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Moon phase
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Easter
Did you know that Easter is the Sunday following the first full moon after the
spring equinox on the 21st March? If that is a bit difficult to work out, then here
are the dates until 2020: April 20, 2003; April 11, 2004; March 27, 2005;
April 16, 2006; April 08, 2007; March 23, 2008; April 12, 2009; April 04, 2010;
April 24, 2011; April 08, 2012; March 31, 2013; April 20, 2014; April 05, 2015;
March 27, 2016; April 16, 2017; April 01, 2018; April 21, 2019; April 12, 2020
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aurora borealis
In the North of Scotland it is sometimes possible to see the Aurora Borealis
or Northern Lights (or Na Fir Chlis!). The problem is knowing when to look as
usually one is trying to keep warm in front of a homely coal fire! The diagram
to the right shows current auroral activity based on an extrapolation from
satellite data. If the activity level shown is 8 or more then it may be worth
venturing forth between 10pm and 2am local time. Note that when levels get up
to 10 then you may be lucky enough to see aurora at latitudes as far south as 50N -
this includes the south of England. Click on the diagram to access the website
that provides the information and for more details. Of course viewing is better
away from street lighting and on moonless nights (see above).
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Current Aurora
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galileo
On 21st September 2003 the Nasa space probe Galileo disappeared into the atmosphere
of Jupiter after a 14-year mission to explore our solar system's largest planet and its moons.
One of Galileo's discoveries was that Europa, the fourth largest moon, was the likeliest
place in the solar system for the existence of extra-terrestial life. After this discovery it
was decided to crash the probe into Jupiter to avoid any chance of an impact with Europa where it
might contaminate its eco-system with bacteria from Earth. The probe has sent back huge amounts of
data to scientists on Earth including many excellent images. To see more of these and learn about the
mission visit the Galileo Home Page.
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mars
On August 27 2003 Mars was only 34,656,418 miles away - its closest point for 60,000
years. Because of their elliptical orbits, Mars is at its nearest point to the
Sun while the Earth is at its farthest. To see Mars, look southeast into the sky any time after
9.30pm. It is the brightest object in the sky, and glows with a distinctive orange colour.
It rises low in the sky, in the constellation of Aquarius, but will be higher
above the horizon the later you look. The last time Mars was so close Homo sapiens had yet
to emerge from Africa, and Europe was dominated by Neanderthal man hunting mammoths.
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