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    The Moon is near zenith at 60 N these days
    From: Tony Oz
    Date: 2019 Jan 21, 11:15 -0800

    Hello!
    Spherical trigonometry is tricky or counter-intuitive at times. :)

    I wondered how comes - the Sun is barely above the horizon at LAN (~10°) but the Moon the very same evening mer-passes nearly at zenith? Its' orbit is ~5° to ecliptic - why so big difference in altitudes?

    It took me quite a lot of thinking to comprehend that while the part of ecliptic, where the Sun is now, is currently very deep under the equator - the opposite part of ecliptic is by the same amount above the equator. Plus Moon's ~5° on top of it.
    Hence this small zenith distance for the Moon at its' mer-pass.

    Really, the Moon is still rising here (60°N 30°E) - well on eastward directions - but it is already ~45° high. I must calculate its' altitude at LHA=0°.

    Warm regards,
    Tony
    60°N 30°E

    PS

    Eyebaling an altitude can also be very misleading - an application on a smartphone says the Moon is only ~33° high right now (at ~115° from North).

    :)

       
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