Did anyone see the moon tonight? I was driving up Fraser road at about 9.30 tonight and had to stop and stare in awe at the moon which was as big as I have ever seen it, at the top of the road. It was almost as if I could reach out and touch it. Other people had come out to stand in the middle of Fraser road to look at it too.

Amazing.

I'm sure it was the same 3476km diameter it always is. ;)

Seriously though - sounds good, shame I didn't see it.

I was told that this is just an optical illusion but it looked mighty impressive when i took pooch for a walk earlier :thumbsup:

How i wish my camera wasn't broken :rolleyes:

The moon looks huge and is very impressive tonight, over sunny Rochdale. Nature is a beautiful thing.

I too watched to moon earlier as it rose in the sky, huge and eery. Now it's high and really bright.

I love a full moon, but I can never sleep.

Is it true that the Police and hospitals are always busier on a full moon than any other time?

I was out walking my dogs in Grenoside woods last night and the moon lit up the trees, it looked beautiful but spooky..:o

This is purely an optical illusion. I recall years ago seeing a multiple exposure photgraph of a moon rising against a background of the London skyline. There was no real difference in the size of the moon.

Originally posted by Hels

Is it true that the Police and hospitals are always busier on a full moon than any other time?

Conclusions: The full moon is associated with a significant increase in animal bites to humans.

From: British Medical Journal (http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/321/7276/1559)

Good job I took Taylor (my doggie) to a friends for a sleepover last night then :hihi:

Originally posted by petebarker
The moon looks huge and is very impressive tonight, over sunny Rochdale. Nature is a beautiful thing.

thanks

*pulls trousers up and scarpers*

Some info on the optical illusion: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4619063.stm

As for the police and hospitals being busy, there is probably some truth in that. I'm sure you don't need me to explain the origin of the word lunacy!

It's still looking pretty impressive tonight too. I'm waiting until 04.30 to see the ISS pass over :wink:

ive been trying for the last few nights as well !,
but i always fall asleep before it comes over :rolleyes:
once saw it on 3 succesive passes :thumbsup:
also once twisted my ankle pretty bad trying to get a better view :(

JJ..

I think the full moon is romantic, if it was warmer I might sleep outside and watch it.

Saw ISS last night at 4.10am. I was lucky, i'd just logged off the computer and went to the back door and saw it. Watched it until it went out of sight. That's the first time for me, I was well chuffed!

The other night I was in Bridlington, and the moon was bright red. It was really amazing.

It is an optical illusion that the moon looks bigger.

As a former psychiatric social worker, there is no empirical evidence that mental hospitals fill up during a period of a full moon. However, we used to hate working night shifts when the full moon was in the sky!

On behalf of nobikejohn, I will in due course (but nearer the time) be announcing a stargaze forum meet, provisionally being scheduled for a Friday evening during late September or in October.

nobikejohn will bring with him his telescope and an otoscope, so folk can look at the craters of the moon, stars and planets. nobikejohn will also do a teach-in on the names of the star constellations. If possible, he will try and arrange this stargaze forum meet to coincide with any known meteor showers (he has yet to check his meteor prediction tables though!).

The actual meet will obviously depend on a clear night sky. The venue is likely to be in the Derbyshire countryside, in order to minimise the light pollution from Sheffield.

You will need a car to get to the venue, plus warm clothing, and a flask of hot tea or coffee wouldn't come amiss. We hope to conclude the stargaze forum meet in a local pub.

If anyone is interested, please PM me. I am already keeping a list of interested forum members, and will PM all on the list to confirm the date, time and venue nearer the time.

Happy moon watching and star gazing!

Originally posted by redrobbo
As a former psychiatric social worker, there is no empirical evidence that mental hospitals fill up during a period of a full moon. However, we used to hate working night shifts when the full moon was in the sky!
Well, the number of people who say that the planets have no bearing upon our lives....

Funny, they all seem to be people who don't live near or on the sea ;)

(and for thosse who don't know, the tides vary according to the cycles of the moon ;) )

The moon's not a planet, Strix :)

Edit: I can think of one planet that definately does have a bearing on my life though.

Originally posted by Tiname
I think the full moon is romantic, if it was warmer I might sleep outside and watch it.

I agree. I love a clear night sky full of stars and a well lit moon, particularly when viewing from outside of a city. I also think that, no matter what problems you're having, it helps to put things in perspective.

Originally posted by tslogf74
The moon's not a planet, Strix :)
No, but it's the only celestial body we scientifically acknowledge as having influence down here ;)

Originally posted by t020
I agree. I love a clear night sky full of stars and a well lit moon, particularly when viewing from outside of a city. I also think that, no matter what problems you're having, it helps to put things in perspective.
Crosby beach does that for me

There's something perspectivizing about standing in one place and knowing that there is nothing in between you and the Wirral, Wales (which you can also see on a clear day) and America - where your great grandfather sailed to regularly, and Canada, where your great uncle still lives.

If there happens to be a ship passing I can even speculate as to whether my grandfather or my uncle made the parts for it at Chadburns.

The sunsets are a bit firey too ;)

Crosby beach (http://www.crosbycam.co.uk/images/crosby_pics/panaromic_beach.jpg)

difficult to believe no lenses are needed to get this (http://www.sjsfiles.btinternet.co.uk/jbritc.jpg)

to20

I agree, the moon is so relaxing and costs nothing but you can become deep in thought just looking at it.

Go into your garden lie down look at it.