Lunar \Lu"nar\ (l[=u]"n[~e]r), a. [L. lunaris, fr. luna the
moon. See Luna, and cf. Lunary.]
1. Of or pertaining to the moon; as, lunar observations.
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2. Resembling the moon; orbed. --Dryden.
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3. Measured by the revolutions of the moon; as, a lunar
month.
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4. Influenced by the moon, as in growth, character, or
properties; as, lunar herbs. --Bacon.
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Lunar caustic (Med. Chem.), silver nitrate prepared to be
used as a cautery; -- so named because silver was called
luna by the ancient alchemists.
Lunar cycle. Same as Metonic cycle. See under Cycle.
Lunar distance, the angular distance of the moon from the
sun, a star, or a planet, employed for determining
longitude by the lunar method.
Lunar method, the method of finding a ship's longitude by
comparing the local time of taking (by means of a sextant
or circle) a given lunar distance, with the Greenwich time
corresponding to the same distance as ascertained from a
nautical almanac, the difference of these times being the
longitude.
Lunar month. See Month.
Lunar observation, an observation of a lunar distance by
means of a sextant or circle, with the altitudes of the
bodies, and the time, for the purpose of computing the
longitude.
Lunar tables.
(a) (Astron.) Tables of the moon's motions, arranged for
computing the moon's true place at any time past or
future.
(b) (Navigation) Tables for correcting an observed lunar
distance on account of refraction and parallax.
Lunar year, the period of twelve lunar months, or 354 days,
8 hours, 48 minutes, and 34.38 seconds.
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Month \Month\ (m[u^]nth), n. [OE. month, moneth, AS.
m[=o]n[eth], m[=o]na[eth]; akin to m[=o]na moon, and to D.
maand month, G. monat, OHG. m[=a]n[=o]d, Icel. m[=a]nu[eth]r,
m[=a]na[eth]r, Goth. m[=e]n[=o][thorn]s. [root]272. See
Moon.]
One of the twelve portions into which the year is divided;
the twelfth part of a year, corresponding nearly to the
length of a synodic revolution of the moon, -- whence the
name. In popular use, a period of four weeks is often called
a month.
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Note: In the common law, a month is a lunar month, or
twenty-eight days, unless otherwise expressed.
--Blackstone. In the United States the rule of the
common law is generally changed, and a month is
declared to mean a calendar month. --Cooley's
Blackstone.
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A month mind.
(a) A strong or abnormal desire. [Obs.] --Shak.
(b) A celebration made in remembrance of a deceased person a
month after death. --Strype.
Calendar months, the months as adjusted in the common or
Gregorian calendar; April, June, September, and November,
containing 30 days, and the rest 31, except February,
which, in common years, has 28, and in leap years 29.
Lunar month, the period of one revolution of the moon,
particularly a synodical revolution; but several kinds are
distinguished, as the synodical month, or period from
one new moon to the next, in mean length 29 d. 12 h. 44 m.
2.87 s.; the nodical month, or time of revolution from
one node to the same again, in length 27 d. 5 h. 5 m. 36
s.; the sidereal, or time of revolution from a star to
the same again, equal to 27 d. 7 h. 43 m. 11.5 s.; the
anomalistic, or time of revolution from perigee to
perigee again, in length 27 d. 13 h. 18 m. 37.4 s.; and
the tropical, or time of passing from any point of the
ecliptic to the same again, equal to 27 d. 7 h. 43 m. 4.7
s.
Solar month, the time in which the sun passes through one
sign of the zodiac, in mean length 30 d. 10 h. 29 m. 4.1
s.
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