Friday, May 18, 2007

Blue Moon on May 31

It's time for a Blue Moon! And here's the Maine connection. It turns out that there's at least 2 definitions for a Blue Moon and one of them is from the Maine Farmer's Almanac!

"Although the full moon occurring Thursday, May 31, 2007, will look like an ordinary full moon, it will actually be a bit extraordinary—a blue moon.

What is a Blue Moon?

"There are in fact two definitions for a blue moon. According to the more recent definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. For a blue moon to occur, the first of the full moons must appear at or near the beginning of the month so that the second will fall within the same month (the average span between two moons is 29.5 days). May 2007 will have two full moons: the first on May 2, the second on May 31—that second full moon is called the blue moon.

"Note that the May 31 date applies to most of the Western Hemisphere, including the United States. In the Eastern Hemisphere, the full moon in question will occur on June 1. For that half of the world, the blue moon will be on June 30, 2007.

The Other Kind of Blue Moon

"An older definition for the blue moon is recorded in early issues of the Maine Farmer's Almanac. According to this definition, the blue moon is the third full moon in a season that has four full moons. Why would one want to identify the third full moon in a season of four full moons? The answer is complex, and has to do with the Christian ecclesiastical calendar.

"Some years have an extra full moon—thirteen instead of twelve. Since the identity of the moons was important in the ecclesiastical calendar (the Paschal Moon, for example, used to be crucial for determining the date of Easter), a year with a thirteenth moon skewed the calendar, since there were names for only twelve moons. By identifying the extra, thirteenth moon as a blue moon, the ecclesiastical calendar was able to stay on track.

"For a fuller explanation see http://www.inconstantmoon.com/cyc_blue.htm. For more background information on the controversy over the two definitions of blue moon, see the Sky and Telescope article, "What's a Blue Moon?" In it they explain how the two different definitions of a blue moon came about—including their own role in introducing the second, modern definition.

A Star Rating for the Modern Blue Moon

"Although Sky & Telescope calls the modern blue moon definition "trendy" and a "mistake," the fact that there is an older, preexisting (and more complicated) definition does not necessarily make it the more interesting or meaningful definition. Charting the "third full moon in four full moons" in a season isn't everyone's idea of an fascinating enterprise. The modern, "trendy" definition, however, points to an intriguing astronomical phenomenon—every so often two moons can manage to position themselves in the same month. Given that full moons occur once every 29.5 days, this is quite an accomplishment!

How Often Does a Blue Moon Occur?

"Over the next twenty years there will be a total of 17 blue moons, with an almost equal number of both types of blue moons occurring. No blue moon of any kind will occur in the years 2006, 2011, 2014, and 2017.

"The more recent phenomenon, where the blue moon is considered to be the second full moon in a calendar month, last occurred on July 31, 2004. Two full moons in one month may occur in any month out of the year except for February, which is shorter than the lunar cycle.

"The other, older blue moon event, which happens when there are four full moons in a season, last occurred in August 2005. Since this type of blue moon is reckoned according to the seasons, it can only occur in February, May, August, or November, about a month before the equinox or the solstice.

Twice in a Blue Moon

"The rare phenomenon of two blue moons (using the more recent definition) occurring in the same year happens approximately once every 19 years. 1999 was the last time a blue moon appeared twice, in January and March.

"The months of the double blue moons are almost always January and March. That is because the short month that falls in between them, February, is a key ingredient in this once-every-nineteen-year phenomenon. For January and March to each have two full moons, it's necessary for February to have none at all. Since February is usually 28 days long, and the average span between full moons is 29.5 days, if a full moon occurs at the end of January, it's possible for the next full moon to skip February entirely and fall in the beginning of March.

Once in a Blue Moon

"'Blue moon' appears to have been a colloquial expression long before it developed its calendrical senses. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first reference to a blue moon comes from a proverb recorded in 1528:

If they say the moon is blue,
We must believe that it is true.


"Saying the moon was blue was equivalent to saying the moon was made of green (or cream) cheese; it indicated an obvious absurdity. In the 19th century, the phrase until a blue moon developed, meaning "never." The phrase, once in a blue moon today has come to mean "every now and then" or "rarely"—whether it gained that meaning through association with the lunar event remains uncertain.

retrieved May 17, 2007 from: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bluemoon1.html

Continue to Pray for Sarah

One of Sarah's classmates reported to me that he had gone to visit Sarah. He said that she is "completely off sedatives and is making a slow recovery. Doctors say everything is healing as it is supposed to. Doctors are, however, unsure of how long the recovery will be. They say between a month and a year, possibly longer. She may have brain injury but the extent of the brain injury is not yet known. She can see and hear, likes touching things, and can identify her mother. She ate for the first time since the accident (she has feeding tubes). She ate a little bit of chocolate pudding and licked most of the remainder off her lips by herself. She held my hand when I placed my hand on hers and though she did not focus on me or anyone thing I think she knew how I was based on the way she held my hand. It was almost as if to tell me she's alright. She is going through therapy right now (she is sitting up, moving appendages, that sort of thing). As I left she also gave what appeared to be a thumbs up but I could just be imagining it."

This is good news but there is obviously still a long way to go. Please keep praying!

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Please pray for Sarah

One of my students, Sarah, was in a horrible car accident last Saturday (May 5, 2007). It wasn't certain that she would live; the good news is that now it looks like she'll make it through. Below is the newspaper article about the accident and an email update from the University. Sarah is a bright, creative, eager student and a kind, outgoing young woman. I'm holding out for a miracle. Also, please pray for the family of the other driver in the accident who died at the scene of the accident.

From: Celeste Branham
Subject: Update on Sarah Mueller's Condition
Date: May 9, 2007 12:35:53 PM CDT

Dear Members of the UMF Community,

I spoke with Sarah Mueller’s mother moments ago and wanted to share with you news of Sarah’s current medical status. Sarah remains in critical condition on a respirator, but the doctors say her prognosis is good; they expect to remove the respirator sometime later this week. She has undergone several surgeries to repair broken bones in her feet and legs, and though she suffered chest trauma, her lung functions are good. She continues to be sedated, and an assessment of her head injuries will be made when the sedation is eliminated. From my conversation with Sarah’s mother, I was able to glean reason for optimism, and wanted you to know of her progress.

As ever,

Celeste

Ms. F. Celeste Branham
V.P. for Student and Community Services
University of Maine at Farmington


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mercer car crash leaves 1 woman dead
By CRAIG CROSBY
Staff Writer
Monday, May 07, 2007

MERCER -- A woman is dead and a teenage girl critically injured following a head-on crash on U.S. Route 2 Saturday evening.

Cynthia Gee, 55, of Skowhegan, was pronounced dead at the scene, said State Police Trooper Diane Perkins-Vance.

The other driver, Sarah Mueller, 17, of Anson, a student at the University of Maine at Farmington, had to be extricated from her vehicle and was airlifted to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston with life-threatening injuries, Perkins-Vance said. Mueller was listed in critical condition at the hospital Sunday evening.

The accident occurred around 10 p.m. Saturday when one of the vehicles crossed the center line, causing a head-on collision, Perkins-Vance said.

It has yet to be determined which vehicle crossed the center line or why, though neither speed nor alcohol appear to be a factor, Perkins-Vance said.

Gee was not wearing a seatbelt, Perkins-Vance said.

Both Gee's 1998 Toyota Corolla four-door and Mueller's 1992 Ford Escort four-door were totaled in the crash, Perkins-Vance said.

Craig Crosby -- 861-9253

ccrosby@centralmaine.com
retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/3881411.html

Sunday, May 6, 2007

I'll see your albino squirrel and raise you one albino moose

Hi Theresa,
I read your blog about the albino squirrel. Attached is an albino moose picture taken in Maine. Have fun with it!!! Grace




Yep, just like I said on May 3: "Maybe our cultures are more alike than we think."

Saturday, May 5, 2007

May 5, 2007: 10 Dozen Postings

That last posting about Peepers was my 120th blog entry since moving to Maine on January 8, 2007. It's almost 4 months (it will be 4 months on Tuesday). That means I averaged 30 postings a month . . . one post a day (though regular readers know it was more in spurts than a nice daily posting).

How cool is that? I really didn't think I would keep it up. But now I have a backlog of photos to post and I haven't been keeping up my photo website. Maybe I'll get caught up this summer (HA!).

I'll be back in Texas for 3 months and then back here in Maine for 3 more years. I don't know if I'll post anything while I'm in Texas, but I plan to keep it up when I get back to experience more Life with the Mainiacs!

May 5, 2007: Peepers!

Here in Maine, there’s a special sound that you only hear for a 2-3 week period. It starts in the south and fairly quickly, moves north across the state. It is the harbinger of spring, the indicator of the end of Mud Season and the beginning of Spring Season. It’s the sound of peepers. They are some kind of tree/brush frog and only make this sound in the spring. Here’s a website with lots of biological info on the species AND a project that local students can do to help the Maine Bureau of Land and Water Quality keep up with them:

http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doceducation/jeepers/peeper.htm

When I flew back from Texas on April 21, MRM and RBF heard them in a marshy area just outside the airport when they came to pick me up. They even drove back around after they got me so that I could hear it for myself. Not too long after that (May 1, to be exact), I heard them in the creek beside the Education Center. Last night, when I was walking home, I recorded their song on my Palm voice recorder. It’s not the greatest quality recording, but it’s MY recording. :-) On the Maine.gov website above, you can hear a better quality recording, but I’m posting mine here for documentation’s sake.




May 3, 2007: Great News for UNT!

This doesn't have anything to do with Life in Maine, but I'm so excited, I have to share it somewhere. [Or maybe it's related to life in Maine because if an albino squirrel can make headlines in Texas, what's so odd about a donkey making headlines in Maine? Maybe our cultures are more alike than we think.]

At University of North Texas, we had an unofficial mascot of an Albino Squirrel. Last summer, "Baby" met an untimely, but natural death when it was attacked by a hawk. It would be the natural fate of an albino squirrel to be easily spotted by a predator. But Baby was actually the second albino squirrel to be spotted on campus. And now a third is found! This is a baby squirrel and it is assumed that it's "Baby's baby." Below is the article, but also the link to the source article because if you go to the source, there are links to an article about Baby's death (which made BIG local news on all the TV stations and radio stations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area . . . even the memorial service was aired on TV) and there's a link to the Albino Preservation Society, a campus organization. I personally own an Albino Christmas Tree ornament and a series of "Albinotines" -- special heart shaped greeting cards with photos of Baby sent in lieu of Valentine's Cards. It's all great fun.


May 03, 2007
New baby albino squirrel discovered living on UNT campus
Posted by: Julie Elliott Payne



The UNT campus community was in mourning after the campus’ albino squirrel, "baby," was killed by a red-tailed hawk. But as the spring semester winds down, it turns out “baby” left a legacy - a third albino squirrel has been discovered on campus.

The newest squirrel - a baby - is living near Maple Hall and was first seen the week of April 27. It is part of a group of several baby squirrels living in a tree near that residence hall.
http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Some students consider the albino squirrel an unofficial mascot and good-luck charm. Just last month, a memorial was dedicated at the Willis Library Cyber CafĂ© in honor of “baby.” K.T. Shiue of the North Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts took the photos of “baby” used in the memorial and was able to capture several photos of the new squirrel.

The first albino squirrel on campus, nicknamed "Thelonius," was spotted around 2000. It is unclear what happened to that squirrel. “Baby” was first spotted in April 2004.

In 2002, a group of students founded the Albino Squirrel Preservation Society to raise awareness about the animal.

story and photo retrieved May 5, 2007 from: http://inhouse.unt.edu/index.cfm?commentID=1777

The story also made the local TV news' website with even more photos:
http://www.nbc5i.com/news/13258627/detail.html
And here's a personal connection: some of the photos (the one on this blog entry that came from the UNT website and two of the one's on the Channel 5 website) were taken by K.T. Shiue who was in my doctoral program with me.