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Solstice Eclipse 2010 and 1638
- Margaret
- Bibliomaniac
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- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
- Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
- Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
- Location: Catskill, New York, USA
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Solstice Eclipse 2010 and 1638
It seems the lunar eclipse that will occur on the winter solstice this year (in the wee hours of December 21), is an extremely rare event. The last time there was a lunar eclipse on the winter solstice was in 1638, according to Wikipedia. Because eclipses have astrological significance (solar eclipses more than lunar, though), I'm wondering if anyone knows what was going on in late December 1638 and/or early January 1639.
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info
It should be visible here (UK) from around 7.40 am until 8.53 am which means that it is also a 'once in a lifetime' chance to see a selenelion - an event when both the sun and the eclipsed moon can be seen in the sky at the same time.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12039683
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12039683
- Margaret
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 2440
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
- Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
- Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
- Location: Catskill, New York, USA
- Contact:
Tempting ... but the moon is a fairly short-term astrological influence, so I don't think I'd want to spread the net as wide as a couple of years.well...a couple of years later England was plunged into a long and bloody civil war and the king got the chop
Halley's Comet appeared in April 1066, as the first planning for the Norman Conquest was already getting underway. The Conquest itself took place over the summer and autumn months of that same year. That's a better time frame for linking astrological events with worldly events.
I notice the BBC says "The last time a selenelion occurred, the Tudors were in power in England." I wonder what date that was.
Last edited by Margaret on Tue December 21st, 2010, 4:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info
- MLE (Emily Cotton)
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 3566
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
- Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
- Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
- Location: California Bay Area
- Margaret
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 2440
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
- Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
- Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
- Location: Catskill, New York, USA
- Contact:
Raining here, and no moon in sight an hour an a half before eclipse time. Darn!
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info
- parthianbow
- Compulsive Reader
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[quote=""Libby""]It should be visible here (UK) from around 7.40 am until 8.53 am.[/quote]
Not if you have a complete blanket of white cloud about 200 feet from the ground. : mad:
Not if you have a complete blanket of white cloud about 200 feet from the ground. : mad:
Ben Kane
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
It was too cloudy/foggy here as well which is annoying because the sky is clear now. Ah well, at least I looked.
Margaret - I've been searching for the exact date of the last one but can't find it. Almost 500 years ago is as near as I can get. It is very annoying not to know the exact date. I could well devote the rest of the day to trying to find out.
Margaret - I've been searching for the exact date of the last one but can't find it. Almost 500 years ago is as near as I can get. It is very annoying not to know the exact date. I could well devote the rest of the day to trying to find out.
- LoveHistory
- Bibliomaniac
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