Tasmania talks with Mike O.

Tasmania talks with Mike O.

Laughlin weekday mornings from nine. Now I have the last couple of nights we've been mesmerized by one he's described as a blood moon. And Brad Tucker's an astrophysicist and astronomer from Mount Stromlow Observatory in Canberra. Brad, good morning to you.

Laughlin weekday mornings from nine. Now I have the last couple of nights we've been mesmerized by one he's described as a blood moon. And Brad Tucker's an astrophysicist and astronomer from Mount Stromlow Observatory in Canberra. Brad, good morning to you.

How's it going, mate?

How's it going, mate?

Very very well. I really appreciate your tim. I don't know what a busy man you would be from yesterday and on. Tell me about this blood moon. I mean you've obviously were at Stromlow observing it. I mean, what a great spot to be doing that. Why do we call it a blood moon?

Very very well. I really appreciate your tim. I don't know what a busy man you would be from yesterday and on. Tell me about this blood moon. I mean you've obviously were at Stromlow observing it. I mean, what a great spot to be doing that. Why do we call it a blood moon?

Yeah, So it has to do with the color that we've seen. Essentially, you know, it could be bloody, it could be more like what we saw the other night, which was this orangey red color. And that's actually because when this happened, some sunlight skims your atmosphere, and so this light skims yourth atmosphere, goes off into space and lights up on the moon. But the light that goes to the air OF's atmosphere is kind of bounced around, so it's kind of like you know, sunrise and sunset, right the sky isn't blue, you get those kind of orange, pinky colors. It's essentially the same phenomenon, so you kind of get this beautiful effect of sunrise and sunset lighting up the surface of the moon. So really a special.

Yeah, So it has to do with the color that we've seen. Essentially, you know, it could be bloody, it could be more like what we saw the other night, which was this orangey red color. And that's actually because when this happened, some sunlight skims your atmosphere, and so this light skims yourth atmosphere, goes off into space and lights up on the moon. But the light that goes to the air OF's atmosphere is kind of bounced around, so it's kind of like you know, sunrise and sunset, right the sky isn't blue, you get those kind of orange, pinky colors. It's essentially the same phenomenon, so you kind of get this beautiful effect of sunrise and sunset lighting up the surface of the moon. So really a special.

Tree, absolutely, And why red and why so rare?

Tree, absolutely, And why red and why so rare?

Yeah, So look, you know, the red really just has to do with how that atmosphere bounces the colors of light away, what we call the shorter wavelengths. The blue colors go away, and we only get those orangey reds. And in order for all this to happen, though, is you have to have this perfect alignment. You have to have the Sun, Moon, and Earth all in this straight row where the Sun is lighting up one side of the Earth, casting a shadow up in the space, and the Moon perfectly goes into that same shadow. You know, we ca'ch a big shadow at the space, but not always the angle is in that perfect spot, and sometimes the Moon is a bit higher or a bit lower to the side, so every so often it gets in that shadow and right at the center point is where that little bit of red light skims through and goes off.

Yeah, So look, you know, the red really just has to do with how that atmosphere bounces the colors of light away, what we call the shorter wavelengths. The blue colors go away, and we only get those orangey reds. And in order for all this to happen, though, is you have to have this perfect alignment. You have to have the Sun, Moon, and Earth all in this straight row where the Sun is lighting up one side of the Earth, casting a shadow up in the space, and the Moon perfectly goes into that same shadow. You know, we ca'ch a big shadow at the space, but not always the angle is in that perfect spot, and sometimes the Moon is a bit higher or a bit lower to the side, so every so often it gets in that shadow and right at the center point is where that little bit of red light skims through and goes off.

Also known as a total lunar eclipse.

Also known as a total lunar eclipse.

Isn't it exactly? So you know, it's kind of the reverse of a solar eclipse, where a solar eclipse the Moon gets in the way between the Sun and the Earth. In this case the Earth is kind of in the way. But it's also interesting because with the lunar eclipse, because the Earth is so big relative to the Moon, especially our shadow that goes out, means the lunar eclipse is visible over a large area of the world, so visible all across Australia, New Zealand, the Islands, It's in Americas as well parts of Asia, whereas the solar eclipse is so small because the moon has to be that perfect just fit to where the Sun's position is relative to Earth, only a small portion of the Earth gets to see it when that happens.

Isn't it exactly? So you know, it's kind of the reverse of a solar eclipse, where a solar eclipse the Moon gets in the way between the Sun and the Earth. In this case the Earth is kind of in the way. But it's also interesting because with the lunar eclipse, because the Earth is so big relative to the Moon, especially our shadow that goes out, means the lunar eclipse is visible over a large area of the world, so visible all across Australia, New Zealand, the Islands, It's in Americas as well parts of Asia, whereas the solar eclipse is so small because the moon has to be that perfect just fit to where the Sun's position is relative to Earth, only a small portion of the Earth gets to see it when that happens.

Amazing is that I know that every time you read a novel Someway, you read about of wizards in ancient times using this event as as a why to show the masses they great powers.

Amazing is that I know that every time you read a novel Someway, you read about of wizards in ancient times using this event as as a why to show the masses they great powers.

Exactly. It's a Christopher Columbus was famous for when he marooned himself in the Caribbean, and let's say overstate, his welcomes the indigenous people there, Well, they wanted to give him the boots, and he said, if you get rid of me, my God will turn the moon angry and it will be bloody and red, and sure enough it happened. So definitely has been used for the sarious interesting purposes in the past.

Exactly. It's a Christopher Columbus was famous for when he marooned himself in the Caribbean, and let's say overstate, his welcomes the indigenous people there, Well, they wanted to give him the boots, and he said, if you get rid of me, my God will turn the moon angry and it will be bloody and red, and sure enough it happened. So definitely has been used for the sarious interesting purposes in the past.

I'm done with the Bred talk. I asked for a physicist and a astronomer at Mount Stromler Observatory in camera Bred. When's the next one?

I'm done with the Bred talk. I asked for a physicist and a astronomer at Mount Stromler Observatory in camera Bred. When's the next one?

So we get lunar clipses or blood moons and series. This was kind of the last one of this series, so you get a period where get three or four happening every six months. This was that last one. So the next set happens in twenty twenty five, So in twenty twenty five about March, there will be a period of four of them again every six months, but not all are visible in Australia, so it will be the second one of that sets, so kind of roughly right now about September twenty twenty five looks to be the next one that be visible in Australia. But you know, this one was also very family friendly, right it was just after sunset, it wasn't in the middle of the night. The next one will probably require a little bit more dedication to see.

So we get lunar clipses or blood moons and series. This was kind of the last one of this series, so you get a period where get three or four happening every six months. This was that last one. So the next set happens in twenty twenty five, So in twenty twenty five about March, there will be a period of four of them again every six months, but not all are visible in Australia, so it will be the second one of that sets, so kind of roughly right now about September twenty twenty five looks to be the next one that be visible in Australia. But you know, this one was also very family friendly, right it was just after sunset, it wasn't in the middle of the night. The next one will probably require a little bit more dedication to see.

It, right, But I had o'clock here. It was fabulous to watch, and I know so many did, but I gather I mean, you'd be so interested. And I know that international researchers have observed the early stages. I was reading of a super and ova from speaking of red from a red super giant star around eleven point five billion years ago. I find all this quite fascinating. You've just seen something that was around eleven point five billion years.

It, right, But I had o'clock here. It was fabulous to watch, and I know so many did, but I gather I mean, you'd be so interested. And I know that international researchers have observed the early stages. I was reading of a super and ova from speaking of red from a red super giant star around eleven point five billion years ago. I find all this quite fascinating. You've just seen something that was around eleven point five billion years.

Ago there just arriving on Earth. That's right, And this is kind of one of the things don't work on is trying to find these things that travel the universes. And that's also the benefit of an eclipse, because you know some of the things they said it you know it happened eleven billion years ago and we're only now seeing it. Did you need a big space telescope to view it. Whereas a diluter eclipse, you can talk about what's happening and the science and the coo astrophysics happening, and some of the same things that we see in other planets around other stars, but people can go see it with their own eyes. So that connection from the really distant and far to the very personal I think is a special one.

Ago there just arriving on Earth. That's right, And this is kind of one of the things don't work on is trying to find these things that travel the universes. And that's also the benefit of an eclipse, because you know some of the things they said it you know it happened eleven billion years ago and we're only now seeing it. Did you need a big space telescope to view it. Whereas a diluter eclipse, you can talk about what's happening and the science and the coo astrophysics happening, and some of the same things that we see in other planets around other stars, but people can go see it with their own eyes. So that connection from the really distant and far to the very personal I think is a special one.

And Breda the other planets seem to be aligning, is what we seem to be seeing some of the broadest stars in the skies at the moment.

And Breda the other planets seem to be aligning, is what we seem to be seeing some of the broadest stars in the skies at the moment.

That's right. We've had Jupiter and Saturn very bright in the sky and so people who are looking at the lunar eclips probably spotted it. Mars is just rising in their early or later in the evening as well. So it's always a great chance to see, especially when we get these warmer nights and hopefully kind of clearish nights, given you know how unclear it kind of has been, which was good, which was good for the eclips. It actually seemed relatively clear over most of Tasmania that you know, you can go outside and see again, Yes, some of the planets as well as a special event on Tuesday and.

That's right. We've had Jupiter and Saturn very bright in the sky and so people who are looking at the lunar eclips probably spotted it. Mars is just rising in their early or later in the evening as well. So it's always a great chance to see, especially when we get these warmer nights and hopefully kind of clearish nights, given you know how unclear it kind of has been, which was good, which was good for the eclips. It actually seemed relatively clear over most of Tasmania that you know, you can go outside and see again, Yes, some of the planets as well as a special event on Tuesday and.

Bred What is next that we can look forward to in the sky.

Bred What is next that we can look forward to in the sky.

So we've got to have something in December next month happening. We have the Gem eight Medior shower. This is a regular meteor shower, but every year sometimes are better and worse, and this one should be a fairly decent year. It's going to be on December fourteenth and fifteenth of the peak, so that's definitely something to look forward to in the evening. Then to look skyward and see the sky filled with you know, a few dozen meteors or shooting stars every couple of.

So we've got to have something in December next month happening. We have the Gem eight Medior shower. This is a regular meteor shower, but every year sometimes are better and worse, and this one should be a fairly decent year. It's going to be on December fourteenth and fifteenth of the peak, so that's definitely something to look forward to in the evening. Then to look skyward and see the sky filled with you know, a few dozen meteors or shooting stars every couple of.

Hours, absolutely fascinating. Look, I'm glad I've I've got some of your time to explain that blood moon, and I appreciate your time bread this morning.

Hours, absolutely fascinating. Look, I'm glad I've I've got some of your time to explain that blood moon, and I appreciate your time bread this morning.

No worries.

No worries.

Thanks, great to talk to you. Brad Tucker the astrophysicist in astronomer from anstronomer Observatory in Canberra. When Tasmania Talks has many a talks with Mike O Loughlin weekday mornings from nine

Thanks, great to talk to you. Brad Tucker the astrophysicist in astronomer from anstronomer Observatory in Canberra. When Tasmania Talks has many a talks with Mike O Loughlin weekday mornings from nine