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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Apogee's Full Moon
NASA ^ | January 18, 2014 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 01/18/2014 9:48:34 AM PST by SunkenCiv

Explanation: This big, bright, beautiful Full Moon rose over Lick Observatory Wednesday night. Traditionally a full moon in January might be called the Wolf Moon. But this moon reached its full phase on January 16, 4:54 UT, within about 2 hours of apogee, the most distant point in its elliptical orbit around planet Earth. That also makes it the smallest full moon of 2014. Of course the difference in apparent size between the largest and smallest full moons is hard to see, because the difference in distance between lunar apogee and perigee, or closest point in the Moon's orbit, is only about 50,000 kilometers, while the Moon's average distance is around 385,000 kilometers. Though not by much, this apogee's full moon was also the smallest full moon of the last 1,000 years. It will keep that distinction until a slightly smaller full moon occurs close to apogee in 2154.

January 18, 2014

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; moon; science
[Credit & Copyright: Rick Baldridge]

1 posted on 01/18/2014 9:48:34 AM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
Sorry I had to catch it up.
The Big One

2 posted on 01/18/2014 9:49:08 AM PST by SunkenCiv (;http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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To: SunkenCiv

That is one, beautiful photograph.


3 posted on 01/18/2014 9:53:09 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true .. I have no proof .. but they're true.)
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To: SunkenCiv

I saw that moon Wednesday evening.

And, yes, it was THAT gorgeous!


4 posted on 01/18/2014 10:07:23 AM PST by left that other site
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To: SunkenCiv

Is that when we experience the highest “Gee`s” b/c the Moon is farthest away? ;)


5 posted on 01/18/2014 10:16:00 AM PST by mikrofon (APOD Bump)
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To: SunkenCiv

WOW!

Thank you so much!


6 posted on 01/18/2014 10:17:46 AM PST by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
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To: mikrofon
Is that when we experience the highest “Gee`s” b/c the Moon is farthest away? ;)

Ah, that explains the bathroom scale the last few days.

7 posted on 01/18/2014 10:33:29 AM PST by raybbr (I weep over my sons' future in this Godforsaken country.)
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To: SunkenCiv
Terraform it!


8 posted on 01/18/2014 10:35:51 AM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: SunkenCiv

Here is a very similar view posted in APOD from March of 2012; this one has a bit more illumination of the Observatory in the foreground ...

I hadn't seen it in APOD for 2014 yet, but this link goes to the NASA video depicting the lunar phases for this year, similar to the one posted for 2013.

9 posted on 01/18/2014 11:34:32 AM PST by mikrofon (APOD Bump)
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To: SunkenCiv

We attended the full moon party on Beef Island in Tortola, BWI the other night. They have one every month. Bonfires, stilt dancers, a young woman acrobat performing suspended from a crane, and of course, food and drink.


10 posted on 01/18/2014 11:45:10 AM PST by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed & water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS NOW & FOREVER!)
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To: JimRed

Was it as fun as it sounds?!!!


11 posted on 01/18/2014 1:16:46 PM PST by momtothree
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To: JimRed
...a young woman acrobat performing suspended from a crane...


12 posted on 01/18/2014 1:38:14 PM PST by Talisker (One who commands, must obey.)
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To: momtothree
Was it as fun as it sounds?!!!

Yes, thank you, it was- and a family oriented gathering. Everyone from youngsters to geezers, and even the drink-too-much contingent behaved pretty well. Of course, the party goes on 'til dawn, but we left before 11.

13 posted on 01/19/2014 4:51:07 AM PST by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed & water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS NOW & FOREVER!)
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To: SunkenCiv
VICTORIAN LIGHT
14 posted on 01/19/2014 4:52:04 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper (Mia San Mia)
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To: SunkenCiv
The Epic Land Part 1
15 posted on 01/19/2014 5:04:01 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper (Mia San Mia)
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To: SunkenCiv

16 posted on 01/19/2014 5:16:38 AM PST by JoeProBono (SOME IMAGES MAY BE DISTURBING VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED;-{)
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To: JoeProBono
Sheldon I'm Batman!

17 posted on 01/19/2014 8:27:34 AM PST by SunkenCiv (;http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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