November 14th Super Moon - live broadcast on Facebook

This is a video showing a live broadcast I did on the Mythical Ireland Facebook page today about tonight's Super Moon. The Super Moon refers to a full moon that appears bigger and brighter than normal because the moon is full and at perigee - its closest approach to earth. This was the biggest full moon visible since 1948, and although there are regular "super moons", this was rare because of its proximity and its relative size - 14% larger than normal and up to 30% brighter.

In the live broadcast, I discussed the possibility that super moons were noticed in the Neolithic, at the time Newgrange was built. Viewing the moon from the chamber, through the roof box, would enable ancient observers to see the relative size of the moon in relation to the "frame" of the aperture - and therefore they might be able to discern changes in its relative size.

The setting Super Moon on the morning of November 15th, shortly before sunrise.

There is a full moon every 29.5 days - a period we call the Synodic Lunar Month. The super moon on December 14th will also be big, but not as big as tonight's one.

Clouds spoiled the show here in the Boyne Valley, but I did get a few brief glimpses of the moon later in the evening. Below is a brief video showing a quick glance at the moon through very fast-moving clouds:

Live broadcast from Carnbane West, Loughcrew, as the Samhain sunrise illuminates the chamber of Cairn L

In case you are not a follower of Mythical Ireland on Facebook, you might be interested to know that I did a live broadcast from Carnbane West at Loughcrew around Samhain, where the light of the rising sun cast its beams into the chamber of Cairn L. Above is a video of that live broadcast.

One of my best shots of Newgrange to date

I just realised that although I've been keeping my Facebook page up to date, I have not blogged in a while. So here goes. A beautiful image of Newgrange taken yesterday towards sunset. This is one of the best shots of Newgrange I have taken to date. Very pleased with the result.

A few pictures of the completed High Man art installation

The completed 'High Man' artwork, shown on Summer Solstice.
Photo: www.facebook.com/copterviewireland

The finished High Man project, sitting on a winter solstice
alignment with Newgrange in the background and Mound A
in the foreground. Photo: www.facebook.com/copterviewireland

Artists Richard Moore and Derek McCluskey, along with Anthony Murphy
and his five kids are all shown standing in the "sun" in this image to give a
sense of scale. Photo: www.facebook.com/copterviewireland

Walking through the giant man . . . another view of the artwork.
Photo: www.facebook.com/copterviewireland

Moon and stars over Newgrange

A crisp winter sky over Newgrange, featuring the moon and the constellation
Aquila, the Eagle.

A similar scene except this one includes the cross-
shaped Cygnus, as well as Lyra.

A star-filled November sky over Newgrange.

Above are three images of Newgrange I took this evening, Saturday, November 17th, in the afterglow after the sun had gone down. It was very cold out there this evening, but that did not take from the spectacular beauty of the sky. The crescent moon hung low in the southwest near the Milky Way, beneath Aquila, the Eagle. Some nicely timed clouds made a nice flourish in the first two images. The Plough (Big Dipper, Ursa Major) can be seen over Newgrange in the third image.