1 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: Doctor Ian Griffin is an astronomer with to hooda Otago 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Museum Morning. Good morning, blood moon coming our way tonight. 3 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: What's this? 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, well, it's probably the celestial highlight of the 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 2: year for us people who like astronomy. So what's going 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 2: to happen tonight is just after moonrise, which the moon 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 2: rises about about twenty past eight from where I am 8 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 2: in Middle March. At about two hours later, at ten 9 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 2: to ten, the shadow of the Earth is going to 10 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 2: start to fall on the Moon and start to make 11 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 2: it darken. So tonight is full moon. So normally we 12 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 2: all know that the full moon is really bright and 13 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: you can kind of walk around and you know, cast shadows. 14 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 2: But between about ten to ten and midnight, more and 15 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 2: more of the earth'shadow is going to fall on the Moon, 16 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 2: until just after midnight, about four minutes past midnight, the 17 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 2: moon should turn blood red because its surface will be 18 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: illuminated by all the sun rises and sunsets on Earth, 19 00:00:57,520 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 2: and you'll really notice it. If you're in a rural spot, 20 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 2: and I'm out in Middle March in rural Metago, if 21 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 2: you go out at about midnight, the full moon will 22 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 2: be completely gone. It will be really really dark, and 23 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 2: it's absolutely awesome when that happens. So I'm very much 24 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 2: looking forward to it, and it should be a really 25 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 2: good night. 26 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, first time in four years. Have not mistaken that 27 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:20,559 Speaker 1: we've had this. You can't attached on it before. But 28 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 1: what causes the red ian. 29 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 2: Well, the red colors, As I say, if you were 30 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: an astronaut's standing on the moon, what's happening is that 31 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 2: the Earth is passing between you and the Sun. So 32 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 2: I mean, I'd love to do it one day. But 33 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 2: if you were standing, you know, maybe where Neil Armstrong 34 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 2: stood on the Sea of Tranquility, looking towards the Earth tonight, 35 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 2: what you'd see is a sort of a lovely red 36 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 2: ring circling the Earth because the Sun will be behind 37 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 2: the Earth, and all you'd see would be all the 38 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 2: sunrises and sunsets simultaneously. And it's that red color that 39 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 2: basically turns the Moon red. 40 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: Is there anything in particular that causes the reds like 41 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: without getting two technical ions or something. 42 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 2: Like there, Well, I mean it's it's for the same reason. 43 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: You know, when the sun goes down, it looks red 44 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 2: in the sky, and that's because the Earth's atmosphere is 45 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 2: full of particles and they preferentially scatter blue lights. So basically, 46 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 2: when the sun is low in the sky, you only 47 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: see the red color. So, as I say, the astronaut 48 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 2: on the Moon tonight, although there aren't any astronauts on 49 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 2: the Moon, they would be enjoying a fabulous, fabulous view. 50 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 2: And certainly, you know, I think, and nobody's ever actually 51 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 2: seen it and eclipse from the surface of the Moon 52 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 2: it would be a wonderful sight. But having said that, 53 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 2: from the surface of the Earth, the Moon turning ready 54 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:32,519 Speaker 2: is a pretty wonderful sight too. 55 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: It's pretty cool. 56 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. And the cool thing oh sorry, I was gonna 57 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 2: say the cooling about it is you don't need any 58 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 2: telescopes or binoculars. They make few better. You can sit 59 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 2: down in the old Mark one deck chair and the 60 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 2: human eyes and then really enjoyed the sight for your Ah. 61 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: That's exactly where I was going. So this is a 62 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: lunar eclipse, unlike a solar eclipse, we don't need to 63 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: check sunglasses on. 64 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 2: Oh absolutely no, no, tonight it's probably the best free 65 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 2: show on the planet today, I would say. And the 66 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 2: really cool thing about this is that New Zealand is 67 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 2: absolutely primed ter tree for it. We're in the best 68 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 2: We've got the best seat in the house, really in 69 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: the world. Yeah, absolutely, because the moon will be high 70 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,679 Speaker 2: in what relatively high in the sky, and the total 71 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 2: eclipse occurs around midnight, so it's literally perfect positioning for us. 72 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 2: I know it means a late night for US astronomers 73 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: and people with kids, but definitely worth keeping up tonight 74 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 2: because it looks like a sky and the forecast, certainly 75 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 2: you know from the southern part of New Zealand, the 76 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 2: forecast looks pretty good at the moment, so you wouldn't 77 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 2: want to miss this because the next one is not 78 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 2: until twenty twenty eight, so a bit of a weight 79 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 2: after this one. 80 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: We've got sick cloud to start, which has become a 81 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,839 Speaker 1: familiar theme here in Aish Burton. But as I'm knocking 82 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: every piece of what I can find, I think the 83 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: wethers meant to clear up. It's meant to be okay tonight, 84 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: so that'll be ideal. 85 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. No, well down here in middle March, as I say, 86 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 2: I was here overnight trying to get ready for the 87 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:49,839 Speaker 2: eclipse tomorrow, but tonight rather, and it's minus one point four. 88 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 2: Oh goodness, literally, first frost of the sky, first cross 89 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 2: of the season. Yeah, I was looking at my grapevines 90 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 2: are not looking very happy at the moment. 91 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: They wouldn't, but frost mean fine skies, clear skies are 92 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: hopefully you're sending that oirway and. 93 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 2: Fingers crossed yes, because I wouldn't want to miss this one. 94 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 2: And there's to say tonight it's a big night for 95 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: me because I've I've built a little observatory out here 96 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 2: in Middlemarch and I'm opening up for locals, so got 97 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 2: to deliver the lunar e tips for them.