February Moon at Descending Node

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Saturday February 6^th the 25-day old waning crescent Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.

On the date of the descending node the 25-day old thin waning crescent Moon will be over the eastern horizon at sunrise local time.

Caution: Objects viewed with an optical aid are further than they appear.
Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

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January Moon at Descending Node

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Sunday January 10^th the nearly 27-day old waning crescent Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.

On the date of the descending node the 26.7-day old thin waning crescent Moon will be over the eastern horizon at sunrise local time. Just appearing above the horizon is the inner planet Venus.

A December Moon 3 for 1

Posted on December 12, 2020 by Bob Riddle

New Phase, Descending Node, and a Solar Eclipse!

Monday December 14^th the new Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic. This is an event that happens 2-3 times each month, but when a node crossing happens at new or full Moon phase there will be either a solar eclipse at new Moon or a lunar eclipse at full Moon.
It’s all about timing, and the closer the node crossing time is to the time for the new or full phase that increases the chances for an eclipse. The time for the descending node crossing is 11:00 UT December 14^th and the time for new Moon phase is about 5 hours later at 16:16 UT. graphic from the Time and Date web site

So we get a total solar eclipse this time around. Hopefully my two camera amigos in Esquel Argentina will get some good pictures. Hint, hint Pablo y Checho!

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November Moon at Descending Node

Posted on November 16, 2020 by Bob Riddle

Tuesday November 17^th the nearly 3-day old waxing crescent Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.

On the date of the descending node the waxing crescent Moon will be over the southwestern horizon at sunset local time. Spread across the horizon from west to east are Jupiter, Saturn, Dwarf Planet Ceres, Neptune, and Mars.

October Moon at Descending Node

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Bob Riddle

Tuesday October 20^th the 4-day old waxing crescent Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.

September Moon at Descending Node

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Bob Riddle

Wednesday September 23^rd the 7-day old first quarter Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.

On the date of the descending node the first quarter Moon will be about 20^o to the east from the heart of Scorpius the Scorpion, the reddish star Antares, and about 15-16^o west from Jupiter.
Mercury and Spica are still a couple of degrees apart but low above the horizon as the Sun is setting.

July Moon at Descending Node #2

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Bob Riddle

crossing the node Friday July 31^st the 11-day old waning gibbous Moon will be crossing the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path has with the ecliptic. The ecliptic is actually the Earth’s orbit, and the Moon’s orbit is inclined about 6^o from the ecliptic. So there are two node intersections, the ascending and descending nodes.
On the day of the node crossing the waning gibbous Moon will be a few degrees from the outer planet Jupiter and few more degrees from Saturn.

Does our Moon actually go around the Earth as many graphics show? From our perspective on the Earth the Moon appears to circle around the Earth. However, in reality, the Moon orbits the Sun together with the Earth^*
^*Click here to read my 2006 Scope on the Sky column “The Real Shape of the Moon’s Orbit”. (PDF)

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July Moon at Descending Node

Posted on July 2, 2020 by Bob Riddle

Friday July 3^rd the 11-day old waxing gibbous Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.

On the date of the descending node the waxing gibbous Moon will be over the southern horizon around local time for sunset. Look for the Moon to be about 9-10^o from the heart of Scorpius the Scorpion, the reddish star Antares.

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Bob Riddle

penumbral-eclipse-ani    At 17:45 UT (12:45 am CDT) Friday June 5^th the full Moon will start passing through the Earth’s shadow setting up the condition for a lunar eclipse. Approximately 24 hours later the just past full Moon will be at its descending node, the orbital point where the Moon’s inclined orbit crosses, or intersects the Earth’s orbit.
   This penumbral lunar eclipse will not be visible from North and South America.
   Click here to go to the Hermit Eclipse web site for an interactive map showing where this eclipse will occur.

June Moon at Descending Node

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Bob Riddle

Saturday June 6^th the 14.7-day old waning gibbous Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.

On the date of the descending node the waning gibbous Moon will be just getting ready to set about an hour or so before sunrise. To the east are three of the visible planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars. Dwarf Planet Ceres, and Neptune are also part of the line-up along the ecliptic, but both have apparent magnitudes too dim to be naked-eye visible.

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Earth and Space Sciences Education

Tag Archives: descending node

February Moon at Descending Node

January Moon at Descending Node

A December Moon 3 for 1

November Moon at Descending Node

October Moon at Descending Node

September Moon at Descending Node

July Moon at Descending Node #2

July Moon at Descending Node

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

June Moon at Descending Node

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