It's actually 11 degrees total variation from the ecliptic. Roughly 5.5 degrees from each node (point the mood crosses the ecliptic): INCLINATION - Varies about 5 degrees 8' 43" (5.145 degrees) from Ecliptic Moon can be 37,000 km. (5.29 degrees) above/below Ecliptic Max. 29 degrees N. or S. Declination, Varies 59' (.15 degrees) in 173 day period Moon Can Occult any Star 5.5 degrees from Ecliptic dlb On Friday, January 17, 2003, at 10:21 AM, Brent Watson wrote:
Joe,
The moon does not follow the ecliptic exactly. I don't remember the numbers exactly, but the moon's orbit is tilted WRT the ecliptic by around 11 degrees. Because of the precession of the node of the moon's orbit, this means that the moon can be 11 degrees north OR south of the ecliptic anywhere along the ecliptic. It MAY be that the moon is 11 degrees north now, and adding that to the ecliptic being in the northern sky, the moon will set very far north.
This being said, I just checked the position of the moon and it is only about 2 degrees north of the ecliptic. Your answer is most of the reason, but the tilt of the mon's orbit is adding an additional 2 degrees. (Not much - about 4 lunar diameters.)
Brent
--- Joe Bauman <bau@desnews.com> wrote:
This morning my wife noticed that the moon seemed awfully far north when it set. Question for the group: how often does it get this far north? I tried to say it had something to do with the winter solstice, but she pointed out the solstice was several weeks ago. So am I still right, or is there some other odd reason I don't understand? Thanks, Joe
Joe Bauman science & military reporter Deseret News bau@desnews.com (801) 237-2169
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