Features of the Diary

    The Astronomical Diary for 2008 for Maine (giving times of equinoxes, solstices, eclipses, lunar phases, and beginning/ending dates of Eastern Daylight Saving 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 Saving, 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.

                Not just for Astronomy!
   Observation of sky phenomena of course can depend on absence of Moonlight interference, for example seeing meteors, aurorae, and the Milky Way.  Many natural phenomena on Earth also relate to celestial events, for example:

• Wildlife observation - nocturnal critters can be observed under moonlight, choosing the time by using the table.
• Plan a moonlit canoe ride or shore walk, or late night woodside owl observation.
• Dark skies are required to observe phosphorescent zooplankton and jellyfish in the ocean, fireflies over fields and “foxfire” glow of forest fungi.
• Seasons -   The Summer Solstice is when the Sun rises the farthest Northeast of the year and sets the farthest Northwest.  Note that it illuminates some exceptional corners of your house and grounds.  Also note that the longest daylight of the year occurs then.  The converse is true for the Winter Solstice.

         Astronomical curiosities of 2008

   As you are sure to notice, there are two New Moons in August.  There is no astronomical significance for this happenstance, but it is fun to note, nonetheless.   The Moon's synodic period of revolution around the Earth, known as a lunation, is approximately 29.5 days.  August begins with a New Moon on the 1st, so two just happen to both squeeze into that month.

                          Eclipses
  There are usually two periods a year, called "eclipse seasons", when the alignment of Sun,
Earth and Moon are favorable for lunar and solar eclipses.  This year they occur in mid-February and early August.
  There isn't an astronomical law favoring the view of eclipses in Maine, nor even for the Northern Hemisphere.  However the Cosmos offers us one good show in 2008, starting just before the listed time of Full Moon, since Lunar eclipses by their very nature must occur at the Full.
   The total lunar eclipse on the night of February 20-21 begins about four hours after sunset in our State when the Moon will be well up above the horizon, giving us a good view as  it crosses fully into the dark part of the Earth's shadow.
   February 20
      Partial Eclipse begins 9:43 pm EST
      Total Eclipse begins 10:01 pm EST
      Mid-Eclipse 10:26 pm EST
      Total Eclipse ends 10:51 pm EST
   February 21
      Partial Eclipse ends 12:09 am EST

* The New Moon rises and sets with the Sun.
   First Quarter rises at noon, at midnight is done.
   Full Moon lights all the night, from sunlight it hides.
   Last Quarter's up at midnight, till high noon it rides.

   On August 1 there will be a total solar eclipse.  Unfortunately we are quite far from the path of totality -- which will pass over a swath of Greenland, the Scandinavian countries and Siberia.  The eclipse will end before sunrise in our time zone, anyway.  I am just mentioning it as you may hear about it around that time and wonder if it can be seen from Maine.