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
Nice to see you back, Lindy, and I'm pleased you had a lovely time.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Another outdoors kind of day today. OH is doing some tedious DIY with the garage door open, and I keep going out, but should be busy inside!
Lynette – thanks for pictures. Sorry about the funeral. Our washing is hanging outside today.
Liz – I have seen somewhere that centre opens 1st April at LG – but they are not good at updating the website. Appeal is still posted for tagging funds: they ought to take that down, as legally, under charity law, if they get it for that purpose then it must be used for that; but maybe they still have a deficit from previous years!
Annette – you must rest: that was a very long drive home, do take care of yourself. We are happy to “see” you when you are ready!
Linda – welcome home; pleased you enjoyed your time away.
Going out late afternoon, for final meeting of the Friends’ group of our local museum(s) which has failed to attract younger member so is folding. Some members, including OH, will continue to provide volunteer cover at Annan Museum. Then we also have Wild Bunch this evening, and may go on there or come home first, or miss if we are tired – it’s about the Borders Forest Trust, same topic as Bird Club last week, but a different person delivering the talk, so hopefully a different focus.
Have a good day, All.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
The webcam is up at LG!!!! Yesssssss!!!!!!!!!!
Jen has posted a new blog.
Hi, all.
I think you can watch tomorrow's total solar eclipse live and free at Slooh HERE. If you can't see the coverage on that link, try Space.com HERE. Coverage begins at 8:30 a.m. in the U.K., 4:30 a.m. eastern U.S. and 1:30 a.m. California tonight/tomorrow.
Welcome back to Annette and Lindy.
Thanks Diane - appreciate the links.
Just sods law that we have had sunshine and clear skies here today since first thing but clouds forecast for tomorrow so we don't expect to see the eclipse.
Still I shouldn't complain - it's dry, warm and a beautiful day for gardening :-)
Hello everyone
Thank you for all your pics and posts etc.
I have been reading all but not posting as I'm sure that you won't want to read endless reports about cooking and eating, which is about all that has been happening here in the house this week!! Our Danish friends have been out and about, yesterday they went north to Dunnet Head. So far two family meals and another tonight and another tomorrow.
OH getting an abdominal ultrasound scan tomorrow.
Heather, Very Best Wishes for your OH for tomorrow. X
Hi all, just checked blog and Jen has written one, cam up and running as on Clare's pre-arrival thread. Also Rutland, Dyfi, LoTL are all showing night time , so all of them are running. Now its just wait and see time.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home