Moon Watch

This is Einstein year 2005, a year celebrating physics.

Well, unfortunately, not in the U.S.of A., but in the UK and Ireland this is a celebration the 100th anniversary of the papers that Einstein wrote, and it's a whole year of activity trying to get people excited about physics.

One of these activities is a project called Moon Watch. Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office would like you to take part in a project to determine the start of the new moon. All you have to do, is go out and observe the western sky on the first three days of the new moon and determine when you can see the moon. Then go to their web site and report what you've seen. I like this idea. It's a chance to join with people all over the world for a common cause. This is not like curing disease or feeding the hungry, but it is a chance to do something fairly significant. Many religions around the world use the start of the new moon to schedule events. Many require that you actually see the new moon, to begin the event. So the mathematical calculation of the new moon is not enough.

It's too late to do the observation for October. But since this project be going on for the next couple of years, it's not too late to get involved. If you're not sure when the new moon starts each month you can sign up on their web site for an e-mail reminder to tell you what day that is.

Make a date and make the observation. Take your significant other, a couple of chairs, maybe a bottle of wine and a light supper, find yourself a nice observation point and watch the sunset together.

For more information, you can go to their web site, http://www.crescentmoonwatch.org/ to report your findings and to find out helpful tips on how to observe the moon.

Here are some interesting web sites to give you more information about the moon and its phases.

http://www.griffithobs.org/Skyinfo.html - moon phase charts, general sky info. Griffith Observatory Sky Information

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html - will calculate sun and moon data for one day

http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html - virtual phases of the moon for 1800-2199

http://www.fourmilab.ch/moontoolw/ - program to display phases of the moon in the system tray. While you're on this web site, check out some of the other tools available to you. There is some pretty interesting stuff here.

Check out http://www.einsteinyear.org for more information about Einstein year events.