Complex Numbers

Balance

Today is the equinox.

You might have heard stuff about the moon tonight too. "Super moon" they call it. There's some science behind this, but as always, popular descriptions of it show up highly exaggerated. Here's a link to a pretty good explanation.

https://earthsky.org/?p=301190

Just to clear some things up:

No, you can't balance an egg today and only today. That's idiotic.

You won't even notice the slightly larger moon. But that shouldn't stop you from taking a few minutes to look at it. Anything to get people looking at the sky is a good thing.

I'm not going to go into my usual rant about Blue Moons (of which there is one coming up in a couple of months). From the above article:

Last but hardly least, this March 2019 full moon gives us the first of four full moons in one season (between the March equinox and June solstice). Most of the time, a season – the time period between an equinox and a solstice, or vice versa – only harbors three full moons. But since this March full moon comes very early in the season, that allows for a fourth full moon to take place before the season’s end.

Some people call the third of four full moons in one season a Blue Moon. So our next Blue Moon (by the seasonal definition of the term) will fall on May 18, 2019.

By which they mean that correct people call this the Blue Moon. The other definition:

The next Blue Moon by the monthly definition – second of two full moons in one calendar month – will come on October 31, 2020.

...is, simply, incorrect; and that's all I'm going to say about it here. I've ranted enough about it elsewhere. Still, it's something to look forward to next year: a full moon on Halloween. No meaning to it, unless you've read a certain book by Roger Zelazny, but it's cool anyway.

Again, if it makes you go look at the Moon - fine.

Bottom line: Here in the Northern Hemisphere, soon it will be spring. Finally. Naturally, I saw a weather report for freezing temperatures here next week, so my satisfaction at this change of season is tempered by that.

On a personal note, it was on the solstice that I committed to eating less and exercising more in an effort to lose weight. All I'll say about that is that I've been successful - so far. Eventually, I will fail. And yeah, I had a couple of overindulgences over the past three months, but I've always managed to get back on track.

It won't last, but it's something of an accomplishment for me.

Edited to add:

At this moment, the link above isn't working properly. It's not my fault. But this is pretty cool too. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190320.html