Some general observations about the Diary

    The Astronomical Diary for 2004 (giving times of equinoxes, solstices, eclipses, lunar 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 Full  Moons in July, 2004.  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 Full Moon phase to the next.  Because that month begins with a Full Moon on the 2nd, two just happen to both squeeze into July.  And if you appreciate synchronicities, there is a New Moon on the date of the Vernal Equinox, a coincidence of the two cycles, lunar and solar.

  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 April-early May and mid to late October. Some years we are lucky and many occur. (For example in 1998 there were 2 solar eclipses and 3 lunar.  In 2000 there were 4 solar eclipses and 2 lunar.) But there isn't a cosmic law favoring the view of eclipses in Maine, nor even for the Northern Hemisphere.

No solar eclipses are visible in Maine in 2004; but one lunar eclipse can be seen.  It will be  "umbral" where the Moon falls fully into the Earth's shadow.   So the show starts just before the listed time of Full Moon. (Lunar eclipses by their very nature must occur at the time of Full Moon.)

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