Check out the “moon dance” moves across the sky this week

This week the sky will serve as a runway for a real “moon dance”. Earth’s natural satellite will reach its furthest point from the planet (apogee), circle through the celestial hall, and reach its closest point to the Sun (perihelion) in its current orbit. After this extraordinary solo performance, she still performs two accompanied pieces.

According to the astronomical observation guide InTheSky.org, the show begins on Wednesday (16th), at 8:54 (Brasilia time). At that moment, the Moon will arrive at the furthest point from our planet in its path around it.

The Moon’s distance from Earth varies because its orbit isn’t perfectly circular—it’s slightly oval, tracing a path known as an ellipse. As the Moon travels this elliptical path around the planet each month, its distance varies by 14%, between 356,500 km at perigee (best approximation) and 406,700 km at apogee (furthest point).

The angular size of the star also varies by the same factor, as does its luminosity, although this is difficult to detect in practice, as the phases of the moon change simultaneously. This time, for example, it will be the first day of the new phase, i.e. almost invisible in the sky.

The rotation time of the Moon between perigee, apogee and perigee is again 27.55 days, a period of time called the anomalous month. It is a little longer than the orbital period of our natural satellite (27,322 days).

After the solo choreography, the Moon reaches perihelion, that is: as close as possible to the Sun. This happens on Friday (18th) at 5:41, when it will be 1.0099 astronomical units (AU) from our host star – just over 150 million km.

Then the Moon finds a partner to dance with: conjunct Mercury at 8:26. However, he is in the arms of Mars with which he ends the night maximum approach at 10.17pm.

The post Know the movements of the “moon dance” in the sky this week first appeared on Olhar Digital.

Source: Olhar Digital