STAR GAZER
THE INTERNATIONAL EDITION

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Notice : These are working drafts of the scripts for STAR GAZER.
Changes may well be made as production requires.

"Star Gazer" is available with iTunes,
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STAR GAZER

Episode # 09-51 / 1672nd Show

To Be Aired : Monday 12/21/2009 through Sunday 12/27/2009

"Howl In The Blue Full Moon This New Year's Eve!
And You May Win A Telescope!"

Horkheimer: Greetings, greetings fellow star gazers. Approximately every 19 years there is a full Moon on New Year's Eve. And since the last one occurred on December 31st 1990 it means that next week's full Moon will also occur on December 31st and I'd like you to celebrate it in a very special way because there will not be another full Moon on New Year's Eve until 2028.

Now twice a month our Earth, Moon and Sun line up in a row. When the Moon is between our Earth and the Sun we can't see the Moon at all because its sunlit side is facing away from us and we say the Moon is new. And about two weeks later the Moon will have moved to the other side of our Earth and we then see the side of the Moon that is fully lit up and we call this the full Moon. Now on average the full Moon occurs every 29 1/2days which means that usually there is only one full Moon per month. But about every two and a half years we can have a month with two full Moons, one at the very beginning of the month and one at the very end. Folklore calls this second full Moon a 'blue' Moon although it has nothing to do with the Moon's color. So since we had a full Moon on December 2nd we're also going to have one December 31st which means that the full Moon this New Year's Eve will be a 'blue' full Moon. Let me show you.

O.K., we've got our skies set up for next Thursday night December 31st New Year's Eve, just after sunset facing east where you will see an exquisite 'blue', no color intended, full Moon rising. And if you remember all full Moons slowly climb the sky and reach their highest point at midnight, which of course this December 31st is when 2009 ends and 2010 begins, an event celebrated with great gusto all around the world. But this year you can do something very special when the Moon reaches its highest point at midnight which you won't be able to do again for 19 years. And that is something I did with a bunch of my neighbors in Miami 19 years ago in 1990.

You see I got all my neighbors together for a New Year's Eve 'howl in'. And from midnight until 12:30 we had a "full blue Moon howl-in-the-New-Year contest". Three judges picked the best and the winners received a brand new telescope. And I think it was the most fun New Year's Eve of my life. So 19 years later I'd like to do the same thing again only on a much bigger scale because I'd like all of you to be my "neighbors" and participate in the first international "Star Gazer, Ring-In-The-New-Year, Full Blue Moon Howl-in". All you have to do is organize a group of 12 people or more, have your own howling contest from midnight 'til whenever, pick your winners, perhaps award some prizes and then take a picture or video of your group and e-mail it along with your address to stargazerhowlin@gmail.com.

In late January we'll select a dozen groups at random and each selected group will win a beginner's telescope. Go to jackstargazer.com for all the details, so get your group together and join the Star Gazer First International "Blue Full Moon-Howl-In-The-New-Year" celebration. Happy 2010! And keep looking up!

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"Star Gazer" is available with iTunes,
for downloading with Quicktime
and we're now on YouTube

Check Out WPBT's Version

"Howl In The Blue Full Moon This New Year's Eve!
And You May Win A Telescope!"

Horkheimer: Whenever a month has two full Moons the second full Moon is called a 'Blue' Moon although it has nothing to do with its color. This December we had a full Moon on the second and we'll have one next week on New Year's Eve. And if you join our "Star Gazer Full Blue Moon howl in" you just may win a telescope. On New Year's Eve after sunset face east and the full Moon will be rising. It will slowly climb the sky and just coincidentally will reach its highest point at midnight ringing in the New Year. So we suggest that you organize a group of twelve people or more and have a Full Blue Moon howling contest at midnight. Send us a picture or video of your group and you may win one of 12 beginner's telescopes. Go to jackstargazer.com for details and make plans for your "Howl-In The New Year" party now! Keep looking up!

How did you like this episode?
Please give us your comments. (Click Here)

For GRAPHICS for this script (Click) Here

* This week's Sky At A Glance and Planet Roundup from Sky & Telescope.

Starry Night Deluxe was used to produce this episode of Star Gazer

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