Page 11 - Spec Tech Vol 1 Issue 07

Space Terms to know about

Local Midnight :

Local midnight typically occurs

when the Sun crosses the

meridian below the horizon. In
areas where there is midnight

Sun, local midnight is when the
Sun is at its lowest point of the

night.

Lunation :

The mean time for one lunar
phase cycle (i.e., the synodic
period of the Moon) is 29.530589
days, or 29 days, 12 hours, 44

minutes, 3 seconds. More
specifically, a lunation is also
commonly defined as the mean
time between successive new
moons.

Opposition :

In positional astronomy, two

astronomical objects are said to
be in opposition when they are

on opposite sides of the

celestial sphere, as observed
from a given body. A planet is

said to be "in opposition" or "at
opposition" when it is in

opposition to the Sun.

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