NEW MOON REPORT
Nehemia Gordon from Jerusalem, Israel compiled the
following New Moon Report for October 2003 and the beginning of the 8th
month on the Hebrew calendar.
“On Sunday October 26, 2003 the new moon was sighted
by five observers from Mt. Shifon in the Golan Heights in northern Israel. The moon was sighted by Sue Rose
intermittently from 17:11 to 17:16, and subsequently by Darren Hooley for about
1 minute; by Diane Szostak for about 35 seconds; by Brendan Ricci for about 2
minutes; by Craig Keitz for about 2 minutes.
The moon was sighted in a break in the clouds, below
and to the right of Venus.”
Roy Hoffman of the New Moon Society gave a similar
report with the sightings of the above mentioned names but adds: “The Moon was
not seen by about 25 other people who were trying to observe at that
location including Mathew Delolello, Nehemia Gordon, Michael Rood and Roberto
Umano. The Moon could not be seen due to clouds from Netanya, Ashdod,
Jerusalem, Maale Adumim and Neve Daniel.”
If we are to go by the criteria that the new moon
must be sighted in or in the very near vicinity of Jerusalem to begin the first
day of the month and there is overcast where the moon cannot be seen and that
day is the 29th day of the month, then that evening automatically by
default becomes the beginning of the 30th day and the following
evening starts the first day of the next month.
Going by that criteria, the first day of the eighth
month of the Hebrew calendar for the common solar year 2003 began at sunset on
October 27.
Oops – In the first paragraph, line 3 of the
September/October 2003 issue of Biblical Astronomy it is stated that it
is the New Moon Report is for the 12th month of the Hebrew
calendar. That should read the 6th
month. I must have somehow had the
Hebrew civil year in mind when I wrote that.
To those who are relatively new subscribers to Biblical
Astronomy, the reason I always start with the new moon report is so there
will be a record on which dates of the Hebrew calendar certain celestial events
occur. Though I give the Gregorian
dates of the events, the Hebrew dates can be calculated from the New Moon
Report. This becomes especially
important during the months of the feasts when certain prophecies from the
Scriptures will most likely be fulfilled.
TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE
On November 8/9, 2003 there will be a Total Lunar
Eclipse that will be visible from the Americas, Europe, Africa, and western and
southern Asia. There is a fairly high
probability that the moon will appear blood red from certain areas of the
planet during the eclipse; one such area being Jerusalem, Israel.
The eclipse will be at its peak on November 9th
around 3:10 a.m. Jerusalem Local Time and will be visible (barring overcast)
high above the western horizon. The astronomical
conditions for the moon be appear blood red in color for observers in Israel
are good but somewhat borderline. I
have e-mailed some contacts in Jerusalem and it is hopeful that at least one of
them will stay up to the wee hours after the end of Shabbat to observe the
eclipse and send me a report on what is observed. If it is a blood red eclipse, then it will be the first one seen
from Jerusalem since the blood red eclipse that occurred on Passover 1996.
Below is a diagram from Sky & Telescope showing
the moon passing through the southern part of the earth’s umbra (dark shadow)
on November 8/9, 2003.
This eclipse will be visible throughout the
continental United States at various stages.
It will most likely not appear blood red from any area in the United
States.
Below is a chart that shows the various stages of
the eclipse and the times they will be visible from different time zones
throughout the continental United States and the Universal Time Zone centered
in Greenwich, England.
|
Total Eclipse
of the Moon, November 8–9, 2003 |
|||||
|
Eclipse
stage |
UT |
EST |
CST |
MST |
PST |
|
Moon enters
penumbra |
22:15 |
5:15
p.m. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
First
visible shading? |
22:55 |
5:55
p.m. |
4:55
p.m. |
-- |
-- |
|
Partial
eclipse begins |
23:32 |
6:32
p.m. |
5:32
p.m. |
-- |
-- |
|
Total
eclipse begins |
1:06 |
8:06
p.m. |
7:06
p.m. |
6:06
p.m. |
-- |
|
Total
eclipse ends |
1:31 |
8:31
p.m. |
7:31
p.m. |
6:31
p.m. |
5:31
p.m. |
|
Partial
eclipse ends |
3:04 |
10:04 p.m. |
9:04
p.m. |
8:04
p.m. |
7:04
p.m. |
|
Last visible
shading? |
3:45 |
10:45 p.m. |
9:45
p.m. |
8:45
p.m. |
7:45
p.m. |
|
Moon leaves
penumbra |
4:22 |
11:22 p.m. |
10:22 p.m. |
9:22
p.m. |
8:22
p.m. |
Charts 334 and 335 below show the position of
the moon in the sign and constellation Aries (Heb. Taleh, The Lamb)
during the peak of the eclipse as seen from Jerusalem at 3:10 am local standard
time on November 9. The moon is in the
hollow of the thigh of the lamb.
Chart 334 – Total Lunar Eclipse as seen looking west from Jerusalem at 3:10 a.m. JST on Nov 9
Chart 335 – Zoomed in and Ecliptic Mode view of Total Lunar Eclipse
on November 9, 2003
If this is a blood red moon, then it will be a great
sign indeed, and will continue in the current portrayal and theme of the blood
of atonement that began with the close approach of Mars on Elul 1, 2003, which
also began the 40 day season of repentance to the Day of Atonement which
took place on October 6/7 (see the August 2003 issue of Biblical Astronomy). The major theme of the sign Aries is
the Lamb who was slain but resurrected and now returning to defeat his enemies
and deliver his people. The following
is from E.W. Bullinger’s book The Witness of the Stars, p. 105,
concerning the sign Aries.
“We come now to the last chapter of the book: and,
as we have seen, like each of the other books, it ends up with victory and
triumph. Here we are first shown the
foundation on which that victory rests, namely, Atonement. Hence we are taken back and reminded of
the ‘blood of the Lamb.’
This is pictured by a ram, or lamb, full of vigour
and life; not falling in death as Capricornus is.”
This is the Lamb found worthy to open the seven
seals in Revelation 5 because of his atoning blood he shed, and the Lamb who
defeats the beast from the sea and his armies in Revelation 19 after the
opening of the seven seals is fulfilled.
Revelation 5 (KJV) – And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book
written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy
to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able
to open the book, neither to look therein.
4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon.
5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of
the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to
loose the seven seals thereof.
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four
beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent
forth into all the earth.
7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty
elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden
vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the
book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us
to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God
kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the
throne and the beasts and elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times
ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to
receive power and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and
blessing.
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under
the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I
saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14 And the four beasts said,
Amen. And the four and twenty elders
fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
LEONIDS METEOR SHOWER
It is that time of the year again for the Leonids Meteor Shower which peaks every year around November 18. The peak of the shower this year will in the early morning hours of November 18
The radiant (where the meteors appear to come from) of the shower is in the head of Leo (Arieh, the Lion), the Lion of the tribe of Judah. My favorite name for this particular shower is “the roar of the Lion.” However, the roar this year is not expected to be very spectacular. At its peak, the shower is expected to produce only about 10 meteors per hour as compared to hundreds per hour that it produced in meteor storms in 1999, 2000, and 2001. It may be over 100 years before we can expect to see such a storm from the Leonids again.
If it is not overcast in your area, the sky is favorable for viewing the meteors this year since there will be very little to no moonlight obscuring or blocking out the fainter meteors. It may not be worth going out into the cold this year for a few hours to observe a handful of meteors, except for the die-hard meteor watchers.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
Speaking of going out into the cold to observe celestial events, there will be a total solar eclipse on November 23 that will only be visible in its totality from Antarctica, near the South Pole. I haven’t seen any adds for tours to the South Pole to observe this eclipse as of yet. I suppose that such an expedition would put a new meaning to the song “Your So Vain.”
Anyway, the eclipse will appear as a partial eclipse in Australia, southern New Zealand and the southern tip of South America.
Charts
336 and 337 below show the position of the sun and moon as
seen from Antarctica during the peak of the eclipse in front of and near the
head of the scorpion in the sign and constellation Scorpius (Akrab, the
conflict or war).
Chart 336 – Position of Sun and Moon in Scorpius during Total Solar Eclipse on Nov. 23, 2003
Chart 337 – Zoomed in Ecliptic View of Positions of the Sun and Moon during the eclipse
The major theme for this sign is the conflict or war between the woman and the woman’s seed and the serpent and the serpent’s seed as first written of in Genesis 3:15. This war ends with the crushing of the head of the adversary or the serpent (also known as the dragon, the Devil and Satan) and the serpent’s seed.
We again see mention of the woman, the woman’s seed, and the serpent in Revelation 12, as well as the serpent’s seed (the beast and the false prophet) in Revelation 13. This is the beginning of the final battle that occurs before the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom and ends in Revelation 19 and 20 with the beast and his armies and the false prophet thrown into the lake of fire, and the serpent being bound for 1,000 years (Rev. 19:20 – 20:2)
Then there is the absolute final battle that ends with the total destruction of the serpent and the serpent’s seed that occurs about one thousand years later (Rev. 20:10).
AN ANGRY SUN
Over the past week (late October) solar activity has been
kicking up large solar storms headed toward and striking the earth. The most powerful solar storm in decades
struck the earth on Wednesday, October 29.
The sun was in the constellation Virgo (Bethulah, a virgin or maiden) which represents the woman of Genesis 3:15 and Revelation 12 when it
angrily released its fury toward the earth.
There are more solar storms expected in the very near future.
The
following are excerpts from an article from Space.com written by their Senior
Science Writer Robert Roy Britt and released on October 30.
Earth
Pounded: Second Major Space Storm in Two Days Hits – “The second of two monster space
storms began racking Earth's magnetic field around 10 a.m. EST Thursday.
Forecasters said the onslaught would continue for at least 24 hours, with the
potential to damage more satellites and hamper communication systems on the
ground.
"Here we go again,"
said Joe Kunches, lead forecaster at NOAA's Space Environment Center (SEC).
Meanwhile, the most powerful
solar storm in decades, which first struck Wednesday, continued to buffet Earth
Thursday morning and forecasters had said its effects might linger into the
afternoon. The back-to-back pairing of two historically huge flares is
unprecedented, one physicist says.
The two storms may have joined
forces as the second one caught up with the first. Scientists don't yet know
how this might play out.
Worn out - Kunches said Earth's protective
magnetic field might be worn down by the first upheaval and could be more
vulnerable to this second attack, even though the storm itself appears to be
less powerful.
Either way, Round 2 is a mean
magnetic machine, a potentially damaging cloud of charged particles that is
among the 20 worst in recorded history.
Like the first, the second
storm moved from the Sun to Earth in about 19 hours -- amazingly swift compared
to the typical interval of two days. Kunches said the second one may have moved
quickly in part because interplanetary space was cleared out by the first
salvo, creating less drag. The science behind that possible scenario is not
well understood, he said.
The effects of the second storm
remain to be seen, but it has all the markings of another serious event as it
interacts with our planet's outer natural defense system, a vast magnetic field
that's created deep inside the planet by its rotating core of iron.
Experts stressed that people on
the ground are not in danger from the storms and that airline travel is
generally safe, though elevated doses of radiation can be experienced on
high-altitude flights.
History made - The first storm will go down in
history as one of the worst of the modern telecommunications era.
It disabled a Japanese
satellite, Kodama, caused air traffic controllers to alter some trans-Atlantic flight plans as radio communications were
disrupted, and forced managers of terrestrial power grids curb use and restrict
switching between systems.
Satellite operators shut some
of their space birds down and put others partly to sleep. They rotated some so
vulnerable solar panels were better protected, and made arrangements to switch
signals to backup satellites if necessary.
The effects were less than
might have been the case, experts said, because of the improved ability to
forecast the arrival time and intensity of space weather.”
CELESTIAL SIGNS OF THE END
TIMES
Biblical Astronomer Robert Scott Wadsworth will be speaking on Celestial Signs of the End Times to the Church of All Nations at 11375 Center Street, Beaverton, Oregon on Sunday morning November 9, at 10:30 a.m. For travel directions and more information call 503-590-8327.
For those of you who can make it, I am looking forward to seeing you and spending time with you.
These are wondrous times to be living in. Praise Yahuweh Elohim for His awesome creation and sharing His good pleasure with those who love Him and His son Yahoshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ); and for both coming into our hearts and continuing to sup with us and for the deliverance whereby He delivered us by the precious blood of His dear Son.
With that in
mind, Happy Thanksgiving