April 2017

Appreciating the Nature of a Solar Eclipse

April 2017 : By Francine Jackson

By now, all members of Skyscrapers, Inc., are aware that on Monday, August 21st, the U.S. will be home to its first total solar eclipse in decades. And, it will be all ours – the path of totality runs completely through the continental United States, from Oregon down through South Carolina. Also, the rest of the country will be able to observe a partial phase. For us in Southern New England, the Sun will lose just under three quarters of its ball to the dark of the New Moon.

Astronomical Events Determine Easter Observance

April 2017 : By Dave Huestis

In simpler times our forefathers paid close attention to the clockwork motion of the heavens. One didn’t have to observe the sky for too long a period of time to notice the cyclic phases of the Moon, or the changing position of the Sun relative to the horizon over the course of a year. Nature provided a precise clock and calendar that could be used to determine when to celebrate special events.