Re: [Paddlewise] One bright thing pre Y2K

Chuck Holst wrote:
>In reply to Matt Broze, I doubt that the moon's gravitational attraction
>will set a 133-year record, since the moon reaches perigee once a month,
>though it is true that perigee is not usually aligned with the sun.
>(There would be a bigger pull on the earth if perigee coincided with the
>new moon.) The spring tide will probably be a little bigger than usual,
>but again, I doubt it will be a once in a century tide.

I was working from info Ralph quoted (below) and I don't know its accuracy
and this was the first I heard about this event. However, contrary to what
Chuck said, it would seem to me that there would be more distortion of the
earth itself during a full moon than a new moon because the sun and moon
would be pulling from opposite directions in a sort of tug of war stretching
it rather than acting together as during a new moon and just pulling it a
little closer. Both ways will create big tides but I think the full moon is
will deform the earth more, possibly setting off an earthquake that was
nearly ready to let go anyway. In other words, the full moon just may be the
last straw in the earthquake process.
Like all predictions you will remember I said it if it even comes close to
happening on the 22nd and (hopefully) will quickly forget I predicted it if
nothing happens. So called "Psychics" get great mileage out of this quirk in
human memory by making a lot of nebulous predictions and letting (or
helping) us fill in the blanks with later reality of those few that could be
even close.
Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com


> I got this from a friend at UC/Davis who wrote:
>
> START QUOTED STUFF----------------------
> This comes from a fairly reliable source on campus. I'm not sure that
> this
> full moon will be so much brighter than other December full moons near
> perigee, but still, it sounds like a record-setter and a remarkable
> sight.
>
> This year will be the first full moon to occur on the winter solstice,
> Dec
> 22, commonly called the first day of winter.  Since a full moon on the
> winter solstice occurred 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 its elliptical orbit that
> is
> farthest from the Earth)  since the Earth is also several million miles
> closer to the sun at this time of the year than in the summer, sunlight
> striking the moon is about 7% stronger making it brighter.  Also, this
> will
> be the  closest perigee of the Moon of the year. 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.
>
> In laymen's terms it will be a super bright full moon, much more than
> the
> usual AND it hasn't happened this way for 133 years!
>
> Our ancestors 133 years ago saw this.  Our descendants 100 or so years
> from
> now will see this again. I hope someone else might find this
> interesting!
> Remember this will happen December 22, 1999.
> ---------------------END QUOTED STUFF
>>Matt Broze wrote:
>
>> Sounds like a perfect day for a big earthquake. The earth hasn't been
tugged
>> at this hard for 133 years.

>Chuck Holst wrote:
>Don't forget that 2000 will also be the year of the solar maximum, which
>could affect phone service, satellites, and the power grid. So don't
>throw out your old blubber lamp just yet. :-)

>In reply to Matt Broze, I doubt that the moon's gravitational attraction
>will set a 133-year record, since the moon reaches perigee once a month,
>though it is true that perigee is not usually aligned with the sun.
>(There would be a bigger pull on the earth if perigee coincided with the
>new moon.) The spring tide will probably be a little bigger than usual,
>but again, I doubt it will be a once in a century tide.

>Chuck Holst

------------------------------


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