The moon puts on its lamp shade

In November of 1985, the Navy troops at Guantanamo Bay decided they were going to gather to watch Halley’s Comet. To conduct the activities, a lieutenant on the base suggested a call made to his old Astronomy teacher at Old Dominion University. After receiving all sorts of special permission (for the extra baggage-telescopes) and a long flight south, Bruce Hanna arrived for a four-day stay at the home of the Navy. While there, Hanna gave lectures at local public schools and conducted the Halley’s Comet Watch for the Navy. For one night, the watch was opened to the public where upwards of 600 people arrived for Hanna’s watch. Such an honor obviously requires the person be outstanding in their field. So where is Bruce Hanna now?

Well, when I found him, he was in Clark wearing a Hawaiian t-shirt. Without a doubt, he is one of the most enthusiastic characters I’ve ever met. Dr Hanna is a cornucopia of stories.

While earning his bachelor’s degree in Earth Science Education at the University of Maryland, Hanna became the first student to perform his student teaching at a planetarium for the Chesapeake Public School System. After spending time as Planetarium Director at the Des Moines Center of Science and Industry in Iowa, studying at prestigious schools such as Wellesley College, Tufts and the University of Virginia at their famous McCormick Observatory, Hanna found himself back in Norfolk sharing his knowledge and experience with students.

As for the past 29 years, Hanna has held the position of Director of ODU’s Pretlow Planetarium, as well as teaching at both ODU and Virginia Wesleyan. He was given the task of heading up construction of ODU’s new W. N. Gray Observatory. Recently finished, this observatory houses a 20-inch lensed telescope and lies atop the Physics and Oceanography building. Among other things, Hanna has designed observational astronomy courses that have been used at ODU as well as Public Broadcasting Stations across the country.

Of all the things Dr. Hanna’s job has allowed him to do, he states, “the traveling and studying has definitely been the neatest part. I got to go and study the Keck Telescope out in Hawaii, that was fantastic,” Hanna recalls, “and the Very Large Array in New Mexico.” The twin Keck Telescopes are the world’s largest optical and infrared telescopes. Standing eight stories high and weighing in at nearly 300 tons, the Keck Telescopes sit upon a dormant volcano, Mauna Kea. The Very Large Array is the world’s largest and most complex single-site radio telescope. These experiences are what makes Hanna’s Astronomy class so enjoyable. He has stories from traveling to Cuba, to national broadcasts, to subwoofers in his daughter’s car.

When he’s not teaching, Hanna is a backyard astronomer, who gazes up at the Pleiades.

“It’s a star cluster of over 300 stars that’s located in Taurus the bull…I like it because you can easily see it without a telescope. Same with Orion’s Belt, it’s very easy to see,” said Hanna.

For stargazing at home, Hanna owns an antique Questar Telescope, his favorite piece of equipment he owns. As for his favorite ‘astronomical occurrence’ he’s had the pleasure to view - Hanna said, “I got to see the Leonid Meteor Shower. It was absolutely spectacular, we saw hundreds of meteors per hour.”

A big fan of the movie Alien, Hanna enjoys getting the opportunity to teach VWC. “I really enjoy the smaller classes, and everyone is so friendly here, students, faculty, everyone,” he said.

We love him here too.

“I nearly died laughing during one of his classes,” said senior Justin Beavers. “Only Professor Hanna could make a lecture on the Doppler Effect so funny. They guys is a hoot!”

So next time you look up at the sky wondering what those three stars in a line are, I’d recommend checking out Professor Hanna’s Astronomy course – take advantage of a man with so much experience and learn a thing or two…with some good stories along the way.

According to legend, October’s full moon has been called the “Blood Moon” or the “Hunter’s Moon.” It comes from hunters who used to stalk and kill their prey by the autumn moonlight, in preparation for winter. Nipping at Halloween’s heels, it was easy to imagine these killers lurching through the woods.

On Wednesday, Oct. 27, the “Blood Moon” raised a cold, bitter grey, total lunar eclipse - then it conveniently glowed a bright pumpkin orange, followed by a brilliant red - a blood red. Beginning at approximately 9:30 p.m., this breathtaking full moon rose over Virginia. But why red?

Figuring the Earth’s shadow extends nearly a million miles in space, this obviously covers the moon occasionally. Imagine you are flying in a spacecraft. Not a real NASA spaceship, but something with a perfect view ahead…perhaps the Millennium Falcon. As you approach the moon, turn the ship and look down at the Earth. Assuming you traveled in the direction of Earth’s night side, you’d think it’d be dark, but there is a gorgeous glowing red around the Earth’s outline. This glow is both the Earth’s sunrise and sunset occurring at once. The red glow is Earth’s atmosphere being reflected. Whatever is in the Earth’s atmosphere is reflected a certain color. Dust and ash from a volcanic eruption or even certain weather conditions, can make the Earth’s atmosphere appear a strong, vibrant red.

As for this final eclipse of the year, it occurred in full view for North and South America, Europe, Africa and Antarctica. There are three different types of lunar eclipses, but a total eclipse of the moon can only occur when there is a full moon and the moon passes entirely through the shadow, or umbra, of the Earth. Slowly, viewers can watch the Earth’s shadow creep across the moon. But why doesn’t this occur at every full moon? The moon’s orbit is tilted about 5 degrees towards the Earth’s path around the Sun, and therefore most months the moon tends to fall above or below the Earth’s umbra. Since May 16, 2003, four total lunar eclipses have occurred, however another one will not appear until May of 2007.

On Oct. 27, the moon passed through the Earth’s umbra, disallowing any sunlight to hit it directly. As enthusiastic stargazers watched on, the moon slowly began to disappear. What makes lunar eclipses so popular is their beauty and longevity, but more so, their ability to easily be seen. If you can find the moon any night of the week, you can watch a lunar eclipse. While fancy telescopes, or even just standard binoculars will improve the experience, the naked eye is good enough.

As for baseball fans, last months lunar eclipse became the first to ever occur during a World Series game. The accuracy of predicting future lunar eclipses is easy, but who knows where the next World Series will be. Comparing predictions of eclipses to the prospective dates of a World Series game, the nearest overlapping dates is Oct. 29, 2050 – and what are the odds of the Red Sox getting there again so soon?