ASTRONOMY AT TMSC


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since May 18, 2001

Moon Phases
December 2008

First Quarter Moon
Full Moon
Last Quarter Moon
New Moon
First Quarter
Dec. 5 - 04:26 pm
Full Moon
Dec. 12 - 11:37 am
Last Quarter
Dec. 19 - 05:29 am
New Moon
Dec. 27 - 07:22 am

The Full Cold Moon

Or the Full Long Nights Moon - During this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and nights are at their longest and darkest. It is also sometimes called the Moon before Yule. The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long, and because the Moon is above the horizon for a long time. The midwinter full Moon has a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite a low Sun.

The Moon reaches its greatest northern declination on Dec. 12th (+27 degrees), and its greatest southern declination on Dec. 26th (-27 degrees).

On the 12th the Moon reaches its closest perigee distance in 15 years (356,566 km) resulting in extra large tides, since it will also be Full Moon. The Moon's farthest apogee distance (406,601 km) of the year occurs on the 26th

Perigee (closest to Earth - 356,566 km) on Dec. 12th, at 05:00 pm EST
Apogee (farthest from Earth - 406,601 km) on Dec. 26th, at 03:00 pm EST

 

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