lunar
relating to the moon
About the Moon, or coming from the Moon.
lunar [noun]
- Scientists are analyzing samples of lunar soil brought back by the spacecraft.
- The astronauts trained for years before the first lunar landing.
- From the telescope, we could clearly see details on the lunar surface.
- The agency announced a new series of lunar missions planned for the next decade.
- This crater is one of the most recognizable features on the lunar landscape.
- The spaceship flew into lunar orbit.
- We saw many craters on the lunar surface.
- The country plans its first lunar mission next year.
- A lunar rock is a rock from the Moon.
- The book has beautiful photos of the lunar landscape.
based on the Moon’s cycles
Describing a calendar, month, or year that follows the Moon’s phases, not the Sun.
lunar [time-noun]
- Many traditional holidays are set according to a lunar calendar.
- In some cultures, rent was once paid every lunar month.
- Because a lunar year is shorter than a solar year, the festival date moves each time.
- The religious fast follows a strict lunar cycle rather than fixed dates.
- Lunar New Year is celebrated across many East Asian countries.
- They use a lunar calendar in that country.
- A lunar month is the time from one full moon to the next.
- The date changes every year because it is based on the lunar year.
- Lunar New Year is an important family holiday.
- Some festivals follow the lunar cycle, not the normal calendar.
lunar calendar
1calendar based on Moon phases
A system for counting days and months that follows the Moon’s phases instead of the Sun.
- In a lunar calendar, some holidays move each year on the Western calendar.
- The festival’s date is set by the traditional lunar calendar.
lunar cycle
1sequence of Moon phases
The repeated pattern of the Moon’s phases, from new Moon to full Moon and back again.
- The full lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days.
- Some animals’ behavior is linked to the lunar cycle.
lunar month
1month measured by Moon phases
The time it takes the Moon to go from one full Moon to the next, about 29½ days.
- A lunar month is slightly shorter than most calendar months.
- The ritual must be repeated every lunar month.
Lunar New Year
1new year in a lunar calendar
A major holiday that celebrates the start of a new year in a calendar based on the Moon, especially in East Asian cultures.
- Many families travel long distances to be together for Lunar New Year.
- Fireworks and red decorations are common during Lunar New Year celebrations.
lunar surface
1Moon’s outer surface
The outside of the Moon that we can see, with rocks, dust, and craters.
- Astronauts left footprints on the lunar surface.
- Robots are mapping the lunar surface in high detail.
lunar year
1year made of lunar months
A year that is counted by a number of lunar months, usually about 354 days long.
- Because a lunar year is shorter, the holiday moves earlier each solar year.
- Some religious calendars are based on a pure lunar year.
lunar eclipse
1eclipse of the Moon
When the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, and the Earth’s shadow makes the Moon dark.
- The lunar eclipse will be visible from most of Europe tonight.
- We stayed up late to watch the total lunar eclipse.
- During the lunar eclipse, the full moon slowly changed from white to red.
- A blood-red Moon can appear during a full lunar eclipse.
lunar module
1spacecraft that lands on Moon
The part of a spacecraft that separates and goes down to land on the Moon.
- The astronauts entered the lunar module to prepare for descent.
- The lunar module separated from the main spacecraft before landing.
- The lunar module separated from the command module before landing.
- Engineers studied how to make the lunar module as light as possible.