| | Month Encyclopedia Article, Information, History and Biography @ VariedTastes.com (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04) |
 | | The apparent diameter of the full moon varies with the full moon cycle which is the beat period of the synodic and anomalistic month, and also the period after which the apsides point to the Sun again. |
 | | At the simplest level, all lunar calendars are based on the approximation that 2 lunations last 59 days: a 30 day full month followed by a 29 day hollow month — but this is only marginally accurate and quickly needs correction by using larger cycles, or the equivalent of leap days. |
 | | The problems of creating reliable lunar calendars may explain why solar calendars, having months which no longer relate to the phase of the moon, and being based only on the more predictable motion of the sun against the sky, have generally replaced lunar calendars for civil use in most societies. |
| www.variedtastes.com /encyclopedia/Month (1934 words) |