the Moon missing the gateway--this time

Event Date: December 9th

Time: 6:00 AM

Brief

   This morning's entry resembles yesterday, except that it is zoomed in.  I also included the orbits of the Moon, Venus and Saturn.  While the first two pass through the gap created by stars Zubeneschamali  and Zubenelgenubi, the Moon's orbit further east of its current position shows how it will pass outside of the spacing.  Since the Moon is south of the ecliptic, and Zubenelgenubi is just slightly north of the ecliptic (mentioned yesterday), it means that we have to wait until about a year from now when the Moon's orbit brings it back between them.  For now, here is the grouping, zoomed in to a field of only 50º.

click on image to enlarge: courtesy of Starry Night Pro Plus, version 6.4.3, by Simulation Curriculum Corp.

Detailed

   After the Moon's orbit brings it back to ecliptic latitudes for this part of the sky to pass between the gateway stars, the orbit will keep our satellite between them until early 2022.  After that, the Moon moves out again for about another 10 years.  The nodes' precession around the ecliptic causes this, as I have mentioned for past entries.  In the meantime, the planets' orbits don't change in the same manner.  Therefore, not taking into account proper motion of stars, the planets will pass past the gateway stars by the same separation for the next several revolutions.  Of course, more distant planets such as Neptune and Uranus pass through much less frequently, while Saturn, Mars and Jupiter pass by them more often over time.  Mercury and Venus are much different, as we can also see them at different angles, while seeing them more often pass this spot each year.  With their closer distances from the Sun and less distance to travel in orbit, they pass by the stars sometimes twice--or even three times more rarely--over the duration of just a few weeks.  Of course, this is a result of prograde followed by retrograde and then prograde again, if inferior conjunction happens when the Sun is close to these stars.  The outer planets with their retrograde and prograde motion, can encounter the same, although once it again, it means they have to have their opposition near these stars.