[at-l] [supposed] lunar perigee

[Pat Villeneuve <patv@falcon.cc.ukans.edu>]

Night hiking, anyone?...

> > > This year will be the first full moon to
occur on the winter solstice,
> > > Dec. 22, commonly called the  first day of
winter.  Since a full moon
on
> > > the
> > > winter solstice occurred 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.
> > > In lay 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.....


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