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Metonic Cycle |
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Metonic cycle: see synodic period synodic period , in astronomy, length of time during which a body in the solar system makes one orbit of the sun relative to the earth, i.e., returns to the same elongation.
..... Click the link for more information. . metonic cycle [me′tän·ik ′sī·kəl] (astronomy) A time period of 235 lunar months, or 19 years; after this period the phases of the moon occur on the same days of the same months. Metonic Cycle a time interval of 6,940 days used for bringing into agreement the length of a lunar month and solar year in a lunisolar calendar. It was proposed in 433 B.C. by the Athenian scholar Meton and was the foundation of the ancient Greek calendar. The Metonic cycle is related to the approximate (to within several hours) equation 19 tropical years = 235 synodic months. The Metonic cycle contains 19 years—12 years of 12 months each and seven years of 13 months each. Out of these 235 months, 125 months are called full months, that is, they have 30 days each, and the remaining 110 months are called hollow months and have 29 days each. The Metonic cycle is also used in the Jewish and ancient Christian calendars. Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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