Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey Topics), 15 March 2015

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/UTC
10:45 p.m. in the U.K.
06:45 p.m. in the eastern United States
03:45 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

  • Left home for the hairdressers at 8.30 this morning, with plenty of time for my appointment. I hadn't driven far when I had to wait while they removed two cars, which had collided. Needless to say I arrived late. It was far too cloudy to see the eclipse. It did go darker and colder.

    Clare, A lovely doggy picture. Pity about the owner, who shouldn't have parted with you !!

    Linda, I am sure you will forgive Bonny, her little accidents:-))) Sounds as if she will be fine, once she has settled and learns where the back door is situated. I love your photograph. I guess your OH has been told that he will spend the night in the chair. with Bonnie, while you have an undisturbed night in bed. LOL

    Lmac, I have located your instagram site, but I do hope you will still post some Tapaidh's photographs on here.

    Neighbour showed me a photograph of a week old Jack russell, which she has chosen to have from a litter of her niece's dog. When her dog died before Christmas, she was determined that she would never have another dog.  

  • Unknown said:
    Clare, A lovely doggy picture. Pity about the owner, who shouldn't have parted with you !!

    The owner had no choice about closing the business down - he was possibly the most gutted of all of us at such a course of action.  He's a lovely bloke.

    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. Sorry he has lost his business.

  • I've been busy with my new camera this afternoon - if anyone would like a quick peek click on my tough friend here:

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • Hello, sitting with a Friday after work red wine.  Been out with Tapaidh so a photo for Brenda - we stopped at a bus stop with the thought of taking her on her first bus journey - but after 10 mins I got fed up waiting but nearly as fed up as her.  Others are some that I took of the eclipse today, looks like a big smiley face in the sky....

  • Feeling quite tired today – out to two (good) meetings yesterday and busy today. OH has been doing more in the garden (started mowing) and garage (still DIY) so I am doing more of his jobs, as well as ironing etc indoors and greenhouse tasks outside. So only a few replies.

    Heather – I hope all went well with your OH today.

    Diane – thanks for ID of Lynette’s lovely bird! I did find a photo of Cassowary, and of course it was nothing like it!

    Linda – I made the same observations as you re eclipse – twilight effect, lowered temp and birds roosting! Big Puppy congratulations! But Bonnie is already looking so grown-up! I hope she settles well, especially at night!

    Lmac – I hope you will still share some Tapaidh photos on here for those of us who don’t use Instagram!

    Brenda – I hope nobody was hurt in the collision this morning!

    Clare – I enjoyed your photos!

    Margo – thinking of you!

    Going to Farmers’ Market tomorrow – there is to be a new chocolate stall there, so must try that out!

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!

  • LMAC - you posted just as I was doing same!  Great eclipse pics, but absolutely love the one of Tapaidh!

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!

  • Thank you OG, hope you are feeling less tired tomorrow early night after a little relaxing

    Lindy little Bonny is just lovely it seems so long ago that Tapaidh was that size.

    Clare - somebody is a lucky girl with a nice new camera - photos are great. Birds in flight are difficult to catch with the detail you have

    I feel some episodes of Breaking Bad calling  will look in again later

  • Great photos, Lmac!  Tapaidh is gorgeous.

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • Thank you so much, Lmac. She is so beautiful. I love her colour. Your eclipse photographs are great. Wish we could have seen it happen here.