The Sun

Sunrise Sunset

Nov 21  5:48 am 8:26 pm
Dec 01  5:43 am 8:37 pm
Dec 11  5:41 am 8:47 pm
Dec 21  5:44 am 8:53 pm
Jan 01  5:51 am 8:57 pm
Jan 11  6:00 am 8:56 pm
Jan 21  6:12 am 8:52 pm

Summer Solstice

On 22 December at 7 pm, the Sun reaches its farthest point south of the celestial equator. This is the summer solstice, the longest day in the southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere it is the winter solstice, the shortest day. At this time the Sun will be in the constellation of Sagittarius.

Perihelion

The Earth reaches its closest orbital point to the Sun on January 5 at 1 pm. On this date its distance from the Sun will be 0.983 A.U. or 147,054,745 km.

The Moon

The Moon is at perigee, its closest orbital point to the Earth, on December 22 at 4 pm, and on January 18 at 10 am. It is at apogee, its most distant orbital point from the Earth, on December 6 at 2 pm, on January 3 at 9 am, and on January 31 at 7 am.

Total Eclipse of the Moon

This series of photographs of the 2007 lunar eclipse were captured by Graham Palmer.

There will be a total eclipse of the Moon in the early hours of Sunday December 11. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the shadow of the Earth. Consequently this can only occur at the time of full moon (when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon) and when the orbit of the Moon bisects the ecliptic. When an eclipse occurs the Moon takes on a rustic, sometimes a blood-red hue. In ancient times this struck fear into the hearts of people, who saw it as an ominous sign.

Although in a total eclipse the Moon is completely engulfed in the shadow of the Earth, it never becomes totally dark. This is because the atmosphere of the Earth acts like a large lens, refracting the red light from the Sun onto the surface of the Moon. The sequence of events on December 11 is as follows:

Penumbra eclipse begins at 12:30 am. This part of the eclipse is not very noticeable. All that happens is that the Moon begins to become a little fainter.

Umbra eclipse begins at 1:45 am. The dark shadow of the Earth begins to cover the Moon.

Totality begins at 3:06 am and ends at 3:57 am. The deepest part of the eclipse occurs at 3:32 am. At around this time astronomical twilight will begin.

Umbra eclipse ends with the onset of nautical twilight around 4:20 am, the Sun rises at 5:41 am, and the Moon sets at 5:52 am.