Hi Jon,
Thanks for the info. I'm on shift that night and it has been clear for days
here. Looking forward to it.
Rick
Jon Paschke wrote:
> Subject: Bright Moon's a comin!
>
> This year will be the first full moon to occur on the winter
> solstice,Dec. 22, commonly called the first day of winter, since
> 1866. 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 its 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 cars 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.
>
> I hope someone else might find this interesting! Remember
> this will happen December 22, 1999.
>
>
--
52 MGTD,Sparky 74 MGB, B-tris 76 XJ12 Coupe, Jacque
60 Bugeye, Puddles 58 MGA Coupe, Ruby
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