Latest news with #timeanddate.com
Mint
03-07-2025
- Science
- Mint
Shorter days ahead? On THESE three days, Earth is predicted to rotate faster — Here's why
The rotation of the Earth is expected to accelerate in July and August, resulting in shorter days. Notably, July 9, July 22, and August 5 are predicted to be the shortest days, as reported by The reduction in day length will be very little, measured in milliseconds. For instance, August 5 is expected to be approximately 1.51 milliseconds shorter than the average. The Earth rotates 365 times on its axis, determining the number of days in a year. However, this has not always been the case, various calculations indicate that Earth's orbital period in the past has varied from approximately 490 to 372 days, the report said. There are many factors that could be attributed to Earth's faster movement. According to scientists, Earth's core is impacting the rotation. The redistribution of mass caused by melting glaciers may also influence the process. Another factor that could possibly influence Earth's rotation is El Niño and La Niña, which impact global temperatures. The moon might also be a factor. According to the Moon will be near its maximum distance from Earth's equator on the three possible dates in 2025 when the day length (LOD) is shortest. Judah Levine, a physicist from the National Institute of Standards and Technology's time and frequency division, shared with Discover Magazine in 2021, "This lack of the need for leap seconds was not predicted." 'The assumption was, in fact, that Earth would continue to slow down and leap seconds would continue to be needed. And so this effect, this result, is very surprising,' Levine said. The faster rotation could necessitate changes in global timekeeping, possibly resulting in the subtraction of a leap second for the first time in 2029. 'Nobody expected this,' Leonid Zotov, a senior researcher at Moscow State University told 'The cause of this acceleration is not explained. Most scientists believe it is something inside the Earth. Ocean and atmospheric models don't explain this huge acceleration," Zotov added.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
2025 partial solar eclipse schedule: Best time for eclipse, ‘devil horns' in Maine: City by city
Devil horns in the sky? Maybe! Eclipses elicit a lot of excitement already − but sometimes, there's just something extra that makes them a little more special. A partial solar eclipse is on the horizon for Saturday, March 29, 2025, and this one − for some states anyway − will stand out for its "devil horns" effect. Also referred to as "devil's horns" or "solar horns," this stunning visual phenomenon happens when the moon partially covers the sun, particularly during an "eclipse sunrise," and the two "points at the end" resemble horns. Some people liken this peculiar phase of the sun and moon as a "Cheshire cat smile" or a "horizontal smiley face" shape. Basically, during a partial solar eclipse, if the timing and location are right, like if the stars align (haha), some may see a "devil horns" or "solar horns" effect. While Florida is not in the path of totality for the partial solar eclipse, there may be plenty of snowbirds or friends from Maine who can see the solar horns — for just a few minutes. Unfortunately, the March 29, 2025, partial solar eclipse will not be visible in Florida − or for much of the United States. Only parts of the Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada will see the "devil's horns" eclipse sunrise, states in a March 5, 2025, story. Here's what we know about this phenomenon, photos of a "devil horns" partial solar eclipse and what time people in Maine (sorry, Floridians) can see this stunning visual effect during the March 29, 2025, partial solar eclipse. A 'devil's horns' or "solar horns" eclipse is stunning. It happens during a partial solar eclipse, when the moon only covers part of the sun's disk, according to The site explains it further: a "devil horns" eclipse is "the three-quarters eclipsed sun as it rises above the eastern horizon − a phenomenon known as the 'devil's horns.'" The site's partial eclipse visibility map shows parts of Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Quebec may show the "devil horns" effect. The site goes on to say most cities in upper Maine could potentially see a "devil's horns," "devil horns," "solar horns" or horizontal "smiley face" eclipse sunrise on Saturday, March 29, 2025. The nicknames of eclipses simplify the science behind the phenomenon: A "devil horns" eclipse is when two points of the sun during a partial solar eclipse resemble a pair of devil horns. It's the same thing for a "Cheshire cat smile" eclipse, made famous by the Cheshire cat character in "Alice in Wonderland," where the cartoon cat shows a perfect smile − just teeth. When people look up in the sky during an eclipse and see the sun shaped like a smile with all teeth, it's a "Cheshire cat smile" or horizontal "smiley face" eclipse. According to the partial solar eclipse could be visible in Easton, Maine, from 6:16 a.m. to 7:16 a.m. ET Saturday, March 29, 2025, with max viewing at 6:21 a.m. ET. According to the partial solar eclipse could be visible in Presque Isle, Maine, from 6:16 a.m. to 7:16 a.m. EDT Saturday, March 29, 2025, with max viewing at 6:21 a.m. ET. According to the partial solar eclipse could be visible in Bangor, Maine, from 6:20 a.m. to 7:12 a.m. ET Saturday, March 29, 2025, with max viewing at 6:23 a.m. ET. According to the partial solar eclipse could be visible in Rocky Mountain, Maine, from 6:21 a.m. to 7:16 a.m. ET Saturday, March 29, 2025, with max viewing at 6:24 a.m. ET. According to the partial solar eclipse could be visible in Lewiston, Maine, from 6:27 a.m. to 7:11 a.m. ET Saturday, March 29, 2025, with max viewing at 6:30 a.m. ET. According to the partial solar eclipse could be visible in Portland, Maine, from 6:27 a.m. to 7:10 a.m. ET Saturday, March 29, 2025, with max viewing at 6:30 a.m. ET. According to the partial solar eclipse will be visible in Augusta, Maine, from 6:25 a.m. to 7:11 a.m. EDT Saturday, March 29, 2025, with max viewing at 6:28 a.m. EDT. People may confuse a solar eclipse and lunar eclipse. An easy way to remember the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse is to "remember the difference is in the name. The name tells you what gets darker when the eclipse happens. In a solar eclipse, the sun gets darker. In a lunar eclipse, the moon gets darker," according to Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Maine partial solar eclipse: When to see in Portland, Lewiston, Bangor
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Is it a full moon tonight? Here's when lunar eclipse will be in totality in North State
While widespread clouds and storms are expected in the northern Sacramento Valley throughout the weekend, residents in Shasta and Siskiyou counties and beyond can still experience the total lunar eclipse coming Thursday night. Even though our skies may not be clear for tonight's viewing of the total lunar eclipse, the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles will be live-streaming the event. Additionally, has brought their mobile observatory back to the United States to provide a live stream from Atlanta, Georgia. The lunar eclipse will occur the night of Thursday, March 13, and into early Friday, March 14, for those in Pacific Daylight Time. It occurs during the next full moon, the Worm Moon, which will reach peak illumination just before midnight, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. You may hear people refer to this full moon as a blood moon. During tonight's total lunar eclipse on Earth, a corresponding solar eclipse will occur on the Moon. While one would need to be on the lunar surface to observe it directly, Firefly's Blue Ghost lander will be able to capture this event and transmit it back to Earth. The weather forecast looks promising for that location, so follow them at: Here's what to know about when to see tonight's lunar eclipse, viewing conditions, whether you need glasses to view it and the full moon. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves into the inner part of Earth's shadow, called the umbra, said NASA, where all direct sunlight is blocked. Earth is 'positioned precisely between the moon and sun,' and its shadow 'falls upon the surface of the moon, dimming it and sometimes turning the lunar surface a striking red over the course of a few hours,' according to NASA. The moon appears a red, coppery hue due to how light passes through Earth's atmosphere. 'Shorter wavelengths of sunlight, like blue, are scattered by the atmosphere, so by the time the light has finished its trip to the moon, more of the longer wavelengths, like red, are left over,' said NASA. However, the moon may not always appear red. It may appear orange, brown, golden, yellow, or a combination of these colors, according to Astronomy Magazine. Clouds, dust, and ash, among other things in the atmosphere, can change how much light is refracted into the inner part of Earth's shadow, meaning the appearance of the moon during a total lunar eclipse can vary, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Totality will begin at 11:26 p.m. PDT on March 13 and end at 12:31 a.m. PDT on March 14, according to NASA. All U.S. states will have some ability to see the total solar eclipse or "blood moon." However, not all of California may have clear, cloudless skies at the time of the lunar eclipse. Most of Northern California north of Sacramento is forecasted to have a high percentage of clouds covering the sky as of 11 p.m. Thursday, according to a National Weather Service forecast map. Portions of the Central Valley, such as Fresno, Visalia and Bakersfield, face higher percentages of clouds in the night sky as well. Going south along the Nevada border, cloudiness conditions improve for Californians as of 11 p.m. Thursday. The percentage of clouds covering Southern California skies, including along the coast south of San Luis Obispo, varies a bit, but it's generally less cloudy skies compared to Northern California. Ventura and Los Angeles are forecasted to have 20% or less clouds covering the sky as of 11 p.m. Thursday. But more clouds are expected in a few pockets of San Diego County. AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines told USA TODAY Tuesday that the worst places to see the eclipse will likely be in the Far West and the Rockies, among other regions, where cloud cover is forecast to be extensive. 'A massive storm moving in from the Pacific is expected to spread rain, mountain snow, and clouds across the West Coast, Rocky Mountains, and northern Plains, making it challenging to see the total lunar eclipse,' AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Lada said. However, because the total lunar eclipse lasts for more than an hour, you'll only 'need a few breaks in the clouds' to see the eclipse, Lada said. Lunar eclipses are often called 'blood moons' because of the color they take on, USA TODAY reported. March's full moon is not exclusively known as the Worm Moon and may be referred to as the Eagle Moon, Goose Moon, Sugar Moon, and more, according to the almanac. One explanation of the Worm Moon name is due to beetle larvae that would begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees and 'other winter hideouts at this time,' the almanac reported. No, you don't need any special eyewear to stare up at the total lunar eclipse like you did the total solar eclipse last April. However, you should hope for clear skies, and in parts of California that may be less likely. USA TODAY reporter Doyle Rice and Redding Record Searchlight reporter Michele Chandler contributed to this report. Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Blood moon 2025: How to watch the lunar eclipse from Redding
