Predicting Weather By The Moon - Xavier University Libraries
Predicting Weather By The Moon - Xavier University Libraries Predicting Weather By The Moon - Xavier University Libraries
Weather By The Moon Through the Phases One of the most familiar things about the Moon is that it goes through phases from New (all shadow) to 1st Quarter (1/2 appears to be in shadow) to Full (all lit up) to Last Quarter (opposite to the first quarter) and back again to New. This cycle takes 29.53 days and is known as the Moon’s synodic period. The Moon moves through four visibly differentiated phases in about four weeks. New Moon to 1st Quarter, to Full Moon, to Last Quarter, and back to New Moon again, occurs at nearly seven day intervals. We know that the phases are due to how the Sun illuminates the Moon because of the relative positioning of the Earth, Moon and Sun. We observe that not much of the Moon is illuminated when it is close to the Sun. The smaller the angle between the Moon and the Sun, the less we see illuminated. When the angle is within about 6 degrees we see it in a New phase. Sometimes that angle is 0 degrees and we have a solar eclipse - the Moon is in New phase and it is covering up the Sun. Conversely, the greater this angular distance between the Moon and the Sun is, the more we see illuminated. Around 180 degrees we see the Moon in Full phase. Sometimes (about twice a year) the Moon- Sun angle is exactly 180 degrees and we see the Earth’s shadow covering the Moon - a lunar eclipse. The table opposite gives a summary of about when the Moon is vis- 60
ible and where to look. This applies everywhere in the world at roughly the same times of the local day. PHASE Through the Phases RISES in eastern sky During its phases, the Moon does not shine with its own light, but gets its light from the Sun, as the Earth does. The shape of the Moon seems to change a little from night to night. But the Moon doesn’t really change shape. Because the Moon circles the Earth once every day, only those on Earth who are in relative darkness can see it, and what they see is only the part of the Moon that has Sunlight falling on it. Most of us no longer believe that the Moon is born again when new, and dies on the wane, or that, as was the belief in Morocco, a completely new Moon comes each month, and the place where the Dead dwell, paradise, is full of old Moons. We look at the Moon almost every time we look up and we think we know it. But presumably because it is so familiar, many people do not realise, that a Full Moon can be only seen at night, between sunrise and sunset, and never 61 CROSSES southern sky in N hemisphere, northern sky in S. hemisphere SETS in western sky NewMoon Sunrise Noon Sunset 1stQuarterNoon Sunset Midnight FullMoon Sunset Midnight Sunrise 3rdQuarterMidnight Sunrise Noon
- Page 9 and 10: Formation of the Moon OTHELLO: ‘I
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- Page 37 and 38: Early Moon Watchers lore was Aristo
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- Page 43 and 44: Early Moon Watchers Diana...Diana..
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- Page 67 and 68: are more likely to be clearer from
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- Page 93 and 94: PERIGEES AND APOGEES The rising or
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<strong>Weather</strong> <strong>By</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Moon</strong><br />
Through the Phases<br />
One of the most familiar things about the <strong>Moon</strong> is<br />
that it goes through phases from New (all shadow) to 1st<br />
Quarter (1/2 appears to be in shadow) to Full (all lit up) to<br />
Last Quarter (opposite to the first quarter) and back again<br />
to New. This cycle takes 29.53 days and is known as the<br />
<strong>Moon</strong>’s synodic period. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Moon</strong> moves through four visibly<br />
differentiated phases in about four weeks. New <strong>Moon</strong><br />
to 1st Quarter, to Full <strong>Moon</strong>, to Last Quarter, and back to<br />
New <strong>Moon</strong> again, occurs at nearly seven day intervals.<br />
We know that the phases are due to how the Sun illuminates<br />
the <strong>Moon</strong> because of the relative positioning of<br />
the Earth, <strong>Moon</strong> and Sun. We observe that not much of the<br />
<strong>Moon</strong> is illuminated when it is close to the Sun. <strong>The</strong> smaller<br />
the angle between the <strong>Moon</strong> and the Sun, the less we see<br />
illuminated. When the angle is within about 6 degrees we<br />
see it in a New phase. Sometimes that angle is 0 degrees<br />
and we have a solar eclipse - the <strong>Moon</strong> is in New phase<br />
and it is covering up the Sun. Conversely, the greater this<br />
angular distance between the <strong>Moon</strong> and the Sun is, the more<br />
we see illuminated. Around 180 degrees we see the <strong>Moon</strong><br />
in Full phase. Sometimes (about twice a year) the <strong>Moon</strong>-<br />
Sun angle is exactly 180 degrees and we see the Earth’s<br />
shadow covering the <strong>Moon</strong> - a lunar eclipse. <strong>The</strong> table<br />
opposite gives a summary of about when the <strong>Moon</strong> is vis-<br />
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