Viewing Moon & Milky Way: Best Time & Rare Events

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The best time to view the moon is when it is high in the sky and during its partial phases, as this enhances depth perception and reveals more details like craters. The moon does not appear significantly larger at any specific time, although it can seem bigger when it is closer to Earth (perigee). For optimal viewing of the Milky Way, the absence of the moon and a dark night sky are ideal conditions. Observers can find remarkable sights throughout the moonless sky. Utilizing guides like Burnham's can enhance the stargazing experience.
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When is the best time to view the moon?When is it the biggest?Also is there any really good time to view the milky way? Or something really amazing and special?(rare) thanks for any help.!
 
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The best time to look at the moon is when it is high above the horizon. It does not appear much larger or smaller at any particular time (it appears larger subjectively when it is near the horizon but this is not real). The best time to look at t he MW is when the moon is absent and the night sky is darkest. There are amazing and special things everywhere through the dark (moonless) sky. You might want to get a set of Burnhams guides or something similar.
 
For the moon, its best when it is in partial phases, the shadows help with depth perception.
 
Cladson said:
When is the best time to view the moon?When is it the biggest?Also is there any really good time to view the milky way? Or something really amazing and special?(rare) thanks for any help.!
Like watters said, it is much better to view partial phases to see more crater and mountain detail. The full moon is rather blank and bland; no contrasting features.
But, there is a time when it will actually look bigger but this has nothing to do with being low to the horizon. Since the moon's orbit is elliptical it is sometimes closer to the Earth (perigee) and sometimes farther (apogee).
See: http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/moon_ap_per.html for some good photo comparisons.
 

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