General Astronomical Data on the Orbit of the Full Moon / Nisfhu Night Corresponding to May, Celebrated as the Waisak New Year

Abstract

This scientific paper aims to design a simple astronomical teaching aid illustrating the Moon’s orbital path, made of pralon, so that it can be used to compile the Nishfu table. Nishfu is defined as the midpoint or median; in this context, the natural numbers from 1 to 29 represent the Moon’s orbital numbers, so the median or nishfu is the 15th number in the sequence. The orbital numbers 1 through 29 correspond to the actual physical appearance of the Moon’s reflected light where the true source of light is the Sun as follows: the 1st orbit represents the first crescent moon (1–3% brightness), the 2nd orbit represents the second-day crescent moon (3–6% brightness), and so on, with the 14th orbit representing the full moon (100% brightness), finally the 28th phase as the waning crescent (3–1% brightness), and the 29th phase as the dark moon (0% brightness) in the Hijri calendar. Theoretically, the interval from 1 to 29 can be expressed as 15 ± 14, with 15 representing the median (nishfu) or midpoint between 1 and 29; thus, the night of nishfu is the midpoint of the Hijri calendar month. In everyday life, generally every full moon (the 14th phase) is considered the night of nishfu. By convention, the nishfu night in May of the solar-based Gregorian calendar marks the full moon (the 14th lunar phase) and is celebrated as the Vesak New Year according to Buddhist teachings.