Hyderabad Mean time: + 1 hour IST.. Never go for a function on time. You will be the only person present.
Dislocation turn :If you need to take a right turn, never show your hand to the right. The nut behind you will zoom ahead and dislocate your hand.
Mad crossing :At Zebra crossings, make signs like a mad man or a Kung-fu posture. Only then will the vehicle stop for you to cross.
Backbiting: If the signal is red and you are waiting for it to turn green, you are sure to hear the guy from the back yelling,"Chal aagey nikal" nine out of ten times.He may even call you "Howla" which is not a Mexican word but means "mad"
Middle stop :If you need to catch a bus, never wait at the Bus stop. Stand in the middle of the road-that's where the bus stops.
Meter pressure: When traveling by Auto, do not keep an eye on the meter. Its frequent abnormal jumping will fluctuate your blood pressure.
Fingering :When you are in an Irani hotel, don't look at the bearer bringing you water to drink. Three of his fingers will be deep inside the glass and will look like earthworms.
Walkman: Always walk on the road. Chances are that on the footpath you will fall into a ditch and encounter street pissers.
Wavelength :If the cleaner in a Lorry is waving his hands to the left, beware, it's not for the lorry to turn. The person is spreading his limbs for some arthritis problem.
Horn please :The excessive use of vehicle horns is due to a medical condition calles"Hornitis".Under this symptom ,a person is forced to press the horn every ten seconds. If you are new to Hyderabad,you are sure to develop this symptom.
Ghutkafying :While on the road,watch out for red liquid spraying out from all directions.It's the Gutkha brigade painting the town red.
Mass following: In case you notice a crowd in some areas and enquire about the problem,the stock answer you will get is"Kya hai ki,sab dekhrey,mein bhe dheykroo".
Flying over :When you are driving on a flyover, don't be surprised if the guy in front takes a sudden U-turn and you end up flying over.
Word perfect: On your visit to the local mechanic, you may hear the following terms-Kelutch, espring, nutta, bolta, forak, pelug, horan, geear, berake.figure it out….
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
INSPIRE..A must visit site www.inspire21.com
Inspire21.com offers a unique collection of inspirational ecards for everyone to email anywhere in the world... absolutely free.There is a link for inspirational stories as well.
Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall... you can stay in touch with everyone you care about - instantly and easily - by emailing ecards from Inspire21.com.
These colorful, digital postcards are distinguished by the hand lettered quotations... most of them historically famous...and Bible verses... the most inspiring words of all time. You'll also find poetry, sonnets, power phrases, inspiring stories and all sorts of encouraging thoughts... all designed to deliver positive motivation and create a lasting impression.
Most of Inspire21's ecards are, by nature, more serious than those cute, animated postcards. These inspiring words are meant to persuade thinking, produce a positive mindset and instill the desire for action and achievement. But... there are plenty of funny quotes here as well, because humor tickles us all. Combined with ecards for special occasions, there are tons of ways to express your thoughts and feelings.
Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall... you can stay in touch with everyone you care about - instantly and easily - by emailing ecards from Inspire21.com.
These colorful, digital postcards are distinguished by the hand lettered quotations... most of them historically famous...and Bible verses... the most inspiring words of all time. You'll also find poetry, sonnets, power phrases, inspiring stories and all sorts of encouraging thoughts... all designed to deliver positive motivation and create a lasting impression.
Most of Inspire21's ecards are, by nature, more serious than those cute, animated postcards. These inspiring words are meant to persuade thinking, produce a positive mindset and instill the desire for action and achievement. But... there are plenty of funny quotes here as well, because humor tickles us all. Combined with ecards for special occasions, there are tons of ways to express your thoughts and feelings.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
WHAT IS?
What is a tsunami?
Tsunami ('soo-nar-me') is a Japanese word; 'tsu' meaning harbour and 'nami' meaning wave. Tsunamis are sometimes incorrectly called tidal waves but have nothing to do with tides. Tsunamis can travel up to 950 kilometres per hour - as fast as a passenger jet! Tsunami waves move outwards, away from their source. One or more waves can be created per event. Successive peaks can be anywhere from five to ninety minutes apart. The wave train that reaches the coast can range from 30 metre high breakers to barely noticed ripples - but in the open ocean, tsunamis have relatively small heights.
A tsunami is different from normal waves on the ocean. Wind-made ocean waves cause the water to move down to about 150 metres at most. In contrast, the passage of a tsunami involves the movement of water all the way to the seafloor. This means that the speed of a tsunami is controlled by water depth - as the wave approaches land it reaches increasingly shallow water and slows down. Compared to the front of the wave, the rear is still in slightly deeper water (so it is going slightly faster) and catches up. The result is that the wave quickly 'bunches up' and becomes much higher. The highest tsunami occur if they encounter a long and gradual shallowing of the water, because this allows enough time for the wave to interact with its surroundings and cause extensive damage to low-lying areas.
Tsunami ('soo-nar-me') is a Japanese word; 'tsu' meaning harbour and 'nami' meaning wave. Tsunamis are sometimes incorrectly called tidal waves but have nothing to do with tides. Tsunamis can travel up to 950 kilometres per hour - as fast as a passenger jet! Tsunami waves move outwards, away from their source. One or more waves can be created per event. Successive peaks can be anywhere from five to ninety minutes apart. The wave train that reaches the coast can range from 30 metre high breakers to barely noticed ripples - but in the open ocean, tsunamis have relatively small heights.
A tsunami is different from normal waves on the ocean. Wind-made ocean waves cause the water to move down to about 150 metres at most. In contrast, the passage of a tsunami involves the movement of water all the way to the seafloor. This means that the speed of a tsunami is controlled by water depth - as the wave approaches land it reaches increasingly shallow water and slows down. Compared to the front of the wave, the rear is still in slightly deeper water (so it is going slightly faster) and catches up. The result is that the wave quickly 'bunches up' and becomes much higher. The highest tsunami occur if they encounter a long and gradual shallowing of the water, because this allows enough time for the wave to interact with its surroundings and cause extensive damage to low-lying areas.
Friday, March 16, 2007
WHAT IS ?
What is an eclipse of the Moon? What causes eclipses and why? How often do eclipses happen and when is the next eclipse of the Moon? You'll learn the answers to these questions and more in MrEclipse's primer on lunar eclipses.
The Moon is a cold, rocky body about 2,160 miles (3,476 km) in diameter. It has no light of its own but shines by sunlight reflected from its surface. The Moon orbits Earth about once every 29 and a half days. As it circles our planet, the changing position of the Moon with respect to the Sun causes our natural satellite to cycle through a series of phases:
New, New Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full,
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Old Crescent and back to New again.
Phases of the Moon.
The phase known as New Moon can not actually be seen because the illuminated side of the Moon is then pointed away from Earth. The rest of the phases are familiar to all of us as the Moon cycles through them month after month. Did you realize that the word month is derived from the Moon's 29.5 day period?
To many of us, Full Moon is the phase of love and romance. When the Moon is Full, it rises at sunset and is visible all night long. At the end of the night, the Full Moon sets just as the Sun rises. None of the Moon's other phases have this unique characteristic. It happens because the Moon is directly opposite the Sun in the sky when the Moon is Full. Full Moon also has special significance with regard to eclipses.
Geometry of the Sun, Earth and Moon During an Eclipse of the Moon.
Earth's two shadows are the penumbra and the umbra.
(Sizes and distances not to scale)
An eclipse of the Moon (or lunar eclipse) can only occur at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. The shadow is actually composed of two cone-shaped components, one nested inside the other. The outer or penumbral shadow is a zone where the Earth blocks part but not all of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon. In contrast, the inner or umbral shadow is a region where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.
Astronomers recognize three basic types of lunar eclipses:
1. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
The Moon passes through Earth's penumbral shadow.
These events are of only academic interest since they are subtle and quite difficult to observe.
2. Partial Lunar Eclipse A portion of the Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow.
These events are easy to see, even with the unaided eye.
3. Total Lunar Eclipse
The entire Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow.
These events are quite striking for the vibrant range of colors the Moon can take on during the total phase (i.e. - totality).
Now you might be wondering "If the Moon orbits Earth every 29.5 days and lunar eclipses only occur at Full Moon, then why don't we have an eclipse once a month during Full Moon?". I'm glad you asked! You see, the Moon's orbit around Earth is actually tipped about 5 degrees to Earth's orbit around the Sun. This means that the Moon spends most of the time either above or below the plane of Earth's orbit. And the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun is important because Earth's shadows lie exactly in the same plane. During Full Moon, our natural satellite usually passes above or below Earth's shadows and misses them entirely. No eclipse takes place. But two to four times each year, the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's penumbral or umbral shadows and one of the above three types of eclipses occurs.
When an eclipse of the Moon takes place, everyone on the night side of Earth can see it. About 35% of all eclipses are of the penumbral type which are very difficult to detect, even with a telescope. Another 30% are partial eclipses which are easy to see with the unaided eye. The final 35% or so are total eclipses, and these are quite extrordinary events to behold.
During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching the Moon. Astronauts on the Moon would then see the Earth eclipsing the Sun. (They would see a bright red ring around the Earth as they watched all the sunrises and sunsets happening simultaneousely around the world!) While the Moon remains completely within Earth's umbral shadow, indirect sunlight still manages to reach and illuminate it. However, this sunlight must first pass deep through the Earth's atmosphere which filters out most of the blue colored light. The remaining light is a deep red or orange in color and is much dimmer than pure white sunlight. Earth's atmosphere also bends or refracts some of this light so that a small fraction of it can reach and illuminate the Moon.
The total phase of a lunar eclipse is so interesting and beautiful precisely because of the filtering and refracting effect of Earth's atmosphere. If the Earth had no atmosphere, then the Moon would be completely black during a total eclipse. Instead, the Moon can take on a range of colors from dark brown and red to bright orange and yellow. The exact appearance depends on how much dust and clouds are present in Earth's atmosphere. Total eclipses tend to be very dark after major volcanic eruptions since these events dump large amounts of volcanic ash into Earth's atmosphere. During the total lunar eclipse of December 1992, dust from Mount Pinatubo rendered the Moon nearly invisible.
All total eclipses start with a penumbral followed by a partial eclipse, and end with a partial followed by a penumbral eclipse (the total eclipse is sandwiched in the middle). The penumbral phases of the eclipse are quite difficult to see, even with a telescope. However, partial and total eclipses are easy to observe, even with the naked eye.
Observing Lunar Eclipses
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch. You don't need any kind of protective filters. It isn't even necessary to use a telescope. You can watch the lunar eclipse with nothing more than your own two eyes. If you have a pair of binoculars, they will help magnify the view and will make the red coloration brighter and easier to see. A standard pair of 7x35 or 7x50 binoculars work fine. Remember to dress warmly and enjoy the spectacle!
Amateur astronomers can actually make some useful observations during total eclipses. It's impossible to predict exactly how dark the Moon will appear during totality. The color can also vary from dark gray or brown, through a range of shades of red and bright orange. The color and brightness depend on the amount of dust in Earth's atmosphere during the eclipse. Using the Danjon Brightness Scale for lunar eclipses, amateurs can categorize the Moon's color and brightness during totality.
Another useful amateur activity requires a telescope. Using a standard list lunar craters, one can careful measure the exact time when each crater enters and leaves the umbral shadow. These crater timings can be used to estimate the enlargement of Earth's atmosphere due to airborne dust and volcanic ash.
Of course, an eclipse of the Moon also presents a tempting target to photograph. Fortunately, lunar eclipse photography is easy provided that you have the right equipment and use it correctly.
Eclipse Frequency and Future Eclipses
During the five millennium period from 2000BC through 3000 AD, there are 7,718 eclipses1 of the Moon (including both partial and total). There are anywhere from 0 to 3 lunar eclipses (not including penumbral) each year. The last time that three total lunar eclipses occurred in one calendar year was in 1982. Partial eclipses slightly outnumber total eclipses by 7 to 6.
Only eclipses where the Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow are included in these values. A minor type of eclipse is the penumbral eclipse which occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's faint penumbral shadow. Penumbral eclipses are rarely discernable to the naked eye and are of lesser importance than umbral eclipses.
The Umbral Magnitude is the fraction on the Moon's diameter immersed in the umbra at maximum eclipse. For values greater than 1.0, it is a total eclipse. For negative values, it is a penumbral eclipse. The Total Duration is the duration of the total phase (total eclipses only).
The Moon is a cold, rocky body about 2,160 miles (3,476 km) in diameter. It has no light of its own but shines by sunlight reflected from its surface. The Moon orbits Earth about once every 29 and a half days. As it circles our planet, the changing position of the Moon with respect to the Sun causes our natural satellite to cycle through a series of phases:
New, New Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full,
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Old Crescent and back to New again.
Phases of the Moon.
The phase known as New Moon can not actually be seen because the illuminated side of the Moon is then pointed away from Earth. The rest of the phases are familiar to all of us as the Moon cycles through them month after month. Did you realize that the word month is derived from the Moon's 29.5 day period?
To many of us, Full Moon is the phase of love and romance. When the Moon is Full, it rises at sunset and is visible all night long. At the end of the night, the Full Moon sets just as the Sun rises. None of the Moon's other phases have this unique characteristic. It happens because the Moon is directly opposite the Sun in the sky when the Moon is Full. Full Moon also has special significance with regard to eclipses.
Geometry of the Sun, Earth and Moon During an Eclipse of the Moon.
Earth's two shadows are the penumbra and the umbra.
(Sizes and distances not to scale)
An eclipse of the Moon (or lunar eclipse) can only occur at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. The shadow is actually composed of two cone-shaped components, one nested inside the other. The outer or penumbral shadow is a zone where the Earth blocks part but not all of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon. In contrast, the inner or umbral shadow is a region where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.
Astronomers recognize three basic types of lunar eclipses:
1. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
The Moon passes through Earth's penumbral shadow.
These events are of only academic interest since they are subtle and quite difficult to observe.
2. Partial Lunar Eclipse A portion of the Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow.
These events are easy to see, even with the unaided eye.
3. Total Lunar Eclipse
The entire Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow.
These events are quite striking for the vibrant range of colors the Moon can take on during the total phase (i.e. - totality).
Now you might be wondering "If the Moon orbits Earth every 29.5 days and lunar eclipses only occur at Full Moon, then why don't we have an eclipse once a month during Full Moon?". I'm glad you asked! You see, the Moon's orbit around Earth is actually tipped about 5 degrees to Earth's orbit around the Sun. This means that the Moon spends most of the time either above or below the plane of Earth's orbit. And the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun is important because Earth's shadows lie exactly in the same plane. During Full Moon, our natural satellite usually passes above or below Earth's shadows and misses them entirely. No eclipse takes place. But two to four times each year, the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's penumbral or umbral shadows and one of the above three types of eclipses occurs.
When an eclipse of the Moon takes place, everyone on the night side of Earth can see it. About 35% of all eclipses are of the penumbral type which are very difficult to detect, even with a telescope. Another 30% are partial eclipses which are easy to see with the unaided eye. The final 35% or so are total eclipses, and these are quite extrordinary events to behold.
During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching the Moon. Astronauts on the Moon would then see the Earth eclipsing the Sun. (They would see a bright red ring around the Earth as they watched all the sunrises and sunsets happening simultaneousely around the world!) While the Moon remains completely within Earth's umbral shadow, indirect sunlight still manages to reach and illuminate it. However, this sunlight must first pass deep through the Earth's atmosphere which filters out most of the blue colored light. The remaining light is a deep red or orange in color and is much dimmer than pure white sunlight. Earth's atmosphere also bends or refracts some of this light so that a small fraction of it can reach and illuminate the Moon.
The total phase of a lunar eclipse is so interesting and beautiful precisely because of the filtering and refracting effect of Earth's atmosphere. If the Earth had no atmosphere, then the Moon would be completely black during a total eclipse. Instead, the Moon can take on a range of colors from dark brown and red to bright orange and yellow. The exact appearance depends on how much dust and clouds are present in Earth's atmosphere. Total eclipses tend to be very dark after major volcanic eruptions since these events dump large amounts of volcanic ash into Earth's atmosphere. During the total lunar eclipse of December 1992, dust from Mount Pinatubo rendered the Moon nearly invisible.
All total eclipses start with a penumbral followed by a partial eclipse, and end with a partial followed by a penumbral eclipse (the total eclipse is sandwiched in the middle). The penumbral phases of the eclipse are quite difficult to see, even with a telescope. However, partial and total eclipses are easy to observe, even with the naked eye.
Observing Lunar Eclipses
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch. You don't need any kind of protective filters. It isn't even necessary to use a telescope. You can watch the lunar eclipse with nothing more than your own two eyes. If you have a pair of binoculars, they will help magnify the view and will make the red coloration brighter and easier to see. A standard pair of 7x35 or 7x50 binoculars work fine. Remember to dress warmly and enjoy the spectacle!
Amateur astronomers can actually make some useful observations during total eclipses. It's impossible to predict exactly how dark the Moon will appear during totality. The color can also vary from dark gray or brown, through a range of shades of red and bright orange. The color and brightness depend on the amount of dust in Earth's atmosphere during the eclipse. Using the Danjon Brightness Scale for lunar eclipses, amateurs can categorize the Moon's color and brightness during totality.
Another useful amateur activity requires a telescope. Using a standard list lunar craters, one can careful measure the exact time when each crater enters and leaves the umbral shadow. These crater timings can be used to estimate the enlargement of Earth's atmosphere due to airborne dust and volcanic ash.
Of course, an eclipse of the Moon also presents a tempting target to photograph. Fortunately, lunar eclipse photography is easy provided that you have the right equipment and use it correctly.
Eclipse Frequency and Future Eclipses
During the five millennium period from 2000BC through 3000 AD, there are 7,718 eclipses1 of the Moon (including both partial and total). There are anywhere from 0 to 3 lunar eclipses (not including penumbral) each year. The last time that three total lunar eclipses occurred in one calendar year was in 1982. Partial eclipses slightly outnumber total eclipses by 7 to 6.
Only eclipses where the Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow are included in these values. A minor type of eclipse is the penumbral eclipse which occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's faint penumbral shadow. Penumbral eclipses are rarely discernable to the naked eye and are of lesser importance than umbral eclipses.
The Umbral Magnitude is the fraction on the Moon's diameter immersed in the umbra at maximum eclipse. For values greater than 1.0, it is a total eclipse. For negative values, it is a penumbral eclipse. The Total Duration is the duration of the total phase (total eclipses only).
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