Space Weather News for Feb 8, 2009
DUSKY LUNAR ECLIPSE: On Monday, Feb 9, the full Moon will pass through the outskirts of Earth's shadow, producing a penumbral lunar eclipse. The event will be visible to the naked eye as a dusky shading of the northern half of the Moon. Maximum eclipse occurs between the hours of 1400 and 1520 UT (6:00 am - 7:20 am PST).
The timing favors observers in east Asia, Australia, Hawaii and western parts of North America.
Visit SpaceWeather.com for a visibility map, animations, and more information.
COMET LULIN UPDATE: The plasma tail of Comet Lulin, torn off by a solar wind gust on Feb 4, has already grown back. Also, observers in dark-sky locations report that the comet is now visible to the naked eye as a pale "fuzzy patch" in the constellation Libra before dawn.
The comet is brightening as it approaches Earth for a 38-million-mile close encounter on Feb 24. See the latest images in the Comet Lulin Photo Gallery.
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Speaking of Australia, my heart and best wishes for your safety go out to my friends in Australia, astrology and otherwise, on the worst wild fires in Australian history. And if there are culprits to catch, I hope you catch them! jc
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