| February 2003 | |||||||
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Baghdad SunSet SunRise |
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24 9% +8.4hrs  |
25 7% +9.2hrs  |
26 5% +10.2hrs  |
27 3% +11.2hrs  |
28 2% Blackout  |
01 1% Blackout  |
5:59pm 6:30am |
| March 2003 | |||||||
| 02 0% Blackout  |
03 0% Blackout  |
04 1% -11.2hrs  |
05 2% -10.2hrs  |
06 3% -9.3hrs  |
07 5% -8.4hrs  |
08 7% -7.4hrs  |
6:04pm 6:22am |
| 09 9% -6.4hrs  |
10 11% -5.4hrs  |
11 13% -4.5hrs  |
12 15% -3.5hrs  |
13 20% -2.6hrs  |
14 26% -1.8hrs  |
15 34% -1.0hrs  |
6:10pm 6:12am |
| 16 44% n/a  |
17 55% n/a  |
18100% n/a  |
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6:15pm 6:03am |
| Legend: (%)Luminance compared to a Full Moon (Starlight alone is 1/2 of 1% of a Full Moon) Nighttime TOTAL BLACKOUT period ( + ) hours AFTER sunset when Moon is behind the Earth, OR ( - ) hours BEFORE sunRISE when Moon behind the Earth (Times not adjusted for 25 minutes of civil twilight after sunset or before dawn) (Luminance figures are approximate based on an average lunar cycle. Figures are even less when the moon is lower in the sky ... and crescent moons don't get very high in the sky until after daybreak) . |
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- And just in time!
It's now daylight - Monday morning in Baghdad.
In just a few days we will have a prime nighttime 'opportunity' - SEVEN nights in a row with NO MOON or virtually no moon all night long.
The lunar calendar to the right should help explain this. The NEW MOON occurs on the date shown as March 2nd, because that date represents the EVENING of the 2nd AND MORNING OF THE 3RD.
There will be clearly FOUR nights of total blackout, by anyone's count. That is because the moon will be behind the Earth ALL NIGHT LONG on FOUR Baghdad nights. [The moon rises and sets in 10.5 hours, but the winter nights are still 12.5 hours long] The four dates are shown as Feb 28, Mar 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
One night before those, on the evening/morning of Feb 27/28, the moon will be just a tiny sliver, and will appear for only the first hour before sunrise. If we could measure the intensity of that moon under ideal circumstances (like from South America at mid-day), it would appear 3% as bright as a Full Moon.
But in Baghdad, in the hour before sunrise, it will only barely be noticeable on the horizon, and will be less than ONE PERCENT of the brightness of a Full Moon. That, plus it will be washed out by dawn's early light.
So that nighttime will have 'virtually' NO Moon ALL night long.
The same is true for the two evenings/mornings: March 4th/5th, and 5th/6th, except in reverse. The tiny crescents on those nights will be barely noticable, mixed in with the dusk of sunset. Those tiny crescents will be followed by undisturbed pitch blackness ALL NIGHT long.
(Besides, who wants to go bombing in the first hour or so after sunset... Most Iraqi's are still awake, and it's still too light out from the sun.)
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| Last Updated Monday, February 24, at 5:45 AM Local Time (Sunday 9:45 PM EST) | ||
| Today: Sun along with patchy clouds. High 74F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. | ||
| Tonight: Some clouds. Low 53F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. | ||
| Tomorrow: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 62F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. | ||
| Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low 43F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. | ||
| Wednesday: Chance of showers. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the mid 30s. | ||
| Thursday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the low 30s. | ||
| Friday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 30s. | ||
| Saturday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 30s. | ||
| Sunday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 30s. | ||
| Monday: Partial sunshine. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the mid 40s. | ||
| Tuesday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the mid 40s. | ||
| Wednesday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 80s and lows in the mid 40s. | ||
| For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use. | ||
| Travel Tip for Saddam: Pack plenty of clean underwear. |