Lunar Declination. The moon's declination varies from year to year. A maximum (18°+)
occurred in March 1932 and in 1941. The reason for the variation is the regression of the
Moon's nodes. The ecliptic is inclined to the celestial equator by 23°27'. The moon's apparent
path on the celestial sphere is inclined to the ecliptic on an average of 5°8', but the
intersection points, the nodes, move relatively fast, covering 360° in about 19 years. When
the Moon's ascending node lies at the Vernal equinox, the angle between the Moon's apparent
path and the equator is at the greatest, for 23°27' must be added to 5°8' making 28°35'. Half a
revolution later, or about 9½ years, the descending node is at the Vernal equinox, and the
angle between the moon's path and the equator is at the least, and 5°8' is subtracted from 23°
27', giving 18°19'. The more the moon's path is inclined to the equator, the greater is the
declination.
Lunar Mansions. v. Mansions of the Moon.
Lunar Month, or more correctly a Synodic Month. The total of the Moon's annual travel in
excess of that of the Sun, when reduced to time, gives the duration of the mean synodic
revolution of the moon, or the lunar month, as 29.531 days, or 29d. 12h. 44m. 2.8s., in which
period the Moon returns to its former position in relation to the Sun. The Sidereal Month is
27.322 days.
Lunar semicircle. From Aquarius to Cancer inclusive.
Lunar Year. Twelve lunar months, a total of 354 days - 11¼ d. shorter than the Solar year.
Its point of beginning passes through the circle of seasons in about 34 lunar years. It is used
by modern Jews and Mohammedans. In the early days of Greece the year was regulated
entirely by the Moon, and Solon was among the first who attempted to reconcile the Solar
and Lunar years by a system of intercalations.
Lunation. (1) As usually employed, it is approximately synonymous with New Moon;
specifically, the precise moment of the Moon's conjunction with the Sun; a Syzygy. The New
Moon falling upon sensitive points in the Figure has much signification as to events of the
ensuing month. It is deemed to actuate, within 14 days, any Secondary Directions that are of
the same nature, and to nullify those of an opposite nature. Falling upon the places of the
Benefics, it produces good; upon the Malefics, evil. Aspects to the position of the lunation are
interpreted according to the positions of the aspecting planets. (2) The period of 29d 12h 44m
2.8s between one New Moon and the next - more correctly termed a synodic month. (3) A
sidereal lunation, also more correctly termed a sidereal month, is the period of 27d 7h 43m
11.5s intervening between two successive passages of the Moon over the same degree;
sometimes termed a Periodical lunation. (4) An embolismic lunation, correctly termed an