The moon, 3/12/2009

What is going on with the moon?

I don't mean right now but in general.

The sun is a stand up guy, dependable and reliable- he gets up in the morning goes to bed in the evening, every day without fail. He makes it all happen. You know where you are with the sun.

The moon is more of a wlld card, he seems to have a free hand to do pretty much whatever he wants. I for one never know what to expect from him.

2 days ago the moon got up as the sun went down, which was very useful as it was a full, bright moon and I could still see very well at camp. Last night I stayed in a hotel and was unable to observe it's behavior. Tonight the moon got up 2 hours after the sun set. What's it going to do tomorrow? Who knows? Not me.

I do know how to navigate using the sun - and my watch, or even with just a vague idea of what time of day it is. I thought it would be good to be able to use the moon in the same way. But so far it's not too easy.

The sun rises approximately in the east. So does the moon- it's because of the way the world spins I think.

The sun sets in the west, so does the moon. Easy enough so far.

At midday in the Northern hemisphere the sun is in the south, in the other hemisphere it's in the North. What about the moon? Halfway through it's visible arc where is it? Is this even a constant?

The solar day is longer in the summer, shorter in the winter. What about the moon? How long is the lunar day (to coin a phrase)? How long is the moon up for?

Watching the moon tonight as I write, it is moving to the south as it rises. Maybe it does go south like the sun. Maybe it's something to do with the tilt of the earth on it's axis.

It's a blue moon this month out here, I guess it is everywhere. "Blue Moon" means there are 2 full moons in one calendar month. Really no big deal it's just a rare event, a side effect of the fact that calendar months are not the same length as lunar months. The moon will not to be appear blue....shame really.

The second full moon this month is on the last night of the year incidentally. This an even more rare occourance but ultimately an irrelevant and human created coincidence. Our New Years Eve is not a significant natural turning point like the winter solstice.

I have been by myself for a while now.