The 6 fields and concepts you'll meet in the response — defined in plain English, each with a real example value.
The moment when the moon's upper edge appears above the horizon at a specific location.
Unlike sunrise, moonrise time varies dramatically day to day (by ~50 minutes). The moon can rise at any hour depending on its phase. Atmospheric refraction makes the moon visible slightly before its geometric rise.
The moment when the moon's upper edge disappears below the horizon at a specific location.
Like moonrise, moonset times shift daily. Some days may have no moonset if the moon set just before midnight and won't set again until after midnight the following day. This is normal lunar behavior.
The time between successive moonrises, averaging about 24 hours and 50 minutes.
A lunar day is longer than a solar day because the moon orbits Earth in the same direction Earth rotates. Earth must rotate an extra ~50 minutes each day to bring the moon back to the same position in the sky.
ExampleMoonrise today: 12:24, tomorrow: 13:15 (~51 min later)
A condition where the moon remains above the horizon for an entire 24-hour period.
This occurs in polar regions during certain times of the lunar month, similar to midnight sun for the sun. When moonAlwaysUp is true, there is no moonset for that day at that location.
ExamplemoonAlwaysUp: true (no moonset this day)
A condition where the moon remains below the horizon for an entire 24-hour period.
This occurs in polar regions during certain times of the lunar month. When moonAlwaysDown is true, there is no moonrise for that day at that location. The moon is simply never visible.
ExamplemoonAlwaysDown: true (no moonrise this day)
Time periods of predicted peak fish and game activity based on moon position, per the Solunar Theory.
Major periods (~2 hours) occur when moon is overhead/underfoot. Minor periods (~1 hour) occur at moonrise and moonset. Activity is thought to be strongest during New Moon and Full Moon phases.
ExampleMinor period at moonrise: 12:24 (fish 11:54-12:54)
