Question

Question #5428f

Answer 1

See explanation

Explanation:

Relative to the Earth (E), Moon's (M) average speed along its path

around the Earth is 1.024 km/s, nearly.

At ( nearest-to-Earth ) perigee and ( farthest-from-Earth ) apogee, it

moves at right angle to EM.

So, in both positions, the centripetal force towards E, that keeps the

Moon in its elliptic orbit, has no component in the direction of

motion of the Moon.

And so, the orbital acceleration.is zero at both perigee and apogee.

Also, the orbital speed is maximum at perigee and minimum at

apogee.

With reference to

https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/lunar-perigee-apogee.html

the next perigee occurs on 22 Jan 2017 and the apogee follows on

6 Feb 2017.

So, from 22 Jan, it is retardation up to 6 Feb, and beyond, it will be

acceleration, till moon reaches the following perigee.