MOON AMOUR! - 4

Super Moon in Madrid the 13 of November 2016.
.....................................................................................................................................................................................
The orbit of the Moon is distinctly non-circular, but eccentric, elliptical. The plane of this eccentric orbit is inclined with respect to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun. The rotational axis of the Moon is also not perpendicular to its orbital plane, so the lunar equator is not in the plane of its orbit. The orientation of the Moon's elliptic orbit is not fixed in the space, but rotates over time, as it would happen if you make to rotate an asymmetric coin on a table. Thus, the angle between the Moon's orbit and the Earth's equator varies, reaching a maximum of 28°36′ every 18.6 years. The time it takes the Moon to make one complete orbit around Earth with respect to a fixed star is 27.32 days. But the time it takes the Moon to reach the same visual phase varies notably throughout the year, with an average of around 29.53 days. However, and surprinsingly, with all these wild variations, asymmetric movements, eccentricities and irregularities, the Moon is in synchronous rotation with the Earth, keeping the same face toward Earth at all times...MOON AMOUR!
.....................................................................................................................................................................................

(File#: 2016-11-13 17.29.05_2_DxO)
Read less