Which phase describes the moon being farthest from the Earth?

Prepare for the BDOC Navigation and Seamanship Exam with comprehensive study tools like flashcards and quizzes. Test your skills with detailed explanations and hints to ace your exam!

The phase where the moon is farthest from the Earth is known as apogee. During apogee, the distance between the Earth and the moon reaches its maximum, resulting in a smaller apparent size of the moon when observed from Earth. This phenomenon occurs because the moon's orbit around the Earth is elliptical, leading to varying distances at different points in its orbit.

In contrast, perigee refers to the point in the orbit where the moon is closest to the Earth. Spring tides and neap tides are related to the positions of the Earth, moon, and sun, affecting the range of tides but not the distance of the moon from the Earth. Spring tides occur during full and new moons when the gravitational forces of the sun and moon align, while neap tides happen during the first and third quarters of the moon when the sun and moon are at right angles relative to the Earth, producing lower tidal ranges.

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