- Feb 21, 2018
Solar Eclipse Starfield Redux
If you want a glimpse of what the background starfield was during the 2017 total solar eclipse, look at the nearly full moon six months later. Last August 21 the moon glided in front of the sun and the bright star Regulus appeared just to the left of the pair. The other stars were washed out in the daytime glare. (For clarity, the bright daylight sky is eliminated in the illustration.) About six months later, the full moon has taken up the sun's position along the ecliptic
- Feb 15, 2018
Watch the Full Moon Not Happen
There will be no full moon in February 2018. You can watch this non-event unfold over two weeks by following the motion of the moon in the sky against a non-moving object on earth. The ball on top of a flagpole is a good aid to get a new perspective on moon phases, for during the day the ball phase and moon phase match. The new moon--when the moon is nearly in front of the sun--happens Thursday, February 15 at 4:05 pm EST. Over the next couple of days the moon will re-emer
- Feb 14, 2018
Mishawaka Removes Excessive Lights
There's good news to report. Mishawaka Utilities is removing nearly half of its streetlights from Beacon Parkway, just off Exit 83 of the Indiana Toll Road. When I called the Electric Division of City of Mishawaka, an employee told me a light study had been done after the city received complaints about the brightness of the original streetlighting scheme. The study suggested every other fixture could be safely removed. Per the employee, the removed lights will be used on
- Feb 7, 2018
Exceed the NIPSCO Standard
LED streetlights are all the rage because they save money, lessen energy use, last long, and can be aimed judiciously. Yet all LED fixtures are not created equal. One characteristic in particular--the color--should cause you to choose with care. The harsh blue-rich light is more harmful than the soft redder hues. Please, select LED lights rated 3000K or less, whether for at home or for community-wide streetlights. Changes are coming your way, and you have both a choice a
