Astronomical Definitions
These are a few definitions to get started and are terms that are used reguluarly in the Celestial Timings.
Apogee is when the Moon is furthest away from Earth in its Lunar Cycle
Perigee is when the Moon is closest to the Earth in its Lunar Cycle
Syzygy generally refers New and Full Moon times when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned. Although a syzygy also is applied to the alignment of three planetary bodies. A syzygy occurs whenever an observer on one of the three objects (in our case the Earth) sees two other objects either in opposition (when they are 180 degrees apart) or in conjunction (when they are together). The most dramatic expression of a syzgy occurs when we have a Solar and Lunar eclipse.
Occultations are a type of eclipse that occur during syzygy when from the Earth we see the Moon passing in front of a planet. A Moon occultation of a star by the Moon does not qualify as syzygy, since the star is far beyond the limits of the solar system.
Solar Eclipses occur during New Moon times when the Sun, Moon and Earth are so perfectly aligned the Moon is passing between the Sun and the Earth blocking out the Sun.
Lunar Eclipses occur during Full Moon times when the Sun, Moon and Earth are so perfectly aligned the Earth passes between the Sun and Moon and the Earth’s shadow is seen on the face of the Moon.
Star Magnitudes (or visibility) lessens as the number increases. For example, a first magnitude star is one hundred times brighter than a sixth magnitude star and a sixth magnitude star is barely visible to the naked eye. Venus can reach as high as -4.6 magnitude the very brightest planet or star in our night sky. The Full Moon is -12 magnitude and the Sun is a -27 magnitude. Sirius is the brightest fixed star in our sky and is visually rated as a -1.42 magnitude. The magnitude system was established by Hipparchus and Ptolemy (See 21 First Magnitude Star Table)