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      DG Servant
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      Question

      I only know Prabhu, that if the primary light source for the moon is the sun light reflecting off from the moon’s surface, that by the angle, the sun is farther away than the moon from this earth. If the moon is in the western sky at sundown, the moon has only a sliver of light indicating we are behind the moon from its light source. If the sun was between us and the moon, the moon would be much fuller.

    • #639
      DG Servant
      Keymaster

      Answer from Danavir Goswami

      There are many factors that could influence the moon’s light. Distance, heights and angles of both the sun and moon in relationship to earth along with the vantage point of the observer. Besides that there is another feature going on; i.e. the moon’s nectar is drunk by the devas and pitris which affects its glow. Here is a brief excerpt from the Chapter 141 of Matsya Purana:

       

      The Sun acts daily (in the bright fortnight) as a feeder through His Susumna ray when the store of lunar ambrosia is all drunk out by the Devas and the Pitris. The Moon waxes in his phases day by day by thus being fed through Susumna ray in the bright fortnight. The Moon wanes in the dark fortnight and waxes in the bright fortnight. The moon is nourished thus by the Sun. The Moon looks full and white on the full moon night (Purnamasi). In this way, the Sun by means of his single ray increases the Moon and makes it full of nectar. The Devas first drink the nectar of the Moon; then the Sun drinks. The Sun drinks every day one digit and does so for fifteen days; He, again in the bright fortnight, fills it up by His Susumna ray.—21-25.

       

      The phases of the Moon that wax in course of the bright fortnight fed by Susumna, wane during the dark fortnight. In this way the Moon continues to wax and wane, consequently, the full-moon is called the receptacle of nectar. He is luminous with the fifteen nectar-giving phases. He is, therefore, called Pitriman.—26-28.

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DG ServantHome › Forums › Cosmology › Phases of the Moon This topic has 1 reply, 1 voice, and was last updated 8 years, 6 months ago by DG Servant. Viewing 1 reply thread Author Posts July 14, 2015 at 5:35 pm #637 DG ServantKeymaster Question I only know Prabhu, that if the primary light source for the moon...Disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada