[pct-l] Useless facts or how to keep this list busy....

["R.J. Calliger (510.502.5552)" <calliger@infolane.com>]

Thought this might be of interest to some, especially anyone lucky enough to
be in the mountains on this night.

This year will be the first full moon this century to occur on the winter
solstice, Dec. 22, commonly called the first day of winter.  Since the full
moon on the winter solstice occurs in conjunction with a lunar perigee
(point in the moon's orbit that is closest to Earth)  the moon will appear
about 14% larger than it does at apogee (the point in it's elliptical orbit
that is farthest from the Earth).  Also, the Earth is several million miles
closer to the sun at this time of the year than in the summer so sunlight
striking the moon is about 7% stronger making the moon brighter.  Also, this
will be the closest perigee of the moon of the year since the moon's orbit
is constantly deforming.  If the weather is clear and there is a snow cover
where you live, it is believed that even car headlights will be superfluous.
On December 21st. 1866 the Lakota Sioux took advantage of this combination
of occurrences and staged a devastating retaliatory ambush on soldiers in
the Wyoming Territory.


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