TwoPynts opened this issue on Jun 23, 2005 · 32 posts
Davidy posted Thu, 23 June 2005 at 2:20 PM
Yup, correct indeed, I was waiting up for it last night to get some pics but it was so incredibly low that,, well I could hardly see it. This is the largest the moon has appeared for 19 years. Mainly due to the timing and proximity to the earth but also because it is so low, the optical effect with the earth’s atmosphere makes it appear slightly larger. The full moon of June occurs closest to the summer solstice when the suns passes highest above us and the moon passes lowest across the sky. A haze on a typical June evening is partly responsible for the honey colour (thicker layers of air for the sunlight to pass/refract through) and it being called the Honeymoon (see the honey colour on twopynts linked photo). Some say that this is where the term honeymoon comes from, as most weddings are traditionally held in June. Hope that’s not too scatty an explanation. Ahh well, maybe I will make more of an effort next time ……