aWith the long-awaited total solar eclipse arriving next month, the night sky late Sunday and early Monday was lit up with a flurry of other celestial activity over the weekend.
First, the plasma explosion on Friday, or Coronal mass ejectionfrom the outer layer of the sun caused “Severe” geomagnetic storm. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is scheduled to monitor it Sunday evening. While such storms could have occurred Impacts on communications technologyA few have been observed. But celestial activity set the stage for a stunning spectacle. The aurora borealis, also known as the northern or southern lights, are naturally occurring light displays caused by disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field. While some resulting aurora have already been observed, e.g In Fairbanks, Alaska, Sunday eveningThe effects of the geomagnetic storm are expected to continue until Monday Australia And even Some states in the northern United States Possibly get a glimpse of the show in the sky.
Sunday night also saw the first full moon of spring, commonly referred to as the “worm moon” or “sugar moon” in various cultures. Thanks to the “moon illusion,” he said Old Farmer's AlmanacThe worm moon appeared larger than usual, as it appeared closer to the horizon and could be seen compared to buildings and other landmarks on Earth. This year's worm moon reached peak illumination at about 3:00 a.m. ET on Monday.
This year's Worm Moon is also very special as it slips quietly behind the Earth External The penumbral shadow of the lunar eclipse is visible In many parts of the world Like a slight dimming of the moon. The moon was scheduled to enter the shadow area at 12:53 a.m. Eastern time. According to NASAThe greatest eclipse arrives at 3:13 a.m. when 96% of the moon is in partial shadow, and it emerges from the shadow at 5:32 a.m. Eclipses tend to come in pairs during NASA is calling “Eclipse seasons,” which are roughly 35-day periods that come twice a year near the vernal and fall equinoxes — the 2024 vernal equinox was on March 20 — when the sun, moon and Earth are in alignment. While no precautions are necessary to view the penumbral eclipse, experts warn that suitable glasses will be needed to view the rarer and more spectacular total solar eclipse on April 8.
Read more: The “Devilish Comet” will be a celestial star during the eclipse
Below are some photos and videos posted on social media that users claim to have captured of the celestial events that occurred last weekend:
Aurora borealis for March 2024
March 2024 “worm moon”
March 2024 penumbral eclipse
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