JAKARTA – The Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory Manager (POJ) has moved public education facilities about astronomy knowledge, from Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Cikini, Central Jakarta to Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, North Jakarta. Tall buildings around TIM that make it difficult to see in the eastern area when the new moon rises are the reason for the move.
“Because the building in the city center, Cikini there, is very tall. That’s one of the reasons why we are holding this activity in Ancol, we need wide eastern access, so that the new moon will be seen,” said Astronomy Lecturer POJ Muhammad Raihan as quoted from Anara, Wednesday (15/6).
Raihan said that his party has a moral responsibility to introduce astronomy to the public, especially Jakarta residents. According to Raihan, there are many interesting astronomical phenomena to be introduced to the public every year, as well as educational materials for children and the general public.
He said, every month, POJ has many full moon observations. There are times when the full moon is lower, more interesting, and scientifically can provide a number of inputs, for example the phenomenon of the maximum tide of sea water
“Like today, the tide is predicted to be higher because the moon is closer,” said Raihan.
He revealed, the current distance between the moon and the earth in the middle of the strawberry super full moon phenomenon tonight is about 357,658 kilometers from the earth. When this phenomenon occurs, the moon tends to appear seven percent closer and 15% brighter than usual.
Raihan said the phenomenon of “strawberry supermoon” generally occurs two to three times a year. The position of the closest full moon, with one of them being the closest.
“Actually (the position of the closest full moon) is July again, but indeed June is the best time because it is the peak of summer,” he continued.
Six telescopes with eye magnification capabilities of 40 to 50 times were also prepared by officers from the Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory, for use by the participants of the Joint Night Picnic at Ancol Dreamland Park. This activity is carried out to clearly see the latest appearance of the full moon.
One telescope is used for live viewing needs (live streaming) on Youtube. Then, two more telescopes can be used freely by the participants of the Night Picnic at Taman Impian Jaya Ancol. Three more telescopes were kept in reserve for participants on site in case the number ran out.
Visitors who look through a telescope, will see the full moon clearly. Including the appearance of the surface which consists of craters and a dark part called the mare or ocean.
Strawberry Term
Astronomer at the Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory, Jakarta Arts Center Management Unit, Taman Ismail Marzuki Widya Sawitar, explained the origin of the term “strawberry supermoon” phenomenon.
Widya explained that astronomers did not actually use the term strawberry from the supermoon phenomenon this time. According to him, the term is not related to the shape of the current super full moon.
“We, sih, astronomers do not wear it. But from culture, yes it exists. Now it’s strawberry season there (overseas), so it’s called Strawberry Moon. It has nothing to do with form,” said Widya.
The Indonesian Amateur Astronomer equated the definition of strawberry with other terms, such as “blue moon” which is not related to the appearance of a blue color, but because there are two full moons in one Christian month.
“For example, January 1 is full. Later it will be full again on January 30. Nah, the second one is called Blue Moon. So in the same month,” said Widya.
Widya also explained the term for another unique phenomenon, namely the blood moon (blood moon).Blood Moon) which is not related to blood. According to Widya, the term blood moon because it follows the color of the moon which is slightly reddish like copper.
Raihan added, strawberry supermoon adapts foreign terms. According to him, the word strawberry was taken from the ancient calendar of farmers on the mainland of the Americas.
“They say that the full moon that falls on the second week of June is when they harvest strawberries. That’s why they call it the strawberry supermoon,” he exclaimed.
There were six telescopes prepared by POJ to facilitate public curiosity that night, one telescope for live streaming on Youtube, two more telescopes that could be used freely by the participants of the Night Picnic at Taman Impian Jaya Ancol.
In addition to the strawberry supermoon on June 14 yesterday, POJ also scheduled another full moon observation on August 14. At that time, the full moon will be opposite the planet Saturn, so that Saturn will appear during the full moon.
Then there is another lunar conjunction phenomenon on September 8th. Finally, there is a total lunar eclipse as the most spectacular phenomenon to witness on November 8, 2022.
Heaven Parade
Previously, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) said that throughout June 2022, people will be able to witness the dawn “sky parade” or the inline configuration of several planets in the solar system, namely Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
“This configuration phenomenon can be witnessed for approximately 50 minutes according to the dawn time of each region,” said researcher at the BRIN Space Research Center Andi Pangerang recently.
This phenomenon can be witnessed without the use of optical aids as long as the weather is bright enough, free from light pollution and the field of view is free from obstructions.
Andi said that the sky parade can be seen since the early hours of June 4, 2022. The first configuration consists of the alignment of Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn on June 4-15, 2022.
The second configuration is the arrangement of the planets Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the Moon on June 16-27 2022. Then ends with the configuration with the same arrangement as the first configuration on June 28-30 2022.
Starting from the start of astronomical dawn with a sun height of -18 degrees or 75 minutes before sunrise, or around 04.30 local time, until dawn, where the sun’s altitude is -6 degrees or 25 minutes before sunrise or around 05.30 local time.
From June 4-30 2022, Mercury will have a brightness varying from +2.06 to -0.61. That means Mercury will get brighter until the end of June 2022.
While the brightness for Venus varies between -3.94 to -3.89, which means it will be slightly dimmer at the end of June 2022. Andi said that Uranus’ brightness will also vary between +5.89 to +5.87, which means Uranus will be slightly more light at the end of June 2022.
The brightness of Mars varies from +0.57 to +0.47, Jupiter from -2.25 to -2.41, and Saturn from +0.68 to +0.56. Andi said that because Uranus’ brightness is greater than +4.7 than the maximum visual magnitude limit for urban areas, a small telescope with a diameter of 10-25 centimeters (cm) is needed to view Uranus.
However, for areas where light pollution is almost non-existent, Uranus can be seen without using a telescope because its brightness is less than +6.5.
–
