Yes, this year at Meredith the planets will align. Well, one planet, a satellite moon and the Sun to be exact. Around about the time Grinderman conclude their set on the Saturday night, a TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE will take place. Some of you are probably scratching your heads and asking yourselves, what is a lunar eclipse?
Well… a lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun’s rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a full moon.
The moon will be eclipsed ‘in totality’ for 51 minutes and 8 seconds. This will take place from 14:31:49 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) which is about half past midnight on the Saturday night of Meredith. This is about the time Grinderman finish their set. As it takes a few hours for Earth’s shadow to completely block our view of the moon, the effect of the eclipse will be intensifying (the “penumbral” phase), throughout Grinderman’s set. Wonder if they’ll play Man In The Moon from their first album?
“My daddy was an astronaut
That’s what I was often taught
My daddy went away too soon
Now he’s living on the moon”
Anyway… the best way to get to Meredith is to enter the Ballot for tickets; first round of the Ballot closes 10pm this Friday 12 August. Go to mmf.com.au for all details.
Moon shadow, moon shadow.
