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Return to E-mail Discussion page Howdy!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), it 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 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, take a step to look outside on the evening of December 22,1999. TO EVERYONE A MAGICAL HOLIDAY!!! Truly Kelly |
