Lunar Lighthouse theory.

From: Alex Ferguson <alex_at_dcs.gla.ac.uk>
Date: Sun, 7 Jan 96 17:49:00 GMT


I don't think there should be much controversy about which direction the Red Moon "revolves" in, if it does so at all; the appearance of the moon runes in _Dragon Pass_, not to mention earthly precedent, make it clear it should be "clockwise". Nick fiat need not enter into play.

Assuming, for the sake of simplicity, the moon is exactly full at midnight, then the Half days are very markedly gibbous, while the Crescents are nearer to being half-full, and the Black and Dying days are noticable crescents.

A possible, partial explanation for the above is that the moon might actually be more than half-dark (picture a large, circular "red spot" covering most, but not all of one face. If the moon revolved at a non-constant rate, it might give that sort of timing of the half-moons in Dragon Pass, but would cause Weird behaviour elsewhere. I suspect numerous people will now trot out "It's magic, you fool!" arguments, which rather seems to defeat the purpose of supposing a physical basis for the phases in the first place, to my mind.

Alex.


Powered by hypermail