Breaking News- Astronomers Without Borders - Night Skies Network - Lunar Eclipse 2010 - LIVE Broadcasts Ended

Full Moon prior to Eclipse 21DEC2010

photo (c) 2010 Carl Wright (cwright22sst) Hudson, Florida

Eclipse Under Way 21DEC2010

photo (c) 2010 Carl Wright (cwright22sst)Hudson, Florida

Provided by Night Skies Network (NSN)
 and Astronomers Without Borders (AWB)

Broadcasts have now ended.  Thank you!

http://www.nightskiesnetwork.com/
(please check to see who else is broadcasting at a particular time)

Total Lunar Eclipse 20-21 December 2010

Poster credit: Azhy Hasan (Download print version)

Total Lunar Eclipse 20-21 December

The last eclipse of 2010 will occur on the night of 20-21 December. The eclipse will be visible from North and South America, with the partial phases and even a bit of totality seen from other places. Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) will bring the eclipse to those who won't otherwise have a chance to view the eclipse due to geography or weather. AWB also launches Eclipses without Borders with this lunar eclipse, providing ways to share the eclipse with fellow astronomers around the globe.

Live Online

Those not able to see the eclipse can watch online thanks to Night Skies Network (NSN). NSN's broadcasts feature live webcams, narration and chat boxes to talk to the operators and other visitors from around the world.

The Moon will set before the eclipse begins as seen from most of Asia.  An NSN webcam in Pakistan will show the full Moon moving towards the Earth's unseen shadow before the eclipse begins.

Europe will see the eclipse begin but only the partial phase.  Astronation will broadcast the beginning of the eclipse with the Moon setting before totality begins.

Details for each webcam, including links to their broadcast pages, are available on the AWB web site.

Eclipses without Borders

This new program brings amateur astronomers and others together to share their eclipse-watching experiences. AWB members are invited to blog about the eclipse and use the other social networking tools on the AWB web site.  Read more on the Eclipses without Borders page.

NASA Is "Up All Night" For The Eclipse

NASA astronomers will answer questions in live chat sessions, including during their own live webcast of the eclipse. See the NASA page for more information.

Lyrids Meteor Shower Peak Viewing 22APR2010

Lyrids meteor shower

posted on YouTube by lazerbim118 (1 view)— 22 April 2010 —
- The Lyrid meteor shower is the first significant shower of 2010. Dating as far back as March 687 BC, the Lyrids make an annual show usually beginning on April 16th. This northern hemisphere shower occurs when the Earth passes through debris from the Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1), discovered by A.E. Thatcher on April 4, 1861. The Comet Thatcher is expected to pass Earth again in 2267. This year, the Lyrids will peak on April 22nd with an expected show of 10 - 12 meteors per hour according to experts. The radiant of this shower is between the constellations Lyra and Hercules.

Typically, the Lyrid meteor shower presents a modest show of 10-20 meteors per hour. Occasionally, the Earth will pass through a dense clump of debris, resulting in an increased rate of meteors. In 1982, some observers counted as many as 90 meteors per hour. In 1945, a Japanese observer counted 112 meteors in 67 minutes, most of them Lyrids.

Optimal viewing time for the Lyrids will occur early morning on April 22nd. The moon will set between 1 and 2 AM, leaving a dark sky until dawn. During this time, find a dark place as far away from city lights as possible. Look to the east, giving your eyes at least 10-15 minutes to adjust to the night sky. Lie back and scan the sky for meteors with a trail that points back toward the sparkling blue-white star Vega. - http://budurl.com/SaveThisVideo

Astronomers Without Borders Launches New Website 14MAR09

Milky Way under the Iranian Night Sky by www.twanight.org (c)2009

Boundaries vanish when we look skyward We all share the same sky

www.astronomerswithoutborders.org

The star-filled night fascinates us all. People have gazed upward at it in wonder and awe for thousands of years. Regardless of earthly differences in culture, nationality or religion, the heavens are a common meeting ground for all of Earth's inhabitants. The boundaries we place between us vanish when we look skyward. Whoever, whatever or wherever we are, we all share the same sky.
Sharing is an integral part of appreciating the cosmos. Amateur astronomers regularly take their telescopes to public sites and invite others to join them in their exploration of the skies. The veterans relive the thrill of discovery alongside these new space explorers. This passion to share the night sky crosses international borders and cultures as well. The heavens transcend political, ethnic and religious differences. The tensions of everyday life seem to drain away before the wonder and enormity of the skies, and those standing in darkness with heads turned upward never ask people beside them about their origins or beliefs. In that moment, differences are forgotten and we are one beneath the sky we share.It is this bond between people that Astronomers Without Borders hopes to foster. A brief message or the gift of a small telescope can grow into lasting bonds, goodwill and friendships that reach around the world. Understanding replaces ignorance and suspicion. Media images are superceded by the faces of real people. Relationships, support and personal connections supplant stereotypes.
Astronomers Without Borders is people meeting among the heavens. It is only natural to do so. After all, we all share the same sky.