HAPPY NEW WEEK!
Last week's Chat Thread is here.
This is an important week with several major events for the global community!
SPRING EQUINOX
Spring arrives Friday, 20 March 2015, in the Northern Hemisphere at:
22:45 GMT/UTC10:45 p.m. in the U.K.06:45 p.m. in the eastern United States03:45 p.m. in California
Autumn Equinox is Saturday, 21 March 2015, in the Southern Hemisphere. Fall arrives at 09:15 a.m. in Adelaide, Australia.
NEW MOON
The Moon turns new on the day of the equinox at 09:36 GMT/UTC, only 14 hours after reaching lunar perigee (the moon's closest point to Earth in its orbit). The New Moon is at 09:36 a.m. in the U.K., 05:36 a.m. in the eastern U.S., 02:36 a.m. in California, and on 20 March at 08:06 p.m. in Adelaide, Australia.
SOLAR ECLIPSE
Here's the big news! On Equinox day, 20 March, the close perigee New Moon will swing right in front of the Sun to totally block out the solar disk. It's a Total Solar Eclipse!
You have to be in the right location -- the Faroe Islands or the Svalbard archipelago... -- to witness the eclipse in totality, but a much larger swatch of the globe will see varying degrees of partial solar eclipse -- Europe and parts of Africa and Asia. In much of the U.K., your view will be near total! (Oh, how I envy you. It won't be visible in the U.S. or Australia, I regret to say.)
For children who might read this, I have to add: Looking directly at the Sun during the eclipse could cause blindness or severe eye damage.
Eclipse information HERE
Watch a livestream broadcast of the event HERE
Edit: Slooh has redesigned their site. Here's an updated link for the livestream broadcast of the total solar eclipse: HERE
Hello All -
Diane - thank you for your lovely card and interesting information, also thanks to Keith and Lindybird for nice pictures.
Hello to Alicat, have not heard from you for ages.
Clare - glad you all had a good day at the Horse Trials.
It has been a glorious sunny day here but quite cold, have been out doing some gardening. I even saw a Red Admiral Butterfly sunning itself on the conservatory window, very early. Had some lovely flowers, chocs and cards from my children, a lovely hand-made card from my daughter. One Son phoned and the others will phone this evening. Yesterday, I went to the theatre to see Scottish Ballet in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. It was really good, quite unusual.
Enjoy the evening everyone, good television tonight, at least I think so.
Agree with RITA it has indeed been a blue sky and sunshine day.
Amazing day here and loads of outside stuff done.
Daisy has been sunbathing so it must be spring.
Clare so pleased you enjoyed horsey stuff...groomed for years for my daughters horse Washy (pet name) a Welsh Section D but he thought he was above all that. He competed at eventing and the funniest was at Lulworth against some big names. He was at least a hand and a bit below the norm but apart from the dressage part he was better than those big names.
Lovely cards and prezzies also our Wedding Anniversary and as we married on Red Nose day OH only remembers even numbers!!!
Helen's the horsy one - I stick to large, fish-eating birds of prey!!
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Clare I was not the horsy one either but got sucked in!!!
Messed up a few washing machines with all the travel socks rugs etc... just don't let your guard down... I did:-)
Happily we're in no position to buy a horse - phew!
Clare :-)
Youngest bought him herself and kept telling me its a pony not a horse....
Enough said...
She did go on to quals in teaching and doing Polo in NZ..
Now in the UK has nothing to do with all that as winters far too cold!!
Hi Everyone. It has been dry, but cloudy, with that cold wind.
Our son completed the Barcelona Marathon in 3hrs.13 mins 31secs. His wife was sending us videos of his progress as we kept track of him on an app. I hope he has a rest now after all the triathlons / marathons he has done in the last 12 months.OH had booked a table at an Italian restaurant for lunch.
Diane, Thanks for starting the week for us. I am looking forward to Fridays eclipse. I watched a long article on the news about it. I love your waxwing picture. Thank you.
Annette, Sounds a lot of fun with your family. I am sure Ms D will be very spoilt on her Birthday.
Linda and Keith, Thank you for your lovely cards.
OG, Thanks for news of Emma. I was sorry when I heard she was leaving LotL. I didn't realise she was to be involved with the Wildcat Project.
Hello, Alicat. I hope all is well with you.
Rita, Wow, How lovely to see some Red Admiral. We has two bumblebee on the Mahonia bush flowers, yesterday. I did tell them that the wind was too cold for them !! Thank you for your beautiful card.
Clare, One day, you could be watching Helen at the horse trials.
Wendy, Happy Anniversary. A double day of celebration for you.
Unknown said:Clare, One day, you could be watching Helen at the horse trials.
Before daughter had her pony (purchased by her as a foal so saw him through to backing) she worked for nothing but experience.
Did her exams as an instructor and went from there. Sadly at the start there is very little money to be made.