冷月

2024年12月20日

The Long Night Moon
Image Credit & Copyright: Giorgia Hofer and Dario Giannobile (Pictores caeli)

Explanation: On the night of December 15, the Full Moon was bright. Known to some as the Cold Moon or the Long Night Moon, it was the closest Full Moon to the northern winter solstice and the last Full Moon of 2024. This Full Moon was also at a major lunar standstill. A major lunar standstill is an extreme in the monthly north-south range of moonrise and moonset caused by the precession of the Moon’s orbit over an 18.6 year cycle. As a result, the full lunar phase was near the Moon’s northernmost moonrise (and moonset) along the horizon. December’s Full Moon is rising in this stacked image, a composite of exposures recording the range of brightness visible to the eye on the northern winter night. Along with a colorful lunar corona and aircraft contrail this Long Night Moon shines in a cold sky above the rugged, snowy peaks of the Italian Dolomites.

Tomorrow’s picture: major solar standstill

冷月
影像提供与版权: Giorgia Hofer and Dario Giannobile (Pictores caeli)

说明: 在12月15日那晚，满月彻夜普照。而这轮称为冷月或长夜月的满月，则是最接近北半球冬至的满月，也是2024年的最后满月。此次满月更遇到最大月球至点。月球至点是指因为周期18.6年的月球轨道进动，导至月出与月落位置的南北范围出现极值。也因此，这轮月亮满相时，月出（或月落）位置位于地平线的最北点。这张记录12月满月升起的叠合影像，组合后得以呈现冬夜天空中人眼可见的亮度范围。影像里除了色彩缤纷的月晕和飞机凝结尾之外，还有高挂在意大利多罗迈蒂山脉崎岖雪峰上空的冷月。

明日的图片: major solar standstill