Centaur
19-May-2008, 10:31 PM
There will be a Full Moon tonight, albeit near apogee. Geocentric longitudinal opposition will occur on May 20 at 02:11 UT. I calculate that the greatest geocentric fullness will happen 8 minutes later. For us in Chicagoland the greatest fullness theoretically will be on May 19 at 23:05 UT (18:05 CDT), but the Moon won’t actually rise here until 20:21 CDT (10 minutes after sunset) at azimuth 124.4°.
During the coming months the Full Moons will appear increasingly larger until the December Full Moon happening near perigee. The occasion of Full Moon at perigee (or apogee) recurs over a cycle of 14 lunar months (1.13 years). See my illustration at: http://www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html
Photos of the Full Moon rising would be welcome additions to this thread.
Below is my picture of the Hunter's Moon over a flock of geese last October.
http://www.curtrenz.com/OctFullMoon.JPG
During the coming months the Full Moons will appear increasingly larger until the December Full Moon happening near perigee. The occasion of Full Moon at perigee (or apogee) recurs over a cycle of 14 lunar months (1.13 years). See my illustration at: http://www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html
Photos of the Full Moon rising would be welcome additions to this thread.
Below is my picture of the Hunter's Moon over a flock of geese last October.
http://www.curtrenz.com/OctFullMoon.JPG