Lunar limb

Lunar limb

The lunar limb is the edge of the visible surface of the Moon as viewed from Earth. [" [http://brahms.phy.vanderbilt.edu/a103/labs/tl_moon.shtml List of basic lunar features.] "] Libration of the Moon, with its irregular surface, leads to small changes in its profile, and this complicates the task of precisely calculating eclipse times and durations. [O'Byrne, Chris. " [http://www.chris.obyrne.com/Eclipses/2001curves.html Lunar Limb Corrections.] "] However, data from the mapping of the lunar surface allows astronomers to predict the lunar profile for any given time with a high degree of certainty. [Watts, C. B. "The Marginal Zone of the Moon," Astron. Papers Amer. Ephem., 1963, 17, 1-951.]

The contrast of a brightly illuminated limb against a black sky makes it a popular target when testing telescope and binocular optics.

References


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