Astronomy – Page 21 – A Darker View

Hilo & Kona Lāhainā Noon Reminder

Today will be Lāhainā Noon in Hilo and Kailua-Kona, the moment when shadows disappear.

The event will occur at 12:17HST in Hilo, and three minutes later further west in Kailua-Kona at 12:20HST.

The exact date and time varies significantly across the islands and from year to year. The table below shows the time of Lāhainā Noon for various cities in 2019.

Lahiana Noon for May 2019
City	Long.	Lat.	Date	Time	Elevation
Naalehu	155°35’W	19°03’N	May15	12:19HST	89.9
Hilo	155°05’W	19°42’N	May18	12:17HST	89.9
Kona	155°59’W	19°39’N	May18	12:20HST	89.9
Waimea	155°40’W	20°01’N	May20	12:19HST	89.9
Hawi	155°50’W	20°14’N	May21	12:20HST	90.0
Hana	156°00’W	20°46’N	May23	12:21HST	89.9
Kihei	156°27’W	20°45’N	May23	12:23HST	89.9
Kahalui	156°28’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lahaina	156°40’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lanai City	156°55’W	20°50’N	May24	12:24HST	89.9
Kaunakakai	157°01’W	21°05’N	May25	12:25HST	89.9
Honolulu	157°49’W	21°18’N	May26	12:28HST	89.9
Kaneohe	157°48’W	21°25’N	May27	12:28HST	89.9
Waialua	158°08’W	21°34’N	May28	12:30HST	89.9
Lihue	159°22’W	21°58’N	May31	12:35HST	90.0
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

Full Moon

Full Moon will occur today at 11:11HST.

This evening look for the Moon rising in the east just as the Sun sets in the west. Across the Big Island this can often lead to moonbows as the low elevation moonlight interacts with fog and clouds.

Lāhainā Noon

Lāhainā Noon is that moment when the Sun is directly overhead. At the moment of Lāhainā Noon shadows disappear.

As the islands lie south of the Tropic of Cancer there is a day when the Sun will pass directly overhead as the summer solstice approaches, generally in late May. There is a second noon as the Sun’s position moves south again in July.

The term Lāhainā Noon is unique to the islands, being adopted by the Bishop Museum in the 1990’s to describe this event. The Hawaiian term lā hainā translates roughly as cruel Sun.

The exact date and time varies significantly across the islands and from year to year. The table below shows the time of Lāhainā Noon for various cities in 2019.

Lahiana Noon for May 2019
City	Long.	Lat.	Date	Time	Elevation
Naalehu	155°35’W	19°03’N	May15	12:19HST	89.9
Hilo	155°05’W	19°42’N	May18	12:17HST	89.9
Kona	155°59’W	19°39’N	May18	12:20HST	89.9
Waimea	155°40’W	20°01’N	May20	12:19HST	89.9
Hawi	155°50’W	20°14’N	May21	12:20HST	90.0
Hana	156°00’W	20°46’N	May23	12:21HST	89.9
Kihei	156°27’W	20°45’N	May23	12:23HST	89.9
Kahalui	156°28’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lahaina	156°40’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lanai City	156°55’W	20°50’N	May24	12:24HST	89.9
Kaunakakai	157°01’W	21°05’N	May25	12:25HST	89.9
Honolulu	157°49’W	21°18’N	May26	12:28HST	89.9
Kaneohe	157°48’W	21°25’N	May27	12:28HST	89.9
Waialua	158°08’W	21°34’N	May28	12:30HST	89.9
Lihue	159°22’W	21°58’N	May31	12:35HST	90.0
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

Preparing for the Storm

There will be protests, that much is clear. Beyond that certainty there is no certainty. When? How big? How long? We just do not know, it is likely no one does.

As we prepare for the restart of construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, those of us whose lives revolve around the mauna can only guess and prepare best we can.

While there is news of plans at the state and county level to deal with the protests, there is little information on the details in those plans. Both sides are keeping their cards close. We are given to understand that the county will be the lead agency it is clear that there will be state support.

Arguing with a Flerf pt. 2

So I pressed the conversation longer than I really should have. But I did discover a number of motivations behind the obstinate adherence to an easily disproved view of the world. It took more conversation, but his motivations did become clearer.

Total Solar Eclipse 2017 — The 2017 total solar eclipse as photographed from central Oregon

To no surprise part of the reason is religion. When he began to quote bible verses in support of his claims of a “immovable” Earth one can begin to see where he is starting from.

Our flat, enclosed, immovable earth is absolute proof of a creator. God is real. We don’t have to believe in Him anymore. We can know it to be true.
Flat earth absolutely destroys the atheist/humanist worldview. Just like that.
Adam Asing in a Facebook Comment

If one begins with the belief that the Earth is flat, it is easy to reinforce that idea in this modern internet age. A thriving community of flerfs form one of the clearest examples of an echo chamber to be found on the net, a cult really. Circulating photos and YouTube videos reinforce the worldview, ridicule the “globe heads”, cement a community together in a belief of “true knowledge”.

The Moon and Mars

The Moon, Venus and Aldebaran join up for an evening conjunction

This evening will feature a very slim crescent Moon 4° from Mars. Look for a bright orange object a few degrees below and to the north of the Moon to spot the planet.

The Moon will be only 11% illuminated, while the planet will be shining at 1.7 magnitude.

New Moon

Young Moon — A very young moon over Waikoloa

New Moon will occur today at 12:45HST.

Tonight will be the best observing weekend of the month. Get out and enjoy the dark!

Arguing with a Flerf

What is a flerf?

Flerf is simply short for a flat earth fanatic, a little easier to type than the whole thing. Some may consider this derogatory, I do not particularly see it as so. Well? Maybe a little. But considering what I have been called by flerfs, I have no regrets.

Chang'e 5 Earth and Moon — The Chang’e 5 test vehicle service module took this photo of Earth and the Moon together. Credit CSNA

Our local flerf goes by the screen name of Adam Asing. That might even be his real name as there is a local musician of the same name. We have occasionally identified other screen names he uses, probably because he has been blocked under his primary alias in so many media outlets.

I would probably not normally notice Mr. Asing, except he routinely attacks the telescopes in just about any media he still has access to. As such he intentionally makes himself a target. As such I sometimes respond… It can be so much fun!

Eta-Aquariid Meteor Shower

The early hours of dawn on May 6th will see the peak of the η-Aquariid meteor shower. This is a reliable shower that produces anywhere from 30-80 meteors each hour near peak. Known for fast moving meteors that have a tendency to leave glowing, persistent trains, the η-Aquariid meteors may be one of the best bets for island observers in 2019.

Leonids in Orion — A pair of Leonid meteors streak through Orion

Resulting from debris left behind by Comet 1P/Halley this shower approaches the Earth from the direction of the constellation Aquarius. As this constellation is quite low in the sky during the shower the meteors are entering the atmosphere at a low angle, this often results in meteors with long trains crossing much of the sky. A good shower that produces great fireballs.

A Tale of Two Earthquakes

Two earthquakes of the same magnitude strike our island a month apart. Two events that are quite interesting to us at the observatory. Both about the same magnitude, both occurring deep in the island, one was far more forceful at the telescopes causing some minor damage, the second caused no damage that we have found despite a thorough inspection.

Any strong earthquake is a concern for the telescopes. We need to know immediately just how strong the quake was, how much potential for damage occurred.

The telescopes are precision instruments with many delicate parts. On the other hand earthquakes are common on this volcanic island and we have learned how to deal with the shaking.

When attempting to measure the possible damage to the telescope it is not earthquake magnitude that is interesting. Rather we want to know the peak ground accelerations that occur at the summit facility. The actual forces that could potentially cause damage. These are measured by means of a logging accelerometer mounted in the basement of the observatory.