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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Neighborhoods Employment Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend October 17, 2006 Since You Asked The Harvest Moon or full moon on Oct. 6 was reported on the local television news as rising at 6:31 p.m. It was not visible from our home until 6:52 p.m. Where is the weather news reporter getting this information from and is it really seen someplace in Medford at this time or is there some calculation as to when it is visible in certain locations? -- Donna F., Eagle Point You're not the first person to have shaken your head and wondered "Where do those reporters get their information?" while watching TV. (That never happens when you're reading the paper, does it? Oh, um, well, keep reading anyway and we'll try to sort this one out.) The U.S. Naval Observatory's Astronomical Applications Department provides moonrise and moonset, sunrise and sunset, and civil, nautical and astronomical twilight data for 22,000 places in the United States, as well as any place you can pinpoint with latitude and longitude worldwide. Its Web site, aa.usno.navy.mil/data/, is a good place for reporters or anyone else to track down these details. It reports that moonrise in Medford on Oct. 6 was indeed at 6:31 p.m. The Web site also includes an explanation of technical definitions and computational details that explain why the listed time and the time the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie are different. The official definition of moonrise is when the upper edge of the moon's disk is on the horizon, an imaginary line geometrically exactly 90 degrees from vertical. The nature of the Rogue Valley being, well, a valley means that surrounding hills, as well as buildings and trees and whatnot, block that magical moonrise moment. The site further explains that variables such as the height of the observer and atmospheric conditions that affect the amount of refraction at the horizon affect observed moonrise times even under ideal conditions such as under a clear sky while at sea. "It is not practical to attempt to include such effects in routine rise/set computations" the Web site explains. [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing GMAT Prep Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Discount Hotel Reservations Send Flowers Casinos Canada Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com