Low Full Moon Tonight

[Tugmistress]

Just copied and pasted this from another message board, thought it may interest some of you

At this time of the year, the full moon compared to the other full moons that occur throughout the year, is at its lowest in the sky from our latitudes due to the axial tilt of the Earth. It is almost opposite to what occurs for our viewing of the Sun, where it is at its highest for this time of year.

The opposite occurs at the winter solstice where the Sun is at its lowest and the full moon nearest the solstice is at its highest.

Another factor comes into play is that the lunar orbit around the Earth is tilted at about 5 degrees to the plane of the Sun and the Earth. Due to regressional drift, the date when the moon reaches it maximum angles above and below the Sun/Earth plane changes with time, about 19 degrees for every year. It takes about 18 and a half years for one cycle to be complete.
The highest full moons occur very close to the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere and when the moon is at it maximum angle above the Sun/Earth plane.
The lowest full moons occur when the moon is at its maximum angle below the Sun/Earth plane nearest the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere.

At around 12.30am on the 12th of June the full moon will reach its highest postion and this will be the altitude from these locations.

Reykjavik: invisible
Lerwick: about a half degree
Edinburgh: 4 degrees 44 seconds
Belfast: 6 degrees 2 seconds
Manchester: 7 degrees 15 seconds
Birmingham: 8 degrees 15 seconds
London: 9 degrees 15 seconds

It will be one of the lowest full moons in decades.

[peedie man]

we had better stand back tonight then.

[orkneylass]

we had better stand back tonight then.

Or maybe lie down?????

[peedie man]

oh boy trust a orkney lass

[canuck]

Tugmistress - Thanks for this thread. I was at a wedding in Winnipeg, Canada yesterday. The reception was in a tent and so we saw the night sky as it emerged. The moon was full and indeed low. Now I know why.

Earlier in the day we spent some time in the cemetary revisiting my own family history. Many of the Selkirk settlers are buried there. It was incredible to see all the Caithness/Sutherland references and through those references to reconnect with my friends in Scotland.

[Steinway]

Thanks for this, Tugmistress! It's really good to know, and I'm always interested in things like that. Will it be visable near Lybster though?

[Chillie]

We will all have to watch out then, all the weirdo's and heid banger's will be climbing the wall's,oooowhhh,

[Chillie]

[cuddlepop]

Its a beautiful evening here ,just right to stay up late and watch the moon.Its been looking particularly earie the past few nights.Wonder if its going to make folk mader than usual cause its so near....

[Billy Boy]

[obiron]

nice pic mr and mrs billy boy.

[Tugmistress]

Thanks for this, Tugmistress! It's really good to know, and I'm always interested in things like that. Will it be visable near Lybster though?

Looking at the table in my original post, as long as it doesn't cloud over / get misty, it should be just above the horizon for us all in caithness (unless you are down a deep valley)