When will the moon be closest to earth (to photograph it)

(thread started in rec.photo.digital, now including sci.astro.amateur for their
possible brain power)

On Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:33:31 +0530, "mianileng"
wrote:


"RandyChase" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:35:13 +0530, "mianileng"

wrote:


How do I get closer to the moon?


If your latitude is north of the Tropic of Cancer: wait for the moon to
reach
the zenith while it also coincides with the peak of its perigee during the
Winter Solstice and its orbital inclination to the ecliptic is also most
northerly. Doing so while in a high-altitude aircraft or weather-balloon
will
also slightly decrease your distance. Or move to the equatorial-belt
regions and
wait for the moon to reach the zenith during its perigee. Which provides
for
much greater chance of getting closer than if further north than the
Tropic of
Cancer, or further south than the Tropic of Capricorn.

The closer the moon is to the zenith (the point in the sky vertically
above you)
during its perigee (when the moon is closest to the earth), the closer
you'll
be. Northern and southern inhabitants must wait for the moon's orbital
inclination and its orbit along the ecliptic to coincide with their
latitude to
allow for the moon's passage closest to their zenith. Those living in the
equatorial-belt of earth are not as greatly encumbered by those extra
required
alignments.

Or join one of the many countries' space programs and train to be an
astro/cosmonaut. Hope to get on a waiting list for any upcoming lunar
excursion.
Increase your chances by rallying local governments to support your wishes
to
get closer to the moon.



:-) Oh well, I think I'll just stick with my P&S with its 420mm Leica glass.


Yes, that will also help. But there's a minor correction to the information
above. I now realize that in order to get closest to the moon from a terrestrial
position, along with all the other earth-moon alignment conditions needing to be
met (noted above), you'll have to be on the highest vantage point of the
equatorial-bulge. According to Wiki: "An often-cited result of Earth's
equatorial bulge is that the highest point on Earth, measured from the center
outwards, is the peak of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, rather than Mount
Everest." You'll have to move to Ecuador with your Leica lens. Don't forget to
pack a supply of oxygen for that climb.

I wonder if there's an online calculator that predicts, like eclipses, when
you'll be closest to the moon while at your position on earth. Would make for a
fun web-page. It could also let you know when to start packing to get to Mt.
Chimborazo. It might not be 10 centuries from now when all those alignments come
to pass (exactly when the moon is at the zenith of that mountain during the
moon's nearest possible perigee). You'd have plenty of time to get an even
better P&S.

:-)

Come to think of it, this better happen sooner than 10 centuries. The moon is
slowly moving away from the earth every day.

As Alice might say, "This just gets more curiouser and curiouser."

We now know the location, we just have to find out when the moon will be closest
to that mountain-peak as it irrevocably increases in distance.

This could also make for a major day to party. The day the moon will never be
closer to any point on earth. A world-wide "Lunar Bon-voyage Party". With
millions making a pilgrimage to Mount Chimborazo (The tourist industry of
Ecuador should get in on this.). :-)

Anyone care to calculate this exact moment in time?

It might not even be at that location if the moon will be closer to some other
point on earth due to the moon's nearest possible perigee happening over some
other high-altitude point on earth long before it will happen directly over that
mountain. Quite the complex puzzle.

When, and where, will some point on earth never be any closer to the moon again?

Please forward this to someone with more time on their hands than I, who can
also run the best orbital calculations possible. Report back. Thanks.

Look he http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/pacalc.html

Richard

"RandyChase" wrote in message
...
(thread started in rec.photo.digital, now including sci.astro.amateur for
their
possible brain power)

On Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:33:31 +0530, "mianileng"

wrote:


"RandyChase" wrote in message
. ..
On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:35:13 +0530, "mianileng"

wrote:


How do I get closer to the moon?


If your latitude is north of the Tropic of Cancer: wait for the moon to
reach
the zenith while it also coincides with the peak of its perigee during
the
Winter Solstice and its orbital inclination to the ecliptic is also most
northerly. Doing so while in a high-altitude aircraft or weather-balloon
will
also slightly decrease your distance. Or move to the equatorial-belt
regions and
wait for the moon to reach the zenith during its perigee. Which provides
for
much greater chance of getting closer than if further north than the
Tropic of
Cancer, or further south than the Tropic of Capricorn.

The closer the moon is to the zenith (the point in the sky vertically
above you)
during its perigee (when the moon is closest to the earth), the closer
you'll
be. Northern and southern inhabitants must wait for the moon's orbital
inclination and its orbit along the ecliptic to coincide with their
latitude to
allow for the moon's passage closest to their zenith. Those living in
the
equatorial-belt of earth are not as greatly encumbered by those extra
required
alignments.

Or join one of the many countries' space programs and train to be an
astro/cosmonaut. Hope to get on a waiting list for any upcoming lunar
excursion.
Increase your chances by rallying local governments to support your
wishes
to
get closer to the moon.



:-) Oh well, I think I'll just stick with my P&S with its 420mm Leica
glass.


Yes, that will also help. But there's a minor correction to the
information
above. I now realize that in order to get closest to the moon from a
terrestrial
position, along with all the other earth-moon alignment conditions needing
to be
met (noted above), you'll have to be on the highest vantage point of the
equatorial-bulge. According to Wiki: "An often-cited result of Earth's
equatorial bulge is that the highest point on Earth, measured from the
center
outwards, is the peak of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, rather than Mount
Everest." You'll have to move to Ecuador with your Leica lens. Don't
forget to
pack a supply of oxygen for that climb.

I wonder if there's an online calculator that predicts, like eclipses,
when
you'll be closest to the moon while at your position on earth. Would make
for a
fun web-page. It could also let you know when to start packing to get to
Mt.
Chimborazo. It might not be 10 centuries from now when all those
alignments come
to pass (exactly when the moon is at the zenith of that mountain during
the
moon's nearest possible perigee). You'd have plenty of time to get an even
better P&S.

:-)

Come to think of it, this better happen sooner than 10 centuries. The moon
is
slowly moving away from the earth every day.

As Alice might say, "This just gets more curiouser and curiouser."

We now know the location, we just have to find out when the moon will be
closest
to that mountain-peak as it irrevocably increases in distance.

This could also make for a major day to party. The day the moon will never
be
closer to any point on earth. A world-wide "Lunar Bon-voyage Party". With
millions making a pilgrimage to Mount Chimborazo (The tourist industry of
Ecuador should get in on this.). :-)

Anyone care to calculate this exact moment in time?

It might not even be at that location if the moon will be closer to some
other
point on earth due to the moon's nearest possible perigee happening over
some
other high-altitude point on earth long before it will happen directly
over that
mountain. Quite the complex puzzle.

When, and where, will some point on earth never be any closer to the moon
again?

Please forward this to someone with more time on their hands than I, who
can
also run the best orbital calculations possible. Report back. Thanks.

RandyChase wrote:
(thread started in rec.photo.digital, now including sci.astro.amateur for their
possible brain power)

I don't know the answer but the pbs dude was going on about Jupiter and
Venus (which I've seen lately in the evening sky) eventually being
within a few lunar diameters (as viewed from here) with the moon nearby.

Let me fire up my old skyglobe ...

Yep, 1 Dec, AZ of about 212 true, 2210 UTC (from Montreal, IAC).

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