NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Solve this Moon photo!
From: Don Seltzer
Date: 2020 Sep 27, 16:59 -0400
From: Don Seltzer
Date: 2020 Sep 27, 16:59 -0400
3° at 13 NM would suggest an altitude of approx 4000 feet. Would this be realistic close to JFK?
Could it be a plane that has taken off from Laguardia instead, and is now somewhat west of JFK?
Don Seltzer
On Sun, Sep 27, 2020 at 1:16 PM Greg Rudzinski <NoReply_Rudzinski@fer3.com> wrote:
A good fit would be a Boeing 777 (210ft length) taking off from JFK. JFK bearing from Liberty Park is 110° with range of 13NM which is consistent with a 32.9' moon diameter (horizontal). Since Mare Serenity and Tranquility are leading a rising moon we then know this is early twilight looking easterly. On the given date of 31 July 2015 at a twilight time of 20:35 EDT the moon lower limb Hs is 3° with an azimuth of 110°. The refraction difference between lower and upper limb is 1.5' which is consistent with the observed squating of the moon image relative to the horizontal width. I suppose for extra credit the aircraft flight number could be gleened from the archives.
Greg Rudzinski
