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
Just one or two more pics taken earlier this morning
and at Rutland earlier today
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Thanks for the heads up on the new Blog, Clare. Heather - will be thinking of you both tomorrow.
LYNETTE (or ANYONE) - is that bird a Cassowary - don't know how to spell it!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Unknown said:LYNETTE (or ANYONE) - is that bird a Cassowary - don't know how to spell it!
OG/Lindy: I think that beautiful bird is a Kori Bustard. I'm sure Lynette can say for sure. She's very knowledgeable.
Heather: Best wishes to your OH for a smooth procedure and a good outcome. Sending him good energy.
Karen: You're welcome. Thought I'd post the links for folks who can't watch due to location, weather, disability... Slooh's website has changed, so it's a new link for them.
Thanks Diane!! Lovely pic on your link of this fascinating large bird. Thanks for your link to Slooh, once again. I doubt if we will be able to experience the eclipse much, here, other than the sky darkening :-(
Thank you for messages re OH. So much appreciated xx
{HUGS} Heather.....