Cheatham County Exchange
ASHLAND CITY WEATHER

Look for a full moon this week




Expect hot and humid weather Tuesday with high temperatures in the low to mid-90s and scattered thunderstorms will be possible. Storms early in the week could be heavy because they will be powered by the hot and humid conditions.

The next week will bring typical August weather with highs in the low 90s and scattered afternoon and evening thunder showers.

Sunrise is 6 a.m. and sunset is 7:44 p.m. Jupiter shines brightly in the southern sky after sunset with a half moon to the right of Jupiter. Our next full moon is Aug. 15.

Let’s talk about the moon and its phases.  A new moon is when the sun, moon and Earth are in alignment and it is invisible from Earth. Nights with a new moon are the darkest because there is no moon visible.      

When it is new, we start the roughly 29-day journey until it is full again. It becomes a crescent, then a half, then a gibbous when three quarters is visible and finally the full moon. When it is waxing, we are   seeing more of the moon each day and when it is waning, we are seeing less and moving toward a new moon.   

Once in a blue moon refers to something that does not happen very often. In 1946 the astronomical version of once in a blue moon began in Star and Telescope magazine which referred to having two full moons in a month and this happens only about once every three years.

Our next blue moon will be Halloween (Oct. 31) 2020, there will be two full moons that month. 

Steve Norris is certified by the National Weather Association and provides information to Emergency Management Agencies in many counties in Tennessee. You may contact him at weather1@charter.net with questions or suggest topics for his column.

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