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Results for Astronomy

Friday 19 November 2021
Tonga lunar eclipse

Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A stunning and unusual moon rising high to the north of Nuku'alofa was clearly observable tonight in Tongatapu. The partial eclipse of the moon, ko e mate ʻa e māhina, began at 7:02pm, Friday 19 November, and ends at 01:03 Saturday morning Tonga time - a duration of 6 hours and 2 minutes.
Wednesday 16 December 2020

New York, USA
New York Times reporting: On December 21, Jupiter and Saturn will appear to be no more than a dime’s width apart in the night sky. The last time that could be seen was in 1226, making the event a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle for most adults.
Monday 30 November 2020

San Francisco, USA
New York Times science reporting: Take a moment to marvel at the full moon. Do you notice anything different? It’s subtle, but on November 30 (Sunday night if you’re on the U.S. west coast) [Monday night in Tonga], the full moon should appear a bit darker than usual. That’s because you’re witnessing a penumbral lunar eclipse, a celestial occurrence in which the moon dips behind Earth’s faint, outer shadow, or penumbra.
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Monday 24 August 2020

Fasi mo e Afi, Tonga
It is quite special that this year all the planets are easily visible and also in a configuration which happens infrequently. In December 2020, Jupiter and Saturn will come closer together, until their great conjunction on 22 December 7:37 Tonga time. It will be a spectacular phenomenon, a few days before Christmas. They will do so again in 2080 but then for centuries to come, not any more. A long time ago, in 14AD there was, interestingly, a great conjunction on 25 December. By Firitia Velt.
Wednesday 9 April 2014
Nuku‘alofa, Tonga
When the full moon rises on the evening of Tuesday 15 April at 18:24, a lunar eclipse will be already in progress. The whole moon will be obscured by 20:07. Then for 78 minutes the moon will completely remain inside the shadow of the earth; dark and deprived of sunlight. - By Firitia
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Monday 12 July 2010
Fasi mo e Afi,Nuku'alofa,Tonga
Two weeks after the beautiful eclipse of the moon, sun, earth and moon will be aligned again, this time to give a solar eclipse. But this all happens 8 minutes before the sunrise of Monday 12 July 2010. When the sun finally rises on Tongatapu at 7:18 that day we can only watch the final stages of the eclipse. - Firitia Velt.
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Thursday 24 June 2010
Fasi mo e Afi,Nuku'alofa,Tonga
During the night from Saturday to Sunday, 26 to 27 June 2010, a lunar eclipse will take place. Unfortunately it is only a partial eclipse, only the northern half of the moon will be plunged into darkness. - Firitia Velt.
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