Eclipse stylistics:pre-equinoctial annularity

And yes, equinoctial is a word.











In other New Moon news:

September 24th or 25th, depending on your location on Earth, will see the beginning of Ramadan. While the dates and prayer timings for Ramadan are already set on the calendar, it's considered important to observe the first thin crescent Moon at the beginning and the end of the holy month.

[See Crescent Moon Photos for more evidence on that point.]

The crescent Moon and Mercury will be (barely) visible in the sunset glare on Sept. 24 in the West.

"Shortly after sunset on Sunday the 24th, you may be able to catch the ever-elusive Mercury in an unusual lineup with Spica and a thin crescent Moon. But it won't be easy — you'll need binoculars, an unobstructed western horizon, and very clear air. And the farther south you are, the better. Mercury will be just two degrees above the horizon at 40° north, the latitude of New York, and nearly twice that in Los Angeles, at 34°. The event should be relatively easy to see in the Southern Hemisphere, where the three objects will be lined up vertically above the setting Sun."