Tuesday, 30 January 2018

Where and how to view the Super Blue Blood Moon in the UAE

Dubai: Astronomy groups in the UAE are arranging public viewing to offer the best view of the very rare celestial treat of the year — the Super Blue Blood Moon — this Wednesday (January 31).
This lunar trifecta, as Nasa describes it, is a combination of three events at the same time: a blue moon, a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse. (See box) The upcoming eclipse will be the “first total eclipse of a blue moon in nearly 152 years,” space.com’s calculation revealed.

To get a front-row seat to view the total eclipse, the east coast in Fujairah is the perfect spot, depending on the weather, Ebrahim Al Jarwan, deputy director-general of the Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences, told Gulf News.
Hassan Al Hariri, CEO of Dubai Astronomy Group, said if the weather is ideal on Wednesday, residents in Dubai will see the total eclipse for about three minutes but Fujairah residents will see it for longer.

“If you are in Fujairah, you will see the total eclipse two minutes earlier than everyone else in the country and will have a longer time to see it — about five minutes — because you are closer to it,” he told Gulf News.
“In Dubai, if you are in Burj Khalifa, you have the advantage of seeing the total eclipse approximately one minute ahead everyone else in Dubai,” he added.
But if you’re not on the east coast and you can’t go to Burj Khalifa, three astronomy groups in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah have got you covered as they are holding special public viewing in their observatories and are giving out fun lectures about the phenomenon on the day.
Residents who want to view the whole celestial treat must be at the three observatories well before sunset or before 6pm in order to get a good view. The total lunar eclipse is visible in the UAE after sunset between 6.03pm and 6.07pm depending on which emirate you’re in and weather permitting. The partial eclipse will last until 7.11pm while the supermoon will last the whole night.
“We will only be able to see a short glimpse of the total eclipse when the moon rises in the UAE unlike in other countries due to the time difference. In countries in the Pacific like the Philippines, they will see the eclipse for a longer period,” Alejandro Palado, observatory director at Al Sadeem Astronomy in Abu Dhabi, said.
Mohammad Talasha, an observer at the Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences, said they are expecting roughly 250 people on January 31. Besides offering the facilities of the centre, they will also hold scientific experiments related to the event.

QUICK FACTS:

What is a Blue Moon?
Normally, one full moon happens in a calendar month. When two full moons happen within one calendar month, it’s called a blue moon. January’s first full moon happened on the first day and another one is scheduled on the last day of January.
What is a Supermoon?
A supermoon — where the moon appears seven per cent larger than an average full moon — happens when the moon is at a point in its elliptical orbit that is closest to earth called perigee.
What is a total lunar eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse happens when the sun, earth, and moon align and the earth’s umbra (the darker, central shadow) completely covers the moon. The earth’s atmosphere also blocks parts of the sunlight’s spectrum, leaving only the longer wavelengths that give the moon a reddish orange or blood red hue.
Where’s the best spot to view the Super Blue Blood Moon?
An unobstructed view of the horizon from a high point is key. Fujairah on the east coast is the best spot.
In Dubai, if you’re in Burj Khalifa, you will see the eclipse one minute earlier than others in the emirate.
Where I can go for the public viewing in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah?
Dubai: Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre in Mushrif Park
What to expect: Naked-eye observation, telescopic observation, and astro-photography opportunities, presentation and a question-and-answer session.
Admission: Dh20
Time: 5.30pm onwards
Moonrise in Dubai: 6.03pm
Abu Dhabi: Al Sadeem Astronomy
What to expect: Open House, naked-eye observation, telescopic observation, Q&A sessions, observatory tour
Admission: Free
Time: 6pm to 9pm (but be there before 6pm)
Location: Near MRM Stable in Al Wathba South
Moonrise in Dubai: around 6.07pm
Sharjah: Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences
What to expect: Naked-eye observation, telescopic observation, Q&A sessions, scientific experiments
Admission: Free
Time: 5.30pm to 8pm
Sunset: 6.02pm
What if I can’t go to these locations, where can I watch?
You can watch online. Nasa will be live streaming the event through https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive.
If you’re in Dubai and you have a clear view of the horizon (0degrees), for example you’re somewhere on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road, look towards the direction of Sharjah and the moon rise should be on your right-hand side. Or locate the sunset and turn 180 degree, that’s where the moon will rise.
Do I need special glasses to view the moon?
No. It is visible to the naked eye. But telescopes can give a good viewing experience.

Avoid this anti-terror clearance scam in UAE

Dubai: A Dubai-based authority has warned the public to be on the lookout for an anti-terrorism clearance scam that is believed to trick people into paying for something that doesn’t exist.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) said on Tuesday that some fraudsters have fabricated a non-existent document, called “anti-terrorism clearance,” that bears the name of the DFSA and the “Government of UAE.”

The paper purportedly clears an individual or any parcel from involvement in any terrorist activities.
“The false certificate appears to have been produced for a fraudulent and malicious purpose,” the DFSA said in a statement. The document also bears a fake signature of the DFSA deputy director.
Businesses and residents in the UAE have been advised not to respond to any communication regarding the scam, and under no circumstances should they send or give any money to any party in connection with it.
“The DFSA does not issue any certificates for the purpose of clearing an individual or any products from involvement in any terrorist activities,” the DFSA said.
Several reports have emerged of fraudsters trying to dupe people from other countries into paying huge amounts as anti-terrorism clearance fees.
According to various reports, the fraudsters would approach the potential victims online, either through a social networking site or email.
They would make up stories like there’s a huge fund waiting to be transferred or a parcel to be shipped, and in order to get hold of the item, some payments, including anti-terrorism clearance fees, need to be settled urgently first. Once the funds are transferred, the scammers are never to be heard again.

Woman seeks UAE court's help as dad rejects marriage proposal

A 25-year-old woman has moved an Abu Dhabi court after her father allegedly refused to agree to her marriage with a man of her choice due to family disputes.
In her lawsuit, she said her mother supported her fiancé. However, the father refused to give his consent because of the mother's support, she claimed. The woman said her father had disputes with her mother that resulted from domestic violence.
The Arab woman filed a lawsuit at Al Ain Personal Affairs Court, asking the judge's permission to marry the man who had proposed to her, or to be allowed to get the consent of any of her other male relatives instead of her father.
Official court documents stated that the father had refused to agree to his daughter's marriage to the young man, also an Arab. The woman said in her lawsuit that she had been pleading with her father to agree to her marriage, but the father refused, claiming he was not the right person for her.
The young woman argued that her father's refusal to agree to her marriage was because her mother had fully supported her. The court is yet to listen to the father's testimony.
Hassan Al Marzouqi, a lawyer and legal adviser, said there have been several such cases when a woman seeks the judge's permission to marry a man of her choice.
He, however, advised that it was very important for a woman to repeatedly talk to her father or guardian to agree to her marriage before going to court.
According to the UAE laws on marriage, for a woman to get married, she needs the consent of her father or guardian.

UAE jet enables separatists to seize army base in Aden

A senior Yemeni official has told Al Jazeera that southern separatists, backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), seized control of a key military base in the coastal city of Aden, after a UAE fighter jet bombed the facility.
The official told Al Jazeera that fighters from the Southern Resistance Forces (SRF), the armed wing of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) - a political movement demanding secession for southern Yemen - seized the base early on Tuesday, despite a ceasefire being brokered by coalition partners Saudi Arabia and the UAE, hours earlier.
In a post on Twitter, Mukhtar al-Rahbi, an official in Yemen's government, said: "A plane from the Arab coalition, that said it had come to support legitimacy [Yemen's internationally recognised government] bombed the base of the Fourth Brigade. What a farce."
Videos posted on social media showed thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the camp, which is located in Aden's northern Dar Saad district.
The seizure of the Fourth Brigade is the biggest gain for the separatists since fighting first erupted on Sunday.
A source in the city told Al Jazeera that the SRF had now gained control of most of Aden and fought their way to the gates of Al-Mashaiq Palace where Yemen's government resides.
The source said that Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghr and several ministers remained inside the building and that the separatists had not seized the palace itself.

'Refrain from further bloodshed'

Fighting in Aden first erupted on Sunday, when the STC ordered President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to dismiss his prime minister and cabinet or face an overthrow.
The group accused Bin Daghr's Aden-based government of "rampant corruption" resulting in a "deteriorating economic, security and social situation never before witnessed in the history of the south".
Hadi, who has been living in Saudi Arabia for most of the war, rejected the ultimatum, describing the separatists' actions as a "coup".
The violence has killed at least 36 people and wounded 185 since Sunday, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The US State Department pressed for an end to the fighting late on Monday, calling on all parties to "refrain from escalation and further bloodshed."
"We also call for dialogue among all parties in Aden to reach a political solution," the statement said. "The Yemeni people are already facing a dire humanitarian crisis. Additional divisions and violence within Yemen will only increase their suffering."

Deep divisions

Events in Aden have exposed deep divisions between Hadi's government and the Saudi-UAE coalition.
The UAE entered Yemen's war in March 2015 as part of a Saudi-led coalition seeking to roll back advances made by Houthi rebels after they overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014.
Nearly three years on, the coalition has failed to achieve its stated aim of restoring the "legitimate" government of Hadi.
Saudi Arabia has said it "wants out" of the costly exercise, but the UAE has become more involved in the conflict, indicating a divide in the two countries' agendas.
The UAE has financed and trained armed groups in the south who answer to it, and set up prisons and created a security establishment parallel to Hadi's government, according to Human Rights Watch.
Hashem Ahelbarra, an Al Jazeera correspondent who has reported extensively from the country, said the latest developments were a "game changer" for the coalition, "but for more than one reason".
"When the coalition launched its war in 2015 they said it was aimed at preserving a united Yemen, this is no longer the case. The secessionists could say tomorrow that they would like to start procedures for an independent south Yemen. If this happens you will have two Yemens.
"This raises questions about whether the UAE and Saudi Arabia are on the same page regarding the country’s future," Ahelbarra said.
"The Houthis are consolidating their grip in the north and so are the secessionists in the south. Meanwhile, Hadi has lost complete control over territories he controlled and this could pave the way for warlords, tribes, and armed groups such as the local affiliates of ISIL and al-Qaeda to expand their presence in the country," he added.

Yemen’s government 'prepares to flee' as UAE-backed separatists seize control in Aden

Yemen’s government is reportedly preparing to flee the country after fighters from a separatist group backed by the UAE seized control in the city of Aden and surrounded the presidential palace. 
The internationally recognised government of Yemen has been fighting for nearly three years to regain control of the country after losing the capital Sanaa and much of the north to the Houthi rebels. 
But tensions have been growing in recent months between the government, supported by Saudi Arabia, and a southern faction backed by the UAE, who want to form their own country in the south. 
Tensions spilled over into open warfare over the weekend on the streets of Aden, the southern city that has served as the government’s de facto capital. 
Separatist forces took over much of the city and by Tuesday evening they had surrounded the presidential palace, where the country’s prime minister, Ahmed bin Dagher, and several other senior government ministers were holed up. Security officials told the Associated Press they expected Mr Dagher would flee to Saudi Arabia, where the country’s president, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, has been living in exile since 2015. Mr Dagher denounced the separatist onslaught as a “coup” and pleaded with Saudi Arabia to intervene on the government's behalf. At least 36 people have been killed and another 185 wounded in the fighting in Aden since Sunday, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.The urban warfare, which has involved tanks and artillery, has brought aid operations grinding to a halt in a city that was once considered one of the few stable regions in war-ravaged Yemen. “The fighting in Aden makes it impossible for us to carry out our life-saving work,”  said Tamer Kirolos, Save the Children’s Yemen Country Director.“Our staff are forced to shelter at home and in bunkers while gun battles rage outside. Yemen’s children have suffered enough. They’re dying every day from preventable causes like hunger and diseases like cholera and diphtheria.”The aid group estimated late last year that around 130 children were dying every day from disease and malnutrition in the Arab world’s poorest country. The fighting on the streets of Aden reflects the complicated involvement of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen.The two Gulf countries are friends and allies and are fighting together against the Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran. But while Saudi Arabia has firmly backed Yemen’s government, the UAE’s forces in Aden have given support to the southerners. Distrust between the government and the southerners has been growing since last year and in May a group of embittered southerners formed the Southern Transitional Council (STC).The goal of the STC is to reform South Yemen, which existed as an independent country until it was united with the north in 1990. The US, which is backing Saudi Arabia as it fights on behalf of the Yemeni government, called for an end to the fighting.
“The Yemeni people are already facing a dire humanitarian crisis. Additional divisions and violence within Yemen will only increase their suffering,” a State Department spokeswoman said. 

UAE responds to Qatar missing from the Louvre’s map

 Dubai: Inaccurate materials were recently replaced in Abu Dhabi Louvre due to a discrepancy in a world map located at the children part of museum, its management said in a statement. 
In the statement carried by the news agency WAM, the Louvre Abu Dhabi explained that it has completed a review of its illustrative materials, following the replacement of a map in the Children’s Museum.

The world map in question had mistakenly omitted a number of countries, including Qatar, among others.
“[The map] had a number of inaccuracies, misrepresenting the shoreline of the Arabian Peninsula and the modern national borders,” read the statement.
Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, earlier tweeted: “Following the tweet by the chairperson of Qatar museums, I was surprised by the exaggerations made regarding a small mistake made by the gift shop in the Abu Dhabi Louvre."
“There were other observations from individuals who were clearly looking to create unnecessary controversy, but culture remains regarded on a higher standard than these small mishaps," he said.
The review revealed a failure in the commissioning of a simplified schematic map that was meant to represent the journey of an ancient vase. Measures have been put in place to prevent this from happening again, officials said.
According to officials, the Louvre Abu Dhabi has more than 40 major maps throughout its permanent galleries, which are all geographically detailed. Each of the twelve principal galleries were introduced by an animated map, which presents some of the objects on display.
The museum also contains more than 20 maps used in other multimedia tools.
“Similarly, eight maps can be found in the thematic labels of the showcases. There also are maps that are part of the displays in the museum's galleries, including a set of Namban screens from Japan (1625) and a rare Vincenzo Coronelli globe (1697),” said officials.
Louvre Abu Dhabi is a universal museum, which celebrates cross-cultural exchanges and tolerance. 

Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed receives commemorative plaque marking Year of Zayed

Abu Dhabi: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, commended the vision of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on reinforcing the country's infrastructure with mega developmental and strategic projects that translate the great strides made  by the country across multiple domains, earning the nation a much-coveted and prestigious positioning on the international arena.
This came during  Shaikh Mohammad's meeting in Qasr Al Bahar Majlis Tuesday with Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, who gave Shaikh Mohammad a commemorative plaque marking the Year of Zayed on the occasion of opening the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road, as the world's longest international highway.

Shaikh Mohammad affirmed the country's determination to continue to deliver the future through the continued execution of such key developmental projects, being a significant driver for economic growth and sustainable development.
Shaikh Mohammad hailed Shaikh Hamdan's close follow-up of the different phases of the project since its inception going all the way down to its completion as per latest world standards.
Known before as the Mafraq-Ghuwaifat highway, the road has been named after President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in recognition of his role in leading the march of giving until the UAE became one of the pioneering countries worldwide.
Built by Abu Dhabi General Services Company (Musanada) under the supervision of the Department of Transport, the road, which is one of the most important strategic transport projects in Abu Dhabi, will contribute to achieving the objectives of Abu Dhabi plan towards boosting the emirate's infrastructure, supporting its economic development and making a quantum leap in the modern network of roads, he added.
The Dh5.3 billion road has entered the Guinness World Records as the longest international road of 327 kms using LED lamps, considering that some 21,154 were installed on 8,747 lampposts and this would help reduce energy consumption by at least 60 per cent.
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