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In contrast, the Lunar distance (LD or ), or Earth–Moon characteristic distance, is a unit of measure in astronomy. More technically, it is the semi-major axis of the geocentric lunar orbit . The lunar distance is on average approximately 385,000 km (239,000 mi), or 1.28 light-seconds ; this is roughly 30 times Earth's diameter or 9.5 times ...
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite.It orbits at an average distance of 384,400 km (238,900 mi), about 30 times the diameter of Earth. Tidal forces between Earth and the Moon have synchronized the Moon's orbital period (lunar month) with its rotation period at 29.5 Earth days, causing the same side of the Moon to always face Earth.
The average length of a calendar month (a twelfth of a year) is about 30.4 days. This is not a lunar period, though the calendar month is historically related to the visible lunar phase. The Moon's distance from Earth and Moon phases in 2014. Moon phases: 0 (1)—new moon, 0.25—first quarter, 0.5—full moon, 0.75—last quarter
It is usually quoted as "light-time for unit distance" in tables of astronomical constants, and its currently accepted value is 499.004 786 385(20) s. [3] [4] The mean diameter of Earth is about 0.0425 light-seconds. The average distance between Earth and the Moon (the lunar distance) is about 1.282 light-seconds.
The lunar distance is the angle between the Moon and a star (or the Sun). In the above illustration the star Regulus is used. The altitudes of the two bodies are used to make corrections and determine the time. In celestial navigation, lunar distance, also called a lunar, is the angular distance between the Moon and another celestial body.
The average home telescope won't be able to capture it, either. The mini-moon will be small — 33 feet long — and dim. NASA uses magnitude to describe brightness in space.
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[20] [21] The distance continually changes for a number of reasons, but averages 385,000.6 km (239,228.3 mi) between the center of the Earth and the center of the Moon. [22] The orbits of the Moon and planets are integrated numerically along with the orientation of the Moon called physical libration .