Total Solar Eclipse August 21, 2017

Today (August 22, 2017) is a special day for the United States and its surrounding communities, there will be a very rare eclipse of the Sun Total, among the cities that passed are Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illionis, Kentucky, Tennesse, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The partial eclipse phase will begin at 12:01 UTC-4. It reaches a maximum around 13:33 UTC-4 when the sun is 81% blocked by the moon. Partial eclipse ends at 15:00 UTC-4. For more details please visit NASA.

Total solar eclipse in the United States described the American Space Agency (NASA) through a video duration 04 minutes 25 seconds. The visualization contains details of eclipse location and explanation of why eclipses can occur. According to NASA, the eclipse will occur along 112 kilometers. In the video looks the line that seemed to divide the Land of Abang Sam from Oregon on the west coast of lau, to South Carolina on the northeast coast. See the following vidio:

One of the greatest features of a total solar eclipse happening in the United States today is to be the last eclipse for a long time, an eclipse of this type will happen 600 million years.

When the sky is dark you will feel the temperature down slightly. You may also be able to see and hear animals and insects going into their nightly cycles or nighttime routines. Remember that it can be a cloudy day but where you are, the sky will remain dark. More than a few days before, it would be difficult to know whether the sky might be cloudy or not.

Some things need to be a concern when the solar eclipse. Do not look directly at a partial solar eclipse. It can cause permanent damage to your eyes. Do not look through sunglasses, binoculars, or telescopes. You have to get special glasses known as "eclipse viewing glasses", if using binoculars or a telescope should also be equipped with special filters. Here's what you need to know in order to keep your eyes safe during an eclipse.

Do not forget also to perform the eclipse prayer !, please visit the following page for the Procedure of Performing The Eclipse Prayer.

When did 1 Dhul-Hijjah 1438 Begin?

The month of Dhul-Hijjah, or the month of Hajj in 2017 coincides with the year 1438. Ijtima' or the conjunction of the signing of the month of Dhul-Hijjah 1438 according to the book of Ittifaq Dzatil Bain happened on: Monday, 21 August 2017 18:35 UTC (Tuesday, 22 August 2017, 01:35 UTC+7). This conjunction coincides with the 17,256th month round in the Islamic date (Islamic Lunacy Number - ILN). In the evening of Tuesday, the crescent moon (hilal) will be visible in almost all parts of the world (see Hilal Visibility Map below).

Map of Crescent Visibility

Source : Accurate Times M. Odeh

Map of Hilal Visibility (Crescent) for 1 Dhul-Hijjah 1438. Most of the world will be able to see the moon on the evening of Tuesday, August 22, 2017. Thus calculation, 1 Dhul-Hijjah 1438 will fall on Wednesday, August 23, 2017.

In Indonesia, Insha Allah, there is no difference between the government and Islamic Organizations, especially Muhammadiyah and PERSIS. Likewise Saudi Arabia, which usually uses rukyatul hilal for the determination of the Wukuf date in Arafat and Eid al-Adha, will begin 1 Dhul-Hijjah 1438 H on the same day. The Ummul Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia shows 1 Dzulhijjah 1438 H falls on Wednesday, August 23, 2017.

If there is no official change from the government, then the following is the date of Wuquf and the holy day of Qurban, Eid al-Adha 2017 :
- Wukuf, 9 Dhul-Hijjah 1438 H is calculated on Thursday, August 31, 2017
- Eid al-Adha, 10 Dhul-Hijjah 1438 H is calculated on Friday, September 1, 2017
- Arafah Fasting year 1438 is calculated on Thursday, August 31, 2017

Below is a simulation of the moon's new state during the evening tuesday :

Calculation in the book of Ittifaq Dzatil Bain at Condrodipo, Gresik, Indonesia.

Ghurub (Sunset) Simulation at Condrodipo

Source : Stellarium 

Rukyatul Hilal Simulation at Condrodipo

Source : Stellarium

Souvenir from Space Day

Last night I joined the space day, I am from Indonesia and the day of space is celebrated on last night (07 August 2017). On that day people in Indonesia is recommended to turn off the lights at 20.00 pm. until 21:00 pm.

I took part to capture the beauty of the sky that night, albeit somewhat disappointingly, because the condition of the sky last night was not so dark due to 2 factors, the first not everyone turned off the lights of his house, and the moon before the full moon, so the rays of the sun that bounced off the moon Generated by stars.

But it's okay, I still managed to immortalize the constellation of scorpio stars.

Scorpio (Scorpion) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. In Javanese tradition, this constellation is known as "Banyakangrem (Geese incubate)".

This constellation is between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east and is one of the great constellations located in the southern hemisphere near the center of the Milky Way. As one of the zodiac constellations, it is bypassed by an imaginary ecliptic line. It is easily recognizable from a series of stars that form like a large S or A in the southern hemisphere.

There are some stars in this constellation. that is :

1. α Sco (Antares, Cor Scorpii / Qalb al-Aqrab / Vespertilo)
2. λ Sco (Shaula)
3. θ Sco (Sargas, Girtab)
4. δ Sco (Dschubba, Al Jabba, Iclarkrau)
5. E Sco (Wei)
6. κ Sco (Girtab)
7. β1 Sco (Acrab, Elacrab, Graffias, Grafias, Grassias)
8. υ Sco (Lesath, Lesuth)
9. τ Sco (Alniyat, Al Niyat)
10. π Sco (Vrischika)
11. σ Sco (Alniyat, Al Niyat)
12. ι1 Sco (Apollyon)
13. μ1 Sco (Denebakrab)
14. G Sco (Basanismus, Chuen Shwo)
15. ω1 Sco (Jabhat al Akrab)
16. ν Sco (Jabbah, Jabah)
17. ω2 Sco (Jabhat al Akrab)

Explanation of the constellation of scorpio:
The constellation Scorpio has the abbreviation "Sco", symbolized by the scorpion animal, the position of this constellation is approximately in the coordinates of Right Ascension 16j 53m 15d and Declination -30° 44 '12 ", the area is 496,783 square degrees. The bright star is about 13 stars, with the brightest star Antares (α Sco) (0.96m). In this constellation also often occur meteor shower, the meteor Alpha Scorpiids and Omega Scorpiids. This constellation is adjacent to 7 constellations (Sagittarius, Ofiukus, Libra, Lupus, Norma, Ara, Corona Australis)

Ordinance of Eclipse Prayer

Source : http://www.mutiarapublic.com

On this day, August 07, 2017 there will be an eclipse at midnight until the day move on August 8, 2017. at that time the sun's light reflected to the Moon will be obscured by the Earth's shadow.

This event becomes very interesting if observed, especially if we can record or immortalize it. But do not forget!, when the eclipse occurs, either the eclipse of the Moon or the Sun, is devoted to doing the eclipse prayer.

Then how the procedure of the eclipse prayer?. In the book of "Zaadul Ma'ad", the work of Ibn al-Qayyim is explained about the procedure of performing the eclipse prayer (Qayyim 1438: 349-356):

1. Intend in the heart and should not be mentioned because mentioning the intention does not include in the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad (Sunnah/Hadeeth) and the Prophet also never taught him intentions on certain prayers to his companions.

2. Takbiratul ihram is doing Takbir as usual prayer.

3. Read the Iftitah and Ta'awudz, then read the Al-Fatihah and read a long Surah (like the Al Baqarah) while being stitched (hardened voice, not soft) as contained in the hadeeth of A'ishah:

جهر النبى - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فى صلاة الخسوف بقراءته

"The Prophet annihilated his reading during the eclipse prayer." (Narrated by Bukhari no 1065 and Muslim 901)

4. Then doing Ruku' while extending it.

5. Then rise from Ruku '(I'tidal) while saying "Sami' Allah li Man Hamidah, Rabbana wa Laka al-Hamd"

6. After this I'tidal did not directly prostrate, but continued by reading Al-Fatihah and long Surah again. This second stand is shorter than the first.

7. Then doing Ruku' again (second Ruku') which length is shorter than Ruku' before.

8. Then rise from ruku' (I'tidal) again.

9. Then prostrate as long as Ruku', then sit between two prostrations and then bow down again.

10. Then rose from prostration and worked on the second raka'at as the first raka'at only the reading and the movements are shorter than before.

11. Tasyahud.

12. Greetings (doing Salam).

13. The priest then gives a sermon to the congregation that contains the suggestion for dhikr, praying, alms, and freeing slaves.

Dark Night Sky

Source : www.scienceandart.com/

On this day (August 6, 2017) commemorated the day of indulgence in Indonesia. The residents were asked to turn off the lights at 20:00 pm until 21:00 pm.

This movement originated from the concerns of astronomy activists on smoke pollution and light pollution in Indonesia, especially in urban areas. A lot of smoke and light from the city that pollute the nature of the air in Indonesia, this is very different from the conditions of the area which is still a rural, very beautiful, bright sky without smoke or light pollution.

With the existence of this movement may the human concerns of nature increasing, and hopefully they always keep, our nature, our land, sea, and air space.

Capture the Phenomenon of Partial Lunar Eclipse 7-8 August 2017

Visualitation of Partial Lunar Eclipse 7-8 August 2017

Source : MrEclipse.com

Date 7-8 August 2017 is a special date where on that date there will be a rare phenomenon, the phenomenon of partial lunar eclipse. The phenomenon would be very interesting if we managed to record and immortalize it.

But capturing images from the lunar eclipse is not an easy thing, sometimes a photographer difficult to take pictures, due to the lunar eclipse conditions that enter the full phase, the moonlight will be brighter.

At the time of the full moon, the earth is between the Moon and the Sun. The sunlight is reflected by the Moon towards us, so there is no Earth's shadow on the Moon that is used to adjust the contrast. Unlike at the time of the crescent moon, Crescent moon can be recorded with longer exposure or darker background to show the best light, although it is sometimes difficult to do.

So how to capture a lunar eclipse that right? We have a few ways and tricks for that.

1. Take pictures with twilight mode. If your camera does not have manual controls, choose the twilight shooting mode. With this mode, a very bright moonlight will be photographed with a fairly short exposure. If there is no twilight mode then use the automatic mode, and use the flash. The flash will shorten the exposure time so the moon does not experience overexposure. For close-up wear the highest lens enlargement setting.

2. Manual mode. Set ISO to a low value of 80 or 100 with a 1/80 or 1/100 exposure and f / 6.6 aparture.

3. Adjust the focus. If your camera has "Infinity" mode then it is great. If not there, autofocus is also good.

4. Use a support such as a tripod or a strong support. Enable the image stabilizer in the lens. Remember, the slightest movement has made the image obscure. When using a DSLR, you need a telephoto lens (minimum 300mm). If there is no tripod set ISO to 400 or more to get a shorter exposure without making the image too dark. High ISO values ​​are high noise, so do not use ISO too high.

5. Do not limit snapshots. With a large memory card capacity, you can take multiple shots on an ongoing basis. This is to get the best results, especially with the telephoto lens DSLR camera. Taking pictures with different exposure lengths increases the chances of getting the best photos. When the moon is near full, start with a low ISO, usually 100 with f / 6.6 aperture, and a 1/100 second exposure length. Periodically increase the exposure until the moon image becomes dark, it can take the exposure value 1/60, 1/50, 140, so on regularly.

6. Choose an interesting background. Fortunately the moon moves slowly so make sure enough time to get the background in the form of buildings, trees, or other objects to support the image of the moon in the right position.

7. Edit photos with software. Start by cutting a lot of black background and then adjust the brightness and contrast to get the desired result. We usually choose to reduce saturation because in reality the moon was relatively colorless.

Good luck!.