Question

What is perigee?
A. Moon’s orbit closest to the Earth
B. Moon’s orbit farthest to from the Earth
C. Moon’s orbit equal from the Earth
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: This term refers to the position of the moon or the position of the orbit of the moon in respect to earth. This is particularly important when it coincides with the spring high tides, and/or storm surge, that leads to the further rising of the water levels.

Complete answer: Option A- The Moon revolves around the Earth in an elliptical orbit. The point of the orbit which is closest to the Earth, when the Moon passes through that point, then it is known as perigee. Perigee occurs about 3 or 4 times in a year, when a new or full moon coincides with the moon’s closest point to Earth, this phenomenon is known as the perigee. At this time the distance between the Moon and the Earth is 363,228.9 km.
Option B- The point in the elliptical orbit of the Moon, orbiting the round the Earth, that is, at the greatest distance from the center of the Earth, is known as apogee. At this point the distance between the Moon and the Earth is maximum, that is, 405,400 km.
Option C- Barycenter is the term for which the elliptical orbit of the Moon is at equal distance from the center of the Earth.

Thus, from the above analysis it can be said that option A is the correct answer.

Note: The distance between the Moon and the Earth varies throughout the month, hence throughout the year. On an average, the distance between the center of the Moon and the center of the Earth remains about 392,900 km.