Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/12/12

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Subject: [Leica] Dec 22 FULL MOON SHOOT!
From: Ted Grant <tedgrant@islandnet.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 16:15:39 -0800

Hi folks,

For all you moon shooters here's something that might make for some wild
eyed moon pictures.

=================================

This year will be the first full moon to occur on the winter solstice,
December 22nd, commonly called the first day of winter.

Since a full moon on the winter solstice occurs in conjunction with a lunar
perigee (point in the moon's orbit that is closest to Earth), the moon will
appear about 14% larger than it does at apogee (the point in it's elliptical
orbit that is farthest from the Earth).  Since the Earth is also several
million miles closer to the sun at this time of the year than in the summer,
sunlight striking the moon is about 7% stronger making it brighter.  Also,
this will be the closest perigee of the Moon of the year since the moon's
orbit is constantly deforming.  If the weather is clear and there is a snow
cover where you live, it is believed that even car headlights will be
superfluous.  On December 21st, 1866, the Lakota Sioux took advantage of
this combination of occurrences and staged a devastating retaliatory ambush
on soldiers in the Wyoming Territory.

In laymen's terms it will be a super bright full moon, much more than the
usual AND it hasn't happened this way for 133 years!

Our ancestors 133 years ago saw this.  Our descendants 100 or so years from
now will see this again.

Remember this will happen December 22, 1999.....
...

Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant