Maine Nature News

Astronomical Diary for 2009 for Maine
all times and dates in Eastern Time

                 Features of the Diary

    The Astronomical Diary for 2009 for Maine gives dates and times of lunar phases, equinoxes, solstices, eclipses, and dates for changes to and from Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDST). 

                Time  for your 2009 calendar?
    Some almanacs and calendars are casual about the time zone in which the data are reported, with some giving it in Universal Time (UT) without bothering to tell the reader. So I want be sure to clarify that all times here have been adjusted to Eastern (Standard or Daylight Saving, as appropriate) and,  -- for these types of events -- are not location-dependent, thus making it useful for all of Maine.
  Why is it important to know which time zone the calendar is published for?  If your 2009 calendar has the lunar phases on it check whether they show the Full Moon on January 10 (EST) or Jan. 11 (UT); on February 24 or Feb. 25, March 10 or 11, etc..  So it does make a difference!
  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!
  Many natural phenomena on Earth and in the sky relate to the celestial events listed in the Diary, for example:

  •  Sky phenomena - your views can depend on absence of Moonlight interference, for example seeing meteors, aurorae, and the Milky Way. 
  • Wildlife observation - nocturnal critters can be observed under moonlight.  The table helps you to choose the time .
  • Moonlit canoe rides, shore walks, late night woodside owl observation - best in days immediately before Full Moon.
  • Glowing life - Dark skies are required to see phosphorescent zooplankton and jellyfish in the ocean, fireflies over fields and “foxfire” glow of forest fungi.
  •  Seasons - At Summer Solstice the Sun rises the farthest Northeast and sets the farthest Northwest of the year.  Note that it illuminates some exceptional corners of your house and grounds. The longest daylight of the year occurs then, conversely for the Winter Solstice.

             Astronomical curiosities of 2009

  Do you notice there are two Full Moons in December? There is no astronomical significance for this happenstance, but it's fun to note. Some people mistakenly claim this coincidence is called a "blue moon."  Read this Sky & Telescope article about the origin of the term and decide for yourself.
    Anyway,  the Moon's period of revolution around the Earth is about 29.5 days.  December begins with a Full Moon on the 2nd, so another just happens to squeeze in on December 31.  Two full moons in a month can't be all that rare, as folklore has always provided for the eventuality of thirteen in a year.
   While on the subject of solar/lunar cycles, the date on which Easter is celebrated in the West is the "first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, which is the first moon whose 14th day (the ecclesiastic "full moon") is on or after March 21 (the ecclesiastic "vernal equinox")".  Therefore a glance at the Diary to your right will show why Eater is late this year.

  

              Eclipses
Representation of Earth and Moon traveling together around the Sun  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 late January/early February, and mid-July/early August, and again -- just under the wire in very late December -- making it an unusual year with three!
  The Cosmos offers us no good shows in 2009. The two solar eclipses will only be visible elsewhere on the planet.  There will be four lunar eclipses, all technically "visible" from Maine, but don't bother, as the Moon will just skirt the Earth's shadow in all of them, providing very little drama.

         
Event Date Time
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Sat., Jan. 4 6:56 am EST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Sat., Jan. 10 10:27 pm EST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Sat., Jan. 17 9:46 pm EST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Mon., Jan. 26 2:55 am EST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Mon., Feb. 2 6:13 pm EST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Mon., Feb. 9 9:49 am EST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Mon., Feb. 16 4:37 pm EST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Tues., Feb. 24 8:35 pm EST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Wed., Mar. 4 2:46 am EST
Daylight Saving Time begins Clock symbolizing change to Daylight Saving Time Sun, Mar. 8 2:00 am EST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Tues., Mar. 10 10:38 pm EDST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Wed., Mar. 18 1:47 pm EDST
Vernal Equinox Tulip in flower symbolizing beginning of Spring Fri., Mar. 20 7:44 am EDST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Thurs., Mar. 26 12:06 am EDST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Thurs., Apr. 2 10:34 am EDST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Thurs., Apr. 9 10:56 am EDST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Fri., Apr. 17 9:36 am EDST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Fri., Apr. 24 11:23 pm EDST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Fri., May 1 4:44 pm EDST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Sat., May 9 12:01 am EDST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Sun., May 17 3:26 am EDST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Sun., May 24 8:11 am EDST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Sat., May 30 11:22 pm EDST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Sun., June 7 2:12 pm EDST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Mon., June 15 6:15 pm EDST
Summer Solstice Sunburst symbolizing beginning of Summer Sun., June 21 1:45 am EDST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Mon., June 22 3:35 pm EDST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Mon., June 29 7:28 am EDST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Tues., July 7 5:21 am EDST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Wed., July 15 5:53 am EDST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Tues., July 21 10:35 pm EDST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Tues., July 28 6:00 pm EDST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Sat., Aug. 5 8:55 pm EDST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Thurs., Aug. 13 2:55 pm EDST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Thurs., Aug. 20 6:02 am EDST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Thurs., Aug. 27 7:42 am EDST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Fri., Sept. 4 12:03 pm EDST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Fri., Sept. 11 10:16 pm EDST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Fri., Sept. 18 2:44 pm EDST
Autumnal Equinox Oak leaf symbolizing beginning of Autumn Tues., Sept. 22 5:18 pm EDST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Sat., Sept. 26 12:50 am EDST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Sun., Oct. 4 2:10 am EDST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Sun., Oct. 11 4:56 am EDST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Sun., Oct. 18 1:33 am EDST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Sun., Oct. 25 8:42 pm EDST
Daylight Saving Time ends Clock symbolizing change from Daylight Saving Time Sun., Nov. 1 2:00 am EDST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Mon., Nov. 2 2:14 pm EST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Mon., Nov . 9 10:56 am EST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Mon., Nov. 16 2:14 pm EST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Tues., Nov. 24 4:39 pm EST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Wed., Dec. 2 2:30 am EST
Last Quarter Symbol for lunar Last Quarter phase Tues., Dec 8 7:13 pm EST
New Moon Symbol for lunar New Moon phase Wed., Dec. 16 7:02 am EST
Winter Solstice  Snowflake symbolizing beginning of Winter Mon., Dec. 21 12:47 pm EST
First Quarter Symbol for lunar First Quarter phase Thurs., Dec. 24 12:36 pm EST
Full Moon Symbol for lunar Full Moon phase Thurs., Dec. 31 2:13 pm EST

Adapted by Frank Wihbey from: Astronomical Phenomena for the Year 2009, U. S. Naval Observatory and Royal Greenwich Observatory.

Past Astronomical Diaries for Maine
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