Scribd
Upload
34 views2 pages

Moon Phase

This document discusses two different algorithms for calculating moon phases: 1. A floating point algorithm developed by the author that fits inside a pocket calculator and calculates phases from 0-7 with 0 and 8 representing new and full moons. 2. An older integer-based algorithm that the author notes disagrees with the first algorithm for some dates, such as claiming a full moon on September 23, 2002 when it was not actually full. The author provides code examples for both algorithms and notes developing a more accurate command line program to calculate moon phases and full moons.

Uploaded by

Ravi K N
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
34 views2 pages

Moon Phase

This document discusses two different algorithms for calculating moon phases: 1. A floating point algorithm developed by the author that fits inside a pocket calculator and calculates phases from 0-7 with 0 and 8 representing new and full moons. 2. An older integer-based algorithm that the author notes disagrees with the first algorithm for some dates, such as claiming a full moon on September 23, 2002 when it was not actually full. The author provides code examples for both algorithms and notes developing a more accurate command line program to calculate moon phases and full moons.

Uploaded by

Ravi K N
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Here is my easy way to calculate moon phase

int moon_phase(int y, int m, int d) { /* calculates the moon phase (0-7), accurate to 1 segment. 0 = > new moon. 4 => full moon. */ int c,e; double jd; int b; if (m < 3) { y--; m += 12; } ++m; c = 365.25*y; e = 30.6*m; jd = c+e+d-694039.09; jd /= 29.53; b = jd; jd -= b; original jd */ b = jd*8 + 0.5; */ b = b & 7; return b; }

/* jd is total days elapsed */ /* divide by the moon cycle (29.53 days) */ /* int(jd) -> b, take integer part of jd */ /* subtract integer part to leave fractional part of /* scale fraction from 0-8 and round by adding 0.5 /* 0 and 8 are the same so turn 8 into 0 */

i developed this algorithm using floating point rather than integer for use in pocket calculators and only just managed to fit inside the fx-201p. an older, but integer formula is the following:
int Moon_phase(int year,int month,int day) { /*k Calculates the moon phase (0-7), accurate to 1 segment. 0 = > new moon. 4 => Full moon. */ int g, e; if (month == 1) --day; else if (month == 2) day += 30; else // m >= 3 { day += 28 + (month-2)*3059/100; // adjust for leap years if (!(year & 3)) ++day; if ((year%100) == 0) --day; }

g = (year-1900)%19 + 1; e = (11*g + 18) % 30; if ((e == 25 && g > 11) || e == 24) e++; return ((((e + day)*6+11)%177)/22 & 7); }

both formulae are simplified to work from 1900 to 2199 inclusive. however, ive discovered that they disagree. consider september 23, 2002. the second formula claims this a full moon, the first does not. the moon is not full on this night so the first seems more accurate. here is a command line pc program that is more accurate than the above for reference. phase.exe phase.c and here's another program to calculate the instant of full moon fullmoon.exe

You might also like