Illustration par défaut

They made us look at the sky in 2018 !

25 janvier 2019

A quick look at the five celestial phenomena which took place in the French sky and which we covered in 2018.

1- January 31st 2018 : a full Moon exhibiting three effects
31 janvier 2018 : une pleine Lune à 3 effets

Rare : the full Moon on January 31st 2018 had simultaneously three distinct properties. It was "super", "blue" and "blood red".

2- The great Martian oppostion
La grande opposition de Mars

On July 27th 2018, the distance between the Earth and Mars was at is smallest. Referred to as being in "major opposition", the planet’s size and brightness were unusually large.

3- -The longest lunar eclipse of the century
La plus longue éclipse de Lune du siècle

On July 27th 2018, took place a total eclipse of the Moon : this was the longest one of the century, visible from a large fraction of French territory.

4- Transit of a very bright bolide across the French sky
Passage d’un bolide très lumineux dans le ciel français

On October 11th 2018, at 7h27 (French civil time),a very bright bolide whipped through the French sky, and was seen by numerous witnesses.

5- Comet Wirtanen in the December 2018 sky
La comète Wirtanen dans le ciel de décembre 2018

On December 16th 2018, comet Wirtanen skirted the Earth, to the delight of astro photographers.

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