Full Moon on March 5 Is Smallest Appearance of Fifth Lunar Phase in 2015

Summary: The full moon on March 5 is a mini-moon, opposite of supermoon, with 2015's smallest appearance of the fifth lunar phase.

full moon: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA Goddard Photo and Video), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

The full moon makes its third appearance in 2015 on Wednesday, March 4th. March's full moon will rule the skies until transitioning into the waning gibbous moon for Earthlings on Saturday, March 7th.

The full moon numbers as the fifth phase in the monthly lunar cycle of eight phases. The completely illuminated phase, as viewed by Earthlings, marks the point of the moon's opposition to the sun during the lunar orbit around the Earth. Located on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun, the full moon traces an angle of 180 degrees with respect to the sun.

In astronomy, syzygy (Ancient Greek: σύζυγος, suzugos, "yoked together") refers to the straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies. Syzygy (SIZ-eh-gee) is evinced during the full moon phase of the lunar cycle.

As the third of the moon's four primary phases, the full moon is preceded and followed by intermediate phases. The waxing gibbous moon, the second of four intermediate phases and the fourth of the lunar cycle's total of eight phases, transitions between the first quarter moon and the full moon. The waning gibbous moon, numbered as third intermediate phase and as sixth of eight total lunar phases, transitions between the full moon and the fourth primary phase, the last quarter moon.

The full moon celebrates the apex of lunar illumination, as viewed by Earthlings. The journey from new moon to full moon, midway in the lunar orbit around the Earth, heralds increasing lunar illumination for Earthlings. The trek from full moon back to the new moon signals decreasing lunar illumination for Earthlings as the moon completes its monthly lunar cycle with the waning crescent moon, the fourth and last intermediate phase and the eighth and final phase of the total cycle, and as the new cycle begins with the new moon's zero percent illumination.

On Thursday, March 5, 2015, the full moon appears as a mini-moon for those viewers sensitive to the resplendent fullness of the moon's fifth phase. The full moon appears as a mini-moon when the fifth phase seems smaller than usual, despite its full illumination as viewed by Earthlings. The position of the full moon at its greatest distance from the Earth triggers the phase's miniature appearance.

Apogee (Ancient Greek: ἀπόγειον, apógeion, “away from Earth”) is the term in astronomy for the greatest distance from the center of the Earth in an object's orbit. Lunar apogee, variant because of the moon's variable elliptical orbit, varies in distances from 251,034 to 252,712 miles (404,000 to 406,700 kilometers).

Occurring at 2:36 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (7:36 Universal Time), on March 5, full moon apogee measures 252,516 miles (406,385 kilometers) of distance between the center of the moon and the center of the Earth. A mini-moon makes its appearance within 24 hours of apogee.

A mini-moon also enjoys the synonymous nickname of micro-moon in popular culture. Astronomers refer to the mini-moon as an apogee full moon.

A mini-moon's antonym is a super-moon. In astronomy a super-moon for the fifth lunar phase is termed as full moon perigee (Ancient Greek: περί, perí, “near” + γῆ, gê, “Earth”).

Whether mini- or super-sized or in between, the full moon is a sight to see, again and again, month after month, year after year. How many full moons can a person view in a lifetime? The tally is personal for each person.

full moon over Frankfurt am Main, west central Germany: The Freelens, CC BY ND 2.0, via Flickr

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

full moon: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA Goddard Photo and Video), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/15984763045/

full moon over Frankfurt am Main, west central Germany: The Freelens, CC BY ND 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ch-straub/15311247928/

For further information:

Dickinson, David. “The Mini-Moon Cometh: Catch the Smallest Full Moon of 2015 This Thursday.” Universe Today. March 3, 2015.
Available @ http://www.universetoday.com/119164/the-mini-moon-cometh-catch-the-smallest-full-moon-of-2015-this-thursday/

“Moon Phase and Libration, 2015: Visualizations by Ernie Wright.” NASA Scientific Visualization Studio > Planets and Moons. December 9, 2014.
Available @ http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=4236

“Supermoon – Super Moon – Super Full Moon.” Time And Date.
Available @ http://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/super-full-moon.html

Walker, John. “Lunar Perigee and Apogee Calculator.” Fourmilab Switzerland. May 5, 1997.
Available @ https://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/pacalc.html

Walsh, Glenn A. “’Mini-Moon’: 2015’s Smallest Full Moon.” SpaceWatchtower. Thursday, March 5, 2015.
Available @ http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2015/03/mini-moon-2015s-smallest-full-moon.html