The Moon
Article for February 2024
It would be unfair to get lost amongst the stars without acknowledging our constant companion in this galactic journey. From stabilising our planet’s wobble and protecting our climate, to bringing the tides, our moon has truly earned its place in the countless art and mythology it has inspired. Its regular phases provide excellent timekeeping and perhaps even became the basis for our months and weeks.
The most widely accepted theory of the moon’s formation is that the earth collided with another, smaller planet in the early days of the solar system. This collision produced a mass of debris that combined to form the moon we see today. Of course, the moon we see is only one side. Our natural satellite is ‘tidally locked’ to our planet. This means that the time it takes to rotate on its own axis is about the same as the time it takes to orbit the earth, resulting in us constantly seeing the same face.
In the UK, the face you see might be that of ‘the man in the moon’. Shadowy patches on the moon’s surface appear as the eyes, nose and mouth of the man, but many cultures have their own interpretations of these patterns. In China you may see Yutu, the rabbit companion of the moon goddess, Chang'e, while other cultures have seen a woman, a banished man carrying a bundle of sticks, and even a toad! These highlights and shadows on the moon’s surface are actually mountainous highlands that catch the sun’s light, and dark ‘seas’ of less reflective basalt. Early scientists believed that the dark patches were water, giving them their name.
In China you may see Yutu, the rabbit companion of the moon goddess, Chang'e
Of all the moons we know of, our own is particularly special. At a bit more than one quarter the size of Earth, it has the largest moon to planet ratio of any of the other planets. In fact, despite our planet’s small size, Earth has the fifth largest moon in the solar system. Due to the distance at which our moon orbits, it appears practically the same size as the sun in our sky. This wonder of chance has allowed for one of the most spectacular sights in our skies: the solar eclipse.
The next total solar eclipse visible from the UK won’t be until 2090
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun, briefly blocking its light and casting a shadow upon the earth. Total solar eclipses occur roughly every 18 months, though if you want to see one from the same place twice, you will have to wait much longer – the next total solar eclipse visible from the UK won’t be until 2090! See them while you can though. Ever so slowly, by about 4cm a year, the moon is moving away from us. In about 600 million years it will no longer appear large enough to fully cover the sun, and solar eclipses will be no more.
March’s full moon, the Worm Moon, will be on the 25th of the month. Native American tribes named the moons to help keep track of the seasons, and it’s these names that were adopted and are commonly used today. This is where we get the term ‘Harvest Moon’ – it is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox and will arrive in September. Maybe make a note on the calendar of each full moon over the coming year; they are a great time to break out the binoculars!
Full Moon Names & Dates
January's full moon - Wolf Moon (25th)
February's full moon - Snow Moon (24th)
March's full moon - Worm Moon (25th)
April's full moon - Pink Moon (24th)
May's full moon - Flower Moon (23rd)
June's full moon - Strawberry Moon (22nd)
July's full moon - Buck Moon (21st)
August's full moon - Sturgeon Moon (19th)
September's full moon - Harvest Moon (18th)
October's full moon - Hunter's Moon (17th)
November's full moon - Frost Moon (15th)
December's full moon - Cold Moon (15th)
Source: www.countryliving.com
All pictures sourced from Bing’s image search, filtered to a licence of “free to share and use”.
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