What is the Moon's phase when closest to the Sun?

Answer 1

The full moon - you NEVER get full moons in daytime because of course the Moon is only full when it's on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, so you'd only see it at night.

So, you only get a full Moon like this: SUN------EARTH------MOON

___________________________________day/night___ full > so night-side = full Moon

Answer 2

The mutual gravitational force between the earth and moon is greatest when the

moon is closest to the earth ... the point in its orbit called "perigee".

The time when that happens has no particular relationship to the moon's phases.

It passes perigee once in every orbital revolution ... 27.32 days ... but the cycle of

phases lasts 29.53 days. So perigee can occur at any phase.

Answer 3

It is feasibly possible given the right conditions for the moon to be 146,692,378 km (91,150,417.8 miles) from the sun

The moon would have to be at the furthest point of its orbit (Aphelion) and directly in line between the Earth and the Sun, when Earth is at the closest point of it's orbit (Perihelion).

Perihelion for the earth is 147,098,074 km (91,402,505.6 miles)

Aphelion for moon is 405,696 km (252,087.8 miles).

Answer 4

The moon is actually "up" for about 12-1/2 hours of every day; so if you know where to look,

it ought to be visible during daylight hours at some time during nearly every day.

The most likely time to notice it during the day would be for a few days before and a few days after

the Full Moon. That's the period during which the greatest portion of the moon is illuminated, and

also the period during which the moon is farthest in the sky from the sun.

Answer 5

Since the moon revolves around the earth, and since the earth was closest to the sun this year (2009) on January 4, the moon's closest approach to the sun had to be at the time of the New Moon that was closest to January 4. Just by coincidence, the New Moon also occurred on January 4, only about 3 hours before perihelion, so that was definitely the time when the moon was closest to the sun.

One should not have the impression that the moon was skirting the sun's outer atmosphere at that moment, or that its mountain peaks were getting toasted.

Yes, the moon was closer to the sun than at any other time during the year, but that doesn't mean that it was 'close'. The moon's distance from the sun was still 99.74% of the earth's distance from the sun. Putting it another way ... the moon was about 384 times as far from the sun as it was from earth.

Answer 6

Usually there is one full moon in every calendar month, but sometimes there are two depending on when in the month they occur. This is because months are based roughly, but not precisely, on the lunar cycle. The 30-day and 31-day months can sometimes have 2 full moons, snuggly fit at both ends of the month.

Answer 7

When the Moon lies between the Sun and the Earth the unilluminated portion of the Moon faces the Earth. In astronomical terminology this is known as a New Moon.

_____________________________________________________________

Actually, the Moon reflects an equal amount of light in every phase.

The difference is, how much of that reflected light then goes on to hit the Earth? During the Full Moon phase, the maximum amount of the reflected light strikes the Earth, and at the new moon phase, NONE of the reflected light is directed back toward the Earth; the reflected light is all directed back into space.

Answer 8

A third quarter is when the moon phase halfway between full moon and new moon, when half of the side facing Earth is lighted.

Answer 9

janury=9 february=7 march=8 april=6 may=5 june=4 july=3 august=1 september=29 october=29 november=28 december=28

Answer 10

That's around midnight at the end of 10/22 -- beginning of 10/23.