Full Moon question

[CrimsonMaiden]

Does a full moon just last one night?

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Does a full moon just last one night?

I think that may depend on the month. Some lunar months are, if I recall correctly, 30 days but I believe some only run 29, depending on the time of year and such things. However, the full moon is large enough that you could legitimately consider about three days. The day before and the day after would still be very large and bright. It all depends on whether the moonrise is exactly the same time as the sunset.


Not very helpful, was I?

 

[R. Richard]

From Wiki:
"A full moon is often thought of as an event of a full night's duration. This is somewhat misleading, as the Moon seen from Earth is continuously becoming larger or smaller (though much too slowly to notice with the naked eye). Its absolute maximum size occurs at the moment expansion has stopped, and when graphed, its tangent slope is zero. For any given location, about half of these absolute maximum full moons will be potentially visible, as the other half occur during the day, when the full moon is below the horizon. Many almanacs list full moons not just by date, but by their exact time as well (usually in GMT). Typical monthly calendars which include phases of the moon may be off by one day if intended for use in a different time zone."

 

[voluptuary_manque]

According to this site, full moon's can indeed last two nights.

 

[damppanties]

Sometimes one, sometimes two - not more than that.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

Okay, so one, maybe two nights... no more. Thanks y'all. Just what I needed to know.

 

[Weird Harold]

Okay, so one, maybe two nights... no more. Thanks y'all. Just what I needed to know.

To be absolutely precise, a full moon only lasts an instant too small to measure.

In literature, and traditonal lycanthrope folklore, a Full moon lasts for three nights -- or probably more like 24 hours before and after the exact moment of the full moon -- which would likely include the hours of darkness the night before and the night after the actual period of darkness of darkness the moon is full.

I've only very seldom encountered a reference to the moon's influence extending past moonrise the night before to moonset the night after -- Piers Anthony's A Spell For Chamelon being the only notable exception I can think of off-hand. (Chameleon's appearance tracked the full cycle of the moon.)

 

[gauchecritic]

and interestingly the period preceding a full moon (Don't ask me how many days before) the moon can be called 'gibbous'. A gibbous moon. Not quite full. (I have no idea if it can be applied after a full moon)

 

[Liar]

Actually, there is no full moon. The sun is always in somewhat of an angle to the moon compared to us. So there's always a sliver of the dark side in our direction, however minimal.

The only truly full moon, is a lunar eclipse. And then there's this big, fat turd of a planet in the way.

 

[gauchecritic]

The only truly full moon, is a lunar eclipse. And then there's this big, fat turd of a planet in the way.

satellite.

 

[Liar]

satellite.

Are we just throwing out nouns now?

Bicycle.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Side of beef?

 

[Liar]

Side of beef?

That's two nouns and a...gerund?

 

[voluptuary_manque]

That's two nouns and a...gerund?

No, a gerund ends in 'ing'. I think it's an article.

 

[gauchecritic]

No, a gerund ends in 'ing'. I think it's an article.

hmm, thought so, but I did check, it's a preposition. Those things you're not supposed to end sentences with.

 

[jomar]

and interestingly the period preceding a full moon (Don't ask me how many days before) the moon can be called 'gibbous'. A gibbous moon. Not quite full. (I have no idea if it can be applied after a full moon)

And after as well. The gibbous phase is waxing when approaching a full moon and waning on the other side.

 

[Guest]

Crim think of a full moon like a woman's ovulation period.... the time period is three days... where there is one pure point of complete fullness in those three days.

 

[jomar]

Crim think of a full moon like a woman's ovulation period.... the time period is three days... where there is one pure point of complete fullness in those three days.

PMS?..

 

[Zeb_Carter]

So the moon now has PMS?

 

[damppanties]

... the moon can be called 'gibbous'.

When I was little, I thought gibbous meant... ape-ish creature. Gibbon.
It still has that slight connotation for me.
Yes, I'm weird.

 

[Guest]

I thought the question related to your pretty AV.

I was going to say- yum.

 

[slyc_willie]

To be absolutely precise, a full moon only lasts an instant too small to measure.

In literature, and traditonal lycanthrope folklore, a Full moon lasts for three nights -- or probably more like 24 hours before and after the exact moment of the full moon -- which would likely include the hours of darkness the night before and the night after the actual period of darkness of darkness the moon is full.

I've only very seldom encountered a reference to the moon's influence extending past moonrise the night before to moonset the night after -- Piers Anthony's A Spell For Chamelon being the only notable exception I can think of off-hand. (Chameleon's appearance tracked the full cycle of the moon.)

I'd say go with this. Popular literature often describes the "three nights of the full moon" whether or not the science supports it. Very few readers will take issue with the science, and most will appreciate the romanticism.

 

[Vermilion]

Does anyone else find they go a bit loopy on a full moon night? The number of times that I've had a bad day - been ditzy and depressed and snappy and dreamy and all sorts of weird in between and then looked up at night time and found it was a full moon - very peculiar.

Lends credence to Were Wolf myths etc :-D

 

[ishtat]

I'd say go with this. Popular literature often describes the "three nights of the full moon" whether or not the science supports it. Very few readers will take issue with the science, and most will appreciate the romanticism.

In some ancient religions the three nights before the new moon, the "dark moon" when nothing is seen is the more potent time for magic. Sacrifices were made as the moon disappeared and three days later there were celebrations as she returned.

The many religions which preach the notion of a resurrected god have adopted this imagery, christianity being one of the latest of many examples.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

I thought the question related to your pretty AV.

I was going to say- yum.

Oh, um... I didn't think about that.