More Mathematical Astronomy Morsels by Jean Meeus, Willmann-Bell Inc, Richmond, Virginia, $24.95, ISBN 0943396743
ACCORDING to the newspapers, the full Moon on 27 February was the brightest of the year. Not so, says Belgian number buff Jean Meeus. If you take into account all effects that come into play, the 28 January full Moon was actually a bit brighter. In matters astronomical, you’d better believe Meeus rather than the press agencies.
Calculating the brightness of the full Moon is just one of the 75 Mathematical Astronomy Morsels in Meeus’s expanded second edition of his 1997 book. He has a few…
