LIVE NUDE ASTRONOMY

Ralph Hertle's images below show the paths of the Earth and Moon in orbit around the Sun.
It's as if they are "racing"--first the Earth's ahead, and then Selene (the Moon) takes the lead.
Then Earth pulls ahead again.

Accepting that the Moon is in full orbit around the Earth is useful to understand and
to simplify the many facets of the relationship.  But it's a common misnomer.
If planet Selene went fully around the Earth, then there would be little loops in Selene's orbit
around the Sun.  And there would be short periods when the Moon would be moving away
from the Sun as all satellites do at some point in their orbits.

However, that's not the case.
The Moon never moves away from the Sun.
It always "falls" toward the Sun as all major planets do.
And the Moon's orbit around the Sun is scalloped and there are no loops.
Astronomers refer to this as a "convex" orbit...

Learn More About The Sun-Moon Convex Orbit Here!

It's true that this is due in part to the nearness of the double-planet system, Earth and Selene, to the Sun.
Were they farther away from the Sun, the Moon's orbit around the Earth would
begin to resemble the orbits of satellites.

However, since they are NOT farther away from the Sun, I count this as one of

many good reasons to

officially reclassify the Moon as a FULL-FLEDGED MAJOR PLANET...

P L A N E T   S E L E N E !

("Selene can be pronounced with three syllables: say-'lay-nay)

happy days and...      
       starry starry nights!

Indelibly yours,
Paine

P.S. Thank YOU for reading!

P.P.P.S. (shh) Some secret sites...
http://painellsworth.net
http://savethechildren.org
http://eBook-eDen.secretsgolden.com