a missile as that would have been "totally beyond any imagined capabilities of the time".
A scientist, whose details in the declassified files are redacted, wrote: "There was a general inability for either side to match a plausible account to these observations, and this caused a high degree of concern.
"Mr Churchill is reported to have made a declaration to the effect of the following: 'This event should be immediately classified since it would create mass panic among the general population and destroy one's belief in the Church'."
Mr Pope noted how bizarre the event was, and that "the interesting thing is that most of the UFO files from that period have been destroyed."
Reports of UFO sightings in the UK hit an all-time high in 196 when, according to the files, there were more than 600 reports compared with an average of 240 in the previous five years.
The declassified documents also revealed that members of the public sent 343 letters to the MoD's UFO desk — Sec(AS)2 — about sightings, and 22 enquiries and questions were asked by MPs.
By 2010, thousands more claims were released as part of another release of 'X-files' published by the National Archives.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1879312/winston-churchill-ufos-x-files-declassified-documents-aliens-spt
We need to report UAP without fear: WI Congressman
Updated: MAR 23, 2024 / 07:53 PM CDT
Have you seen a UAP – unidentified anomalous phenomena? Or the more popular phrase UFO? Did you tell anybody, or stay silent for fear or ridicule or harassment?
One of the top advocates in Congress for learning more about what people have seen wants to make sure the government takes those reports more seriously than it has.
“Isn’t it important that the Department of Defense look into this and see exactly if there’s any possible explanation,” asks Wisconsin Republican Rep. Glenn Grothman.
Earlier this year, he and California Democrat Robert Garcia introduced what they call the “Safe Airspace for Americans Act.” It would require the FAA to come up with a plan to allow people to report incidents without fear.
“Not only pilots, but air maintenance people, flight attendants… air traffic controllers can report these phenomena without having people worrying that revenge is going to be taken on them.”
Grothman tells NewsNation “Prime” his bill would mandate thorough, timely investigations “which I think quite frankly, sometimes in the past, was not done, or even worse. Air personnel were even afraid to report it in the first place, or fear that people would say, ‘oh, yeah, there’s Joe. You know, who knows what he’s imagining?’”
Grothman says the UAP issue, especially the public frustration over a lack of transparency, has snowballed.
“As I go around my district again and again, I hear more questions from people. I can’t think of a hearing that I have chaired… that has received so much interest.”
While he won’t offer an opinion about the possibly of non-human intelligence, Grothman says the key to one day answering that question is more data.
“We’re going to hear (about) more of these instances… and the more instances that are made public, the more instances the FAA is able to look at, the more we’re gonna learn.”
https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/ufo/uap-report-glenn-grothman/
Scientists Decode Potential Alien Communication
Mar 23, 2024
Recent efforts in the search for potential alien communication have led to intriguing developments in decoding mysterious signals from space. Scientists at the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute have dedicated over 541 hours to observe fast radio bursts (FRB), particularly focusing on FRB 20220912A. This specific FRB, discovered in 2022, has been a point of interest due to its repeated signals, exhibiting an unexpected behavior likened to a slide-whistle owing to a drop in the center frequency of the bursts.
The findings, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, underscore both confirmation of known FRB properties and the discovery of new ones. Dr. Sofia Sheikh from the SETI Institute highlighted that while the source of FRBs is being narrowed down to extreme objects such as magnetars (a type of neutron star), no existing model can fully explain the observed properties.
Simultaneously, an AI-driven search has identified eight potential signals of interest, utilizing a machine-learning algorithm trained to distinguish between possible alien signals and those caused by human technology. These signals, which appear to originate from the direction of five stars within 30 to 90 light-years away, were not detected in previous analyses. They are characterized by their narrowband spectral width, non-zero drift rates, and presence during on-source observations but not off-source ones, hinting at characteristics scientists associate with technosignatures. Despite the promising nature of these findings, follow-up observations have yet to re-detect these signals, necessitating further study to determine their origin.
These advancements illustrate the ongoing efforts and challenges in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, leveraging both sophisticated observational techniques and AI to parse through the vast amount of data collected from space. While the discovery of potential alien communication remains unconfirmed, these endeavors mark significant steps towards understanding the mysteries of the cosmos.
https://xdigitalnews.com/scientists-decode-potential-alien-communication/
https://ras.ac.uk/news-and-press/news/never-seen-fast-radio-burst-sheds-new-light-deep-space-signals