Behold … The Full Moon !
Story and photographs by Pamela Cohen
T
h e full moon is an easily explained astronomical event, yet no
matter how often we view this phenomenon, the sight is always
magnificent. We often give specific names, many derived from
Native American folklore, to depict a coloration, a seasonal marker,
or to create attention to particular moons that may be more visually stunning.
No matter whether a Harvest Moon, Strawberry Moon, Blue Moon,
or a “Kiawah Moon,” all can be awe-inspiring spectacles.
We learned in elementary school that our celestial neighbor rotates around
the Earth and is partially illuminated by the radiance of the sun without which it
would contain no light. Its size is minuscule, one-fourth the dimension of Earth,
yet, its gravitational pull along with the sun’s, influences tidal levels. Scientists
believe the moon’s crust may extend 63 miles in depth. Impacts from meteorites
and asteroids have created its rugged surface. We are always fascinated by space,
interplanetary travel, and extraterrestrials, and, if old enough, we remember
the day vividly when we watched Neil Armstrong setting foot on the lunar
surface—and an unimaginable feat became historic reality.
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