Full moon cycle

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The full moon cycle is a period of about 411.8 days after which the orientation of the Moon's elliptical orbit relative to the Sun returns to a similar configuration at full moon. It is also known as the lunar year.

The cycle is related to the difference between the synodic month, which measures the repetition of lunar phases, and the anomalistic month, which measures the Moon's return to perigee.

Because the relative position of perigee changes from one full moon to the next, full moons vary in apparent size, brightness, distance, and the strength of associated tides. After roughly fourteen synodic months, the geometry repeats closely.

The full moon cycle is distinct from the ordinary calendar year and from the 18.6-year nodal cycle. It is useful in studying recurring patterns in lunar distance, full-moon geometry, and tidal forcing.

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• Source / publisher: Wikipedia
• URL type: WWW
• Credits: Wikipedia
• URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_moon_cycle