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The last total lunar eclipse of the year is set to take place on Tuesday, when the Earth blocks the Sun’s rays from reaching the Moon. Also known as the Blood Moon, the lunar eclipse will take place almost a year after the last total lunar eclipse, and viewers in North America, Central America, most of South America, the Pacific Ocean, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia will see the Moon darken and acquire a reddish hue on Tuesday. This will be the last total lunar eclipse until March 14, 2025.

How to watch the lunar eclipse

The Moon will traverse the northern half of Earth’s shadow, with totality predicted to last 86 minutes. Mid-eclipse happens on November 8th at 10:59 Universal Time (UT) or 4:29pm IST, around six days before apogee, when the Moon is farthest from Earth in its orbit. The actual clock times of the eclipse depend on your time zone.

You don’t need any equipment to observe a Blood Moon, but binoculars or a telescope can help enhance the view and the red colour of Earth’s only natural satellite.

You can also watch the lunar eclipse from the video embedded below

What to expect from the lunar eclipse

As a result, during the eclipse, the Moon will appear 7 percent smaller than it does when it’s at perigee (closest to Earth), but the difference is imperceptible. The eclipse on Tuesday will be a bit brighter than the one that occurred in May — especially in the Moon’s northern half — since the Moon doesn’t glide as close to the dark center of Earth’s shadow.

There are several delightful extras viewers can look out for while admiring the eclipse. During totality, Earth’s shadow dims the Moon sufficiently for stars to be visible right up to its edge. In addition, Uranus reaches opposition just a day after the eclipse, when it’s directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and at its closest and brightest.

And on eclipse night the distant planet will be upper left of the red-hued Moon — binoculars will reveal the planet’s pale disk. The farther west you are, the smaller the gap between planet and Moon. Also, the Northern and Southern Taurid meteor showers peak around this time, so eclipse-watchers might be treated to a few meteors streaking across the night sky.

All stages of the eclipse occur simultaneously for everyone, but not everyone will see the full eclipse. Weather permitting, observers in western North America will witness the entirety of the event on the morning of November 8, with the partial eclipse phase beginning an hour or so after midnight. In Hawai’i, the eclipsed Moon will be directly overhead. Viewers in the central parts of the continent will see all of totality and most of the final partial phases, while those on the East Coast can watch the Sun rise as totality ends.

South America will witness the initial phases of the eclipse up to totality, while Central America can enjoy the show a bit longer and see it through the total phase. The eclipse is an early evening event in central and eastern Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and the Moon rises either during the earlier partial phases or during totality.

What to observe during the lunar eclipse.

The Moon’s leading edge enters the pale outer fringe of Earth’s shadow: the penumbra. You are unlikely to notice anything until the Moon is about halfway across the penumbra.

  1. Watch for a slight darkening on the Moon’s left side as seen from North America. The penumbral shading becomes stronger as the Moon moves deeper in.
  2. The penumbra is the region where an astronaut standing on the Moon would see Earth covering only part of the Sun’s disc.
  3. The Moon’s leading edge enters the umbra, the cone of Earth’s shadow within which the Sun’s completely hidden. You should notice a dramatic darkening on the leading edge of the lunar disk. With a telescope, you can watch the edge of the umbra slowly engulfing one lunar feature after another, as the entire sky begins to grow darker.
  4. The trailing edge of the Moon slips into the umbra for the beginning of total eclipse. But the Moon won’t black out completely: It’s sure to glow some shade of intense orange or red.
  5. Why is this? The Earth’s atmosphere scatters and bends (refracts) sunlight that skims its edges, diverting some of it onto the eclipsed Moon. If you were on the Moon during a lunar eclipse, you’d see the Sun hidden by a dark Earth rimmed with the reddish light of all the sunrises and sunsets ringing the world at that moment.
  6. The red umbral glow can be quite different from one eclipse to the next. Two main factors affect its brightness and hue. The first is simply how deeply the Moon goes into the umbra as it passes through; the center of the umbra is darker than its edges. The other factor is the state of Earth’s atmosphere. If a major volcanic eruption has recently polluted the stratosphere with thin global haze, a lunar eclipse can be dark red, ashen brown, or occasionally almost black.
  7. In addition, blue light is refracted through Earth’s clear, ozone-rich upper atmosphere above the thicker layers that produce the red sunrise-sunset colors. This ozone-blue light tints the Moon also, especially near the umbra’s edge. You’ll need binoculars or a telescope to see this effect.
  8. As the Moon progresses along its orbit, events replay in reverse order. The Moon’s edge re-emerges into the sunlight, ending totality and beginning a partial eclipse again.
  9. When all of the Moon escapes the umbra, only the last, penumbral shading is left. Sometime later, nothing unusual remains.

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NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Refutes Health Concerns Amid ISS Mission

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NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Refutes Health Concerns Amid ISS Mission

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has recently addressed speculations surrounding her health condition while on the International Space Station (ISS), discarding recent claims made by media outlets regarding her wellbeing. In response to reports that suggested she appeared “gaunt” due to an extended stay on the ISS, Williams clarified her status during a video interview on November 12, explaining that her weight has remained unchanged since her arrival in orbit.

Routine Exercise and Physical Adaptations

Williams, who commands Expedition 72 aboard the ISS, responded to health concerns publicly, indicating that any changes in her physical appearance are the result of rigorous exercise routines rather than health deterioration. Like all astronauts on extended missions, she has been following an intense workout regimen designed to counteract the muscle and bone density loss commonly associated with prolonged microgravity exposure. Williams stated that her routine includes running on a treadmill, riding an exercise bike and lifting weights. It is a form of exercise that has led to increased muscle mass, particularly in her thighs and glutes, while her overall weight remains consistent.

NASA’s Statement on Crew Health

NASA had previously denied the reports, emphasising that Williams and her fellow crew members, including NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, are in good health. Williams and Wilmore, who arrived at the ISS on June 6 aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, were initially scheduled for a ten-day mission under the Crew Flight Test programme. Technical issues with Starliner’s thrusters led NASA to extend their stay on the ISS until early 2025, when they are expected to return with SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission astronauts.

Current ISS Crew Status

The current ISS team, led by Williams, includes three NASA astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts, all working collaboratively despite recent media scrutiny. Williams assured viewers that her health and morale remain robust as the crew carries out essential research and maintenance tasks on the orbiting laboratory showing NASA’s confidence in their well-being during extended missions.

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Math reveals secrets to gaining height on a half-pipe

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Math reveals secrets to gaining height on a half-pipe

A recent study reveals how skateboarders can use mathematical insights to increase their speed and height on half-pipes. Florian Kogelbauer, a mathematician from ETH Zurich, and his research team have examined how specific movements impact a skateboarder’s performance on U-shaped ramps. By alternating between crouching and standing in certain areas, skaters can generate extra momentum, leading to higher jumps and faster speeds. This research, published in Physical Review Research, could lead to more efficient techniques for skaters aiming to improve their skills.

Modelling Momentum on Half-Pipes

The research was published in American Physical Society Journal. The technique of “pumping,” or alternating between crouching and standing, is essential for building speed on half-pipes. Kogelbauer’s team created a model to show how the body’s centre of mass affects movement on a ramp, much like the mechanics of a swing. In their calculations, they found that crouching while moving downhill and standing while moving uphill helps skaters gain height more effectively. This rhythm, the team suggests, could help skaters reach higher elevations on the ramp in fewer motions.

Testing the Theory with Real Skaters

To test the model’s validity, researchers observed two skateboarders as they navigated a half-pipe. They were asked to reach a specific height as quickly as possible. Video analysis revealed that the more experienced skater naturally followed the model’s suggested pattern, reaching the target height with fewer motions. The less experienced skater, who did not follow the pattern as precisely, required more time to reach the same height. This contrast suggests that experienced skaters intuitively apply these principles for better performance.

Broader Applications Beyond Skateboarding

According to Sorina Lupu, an engineer at the California Institute of Technology, this simplified model may also have applications in robotics. By demonstrating how minimal adjustments in body position can impact speed and height, this study offers insights that could make robotic movement more efficient. For engineers, this research indicates that straightforward models of human movement could be used to enhance robotic performance, providing an alternative to complex machine-learning models often used in robotics.

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Global Fossil CO2 Emissions Hit Record in 2024

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Global Fossil CO2 Emissions Hit Record in 2024

Global carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion have reached an unprecedented peak in 2024, with the Global Carbon Project reporting a projected 37.4 billion tonnes of fossil CO2 emissions, a 0.8% increase from 2023. The report underscores an urgent call for emissions reduction as the world’s annual output of CO2 from fossil fuels and land-use changes collectively approaches 41.6 billion tonnes. Despite increased efforts to mitigate climate impacts, there are no clear signs of a peak in global fossil CO2 emissions, heightening the risk of surpassing critical climate thresholds.

Sector-Specific Emissions and Regional Insights

As per a report by University of Exeter, emissions from fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas, are anticipated to rise in 2024, accounting for 41 percent, 32 percent, and 21 percent of fossil CO2 emissions, respectively. Coal emissions are expected to increase by 0.2 percent, oil by 0.9 percent, and natural gas by 2.4 percent. On a regional level, China, responsible for 32 percent of global emissions, is projected to see a slight increase of 0.2 percent, while emissions in the United States are expected to fall by 0.6 percent.

The European Union’s emissions are forecasted to decrease by 3.8 percent, whereas India, contributing 8 percent of global emissions, is projected to experience a 4.6 percent rise. Emissions from aviation and shipping sectors are also set to increase by 7.8 percent this year, though they remain below pre-pandemic levels.

Carbon Budget and Climate Warnings

According to Professor Pierre Friedlingstein from the University of Exeter, who led the study, the absence of a peak in fossil CO2 emissions further reduces the remaining carbon budget needed to keep warming below the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree Celsius target. At the current emission rate, a 50 percent probability exists of surpassing this threshold within the next six years. Meanwhile, Professor Corinne Le Quéré of the University of East Anglia acknowledged ongoing efforts in renewable energy deployment and reduced deforestation but stressed that substantial emissions reductions are still essential.

Urgency for Accelerated Action

The report emphasises that while some nations demonstrate progress in emissions reduction, these efforts have not been sufficient to reverse the overall global trend. Dr Glen Peters from the CICERO Center for International Climate Research noted that global climate action remains “a collective challenge,” with gradual declines in emissions in certain regions counterbalanced by increases elsewhere.

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