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Some general observations about the Diary The Astronomical Diary for 2003 (giving times of equinoxes, solstices, eclipses, New and Full Moon phases, and beginning/ending dates of Daylight Savings Time) is tabulated here. It reports these in the time format most useful to Maine, i.e. all times are given in Eastern Time (Standard or Daylight Savings, as appropriate). Some almanacs and calendars are casual about this time change, and/or give the data in Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time). The lunar and solar events given do not depend on one's location on Earth. Therefore the times are the moments (in Eastern Time) when they precisely occur. However, sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset do depend on location. Link to the U.S. Naval Observatory's Astronomical Applications: Data Online page to calculate these at need. As you are sure to notice, there are two New Moons in May, 2003. There is no special name for this happenstance, but it is interesting to note, nonetheless. The Moon's synodic period of revolution around the Earth is approximately 29.5 days -- known as 1 lunation, when counted from one New Moon phase to the next. Because that month begins with a New Moon on the 1st, two just happen to both squeeze into May. There are usually two periods a year (called "eclipse seasons") when the alignment of Sun, Earth and Moon allow lunar and solar eclipses. This year, they occur in late May and Mid-November. No solar eclipses are visible in Maine in 2003; but two lunar eclipses can be seen. They are both "umbral" where the Moon falls fully into the Earth's shadow. So in each case the show starts just before the listed time of Full Moon.
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Astronomical diary for
2003 for Maine |
||
date |
event |
time |
|
| Thurs., Jan. 2 | New Moon |
3:23 pm EST |
|
| Sat., Jan. 18 | Full Moon | 5:48 am EST |
|
| Sat., Feb. 1 | New Moon | 5:48 am EST |
|
| Sun., Feb. 16 | Full Moon | 6:51 pm EST |
|
| Sun., Mar. 2 | New Moon | 9:35 pm EST |
|
| Tues., Mar. 18 | Full Moon |
5:35 am EST |
|
| Thurs., Mar. 20 | Vernal Equinox |
8:00 pm EST |
|
| Tues., Apr. 1 | New Moon |
2:19 pm EST |
|
| Sun., Apr. 6 | Daylight Savings Time begins 2:00 am | ||
| Wed., Apr. 16 | Full Moon |
3:36 pm EDST |
|
| Thurs., May 1 | New Moon |
8:15 am EDST |
|
| Thurs., May 15 | Eclipse of the Moon | Totality
begins |
|
| Thurs., May 15 | Full Moon |
11:36 pm EDST |
|
| Sat., May 31 | New Moon | 12:20 am EDST |
|
| Sat., June 14 | Full Moon | 7:16 am EDST |
|
| Sat., June 21 | Summer Solstice |
3:10 pm EDST |
|
| Sun., June 29 | New Moon | 2:39 pm EDST |
|
| Sun., July 13 | Full Moon | 3:21 pm EDST |
|
| Tues., July 29 | New Moon | 2:53 am EDST |
|
| Tues., Aug. 12 | Full Moon | 12:48 am EDST |
|
| Wed., Aug. 27 | New Moon | 1:26 pm EDST |
|
| Wed., Sept. 10 | Full Moon | 12:36 pm EDST |
|
| Tues., Sept. 23 | Autumnal Equinox |
6:47 am EDST |
|
| Thurs., Sept. 25 | New Moon | 11:09 pm EDST |
|
| Fri., Oct. 10 | Full Moon | 3:27 pm EDST |
|
| Sat., Oct. 25 | New Moon | 8:50 am EDST |
|
| Sun., Oct. 26 | Standard Time resumes 2:00 am | ||
| Sat., Nov. 8 | Eclipse of the Moon | Totality
begins 6:32 pm EST |
|
| Sat., Nov. 8 | Full Moon | 8:13 pm EST | |
| Sun., Nov. 23 | New Moon | 5:59 pm EST |
|
| Mon., Dec. 8 | Full Moon | 3:37 pm EST |
|
| Mon., Dec. 22 | Winter Solstice |
2:04 am EST |
|
| Tues., Dec. 23 | New Moon | 4:43 am EST |
|
|
Adapted by Frank Wihbey from: Astronomical Phenomena for the Year 2003, U. S. Naval Observatory and Royal Greenwich Observatory. |
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Past Astronomical Diaries for Maine
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