Moon \Moon\ (m[=oo]n), n. [OE. mone, AS. m[=o]na; akin to D. maan, OS. & OHG. m[=a]no, G. mond, Icel. m[=a]ni, Dan. maane, Sw. m[*a]ne, Goth. m[=e]na, Lith. men[*u], L. mensis month, Gr. mh`nh moon, mh`n month, Skr. m[=a]s moon, month; prob. from a root meaning to measure (cf. Skr. m[=a] to measure), from its serving to measure the time. [root]271. Cf. {Mete} to measure, {Menses}, {Monday}, {Month}.]
- The celestial orb which revolves round the earth; the satellite of the earth; a secondary planet, whose light, borrowed from the sun, is reflected to the earth, and serves to dispel the darkness of night. The diameter of the moon is 2,160 miles, its mean distance from the earth is 240,000 miles, and its mass is one eightieth that of the earth. See {Lunar month}, under {Month}.
- A secondary planet, or satellite, revolving about any member of the solar system; as, the moons of Jupiter or Saturn.
- The time occupied by the moon in making one revolution in her orbit; a month; as, it’s been many moons since I last visited Washington. –Shak.
This pic of the full moon is courtesy of the Moon Geek Webcam.
It’s full moon (or it has been very short time ago). The moon has been ruling our lives for a long time, probably from before we can remember. There have been cults around the moon, and it’s been incarnated in a Goddess. Even now we feel the influence of the moon in our lives, even when we’re so detached from nature. The moon was there before we came, and it’ll be when we leave.