In my younger days, while studying at the university of Bologna; young Guido, a few other friends and I spent an evening testing one of Flamel’s herbal elixirs. We lined up our cups in perfect order to receive this most enlivening brew.
I can clearly remember that in the course of the evening the Moon rose, and just as Guido said, “Look, how full the Moon is tonight”, Laszlo, a Magyar friend, sneezed: “SYSZYGY” You can see how potent that brew was, because Guido immediately said, “Brilliant, now we can confuse future generations. Henceforth we will call a full or new Moon, Syszsgy (sic).” And so that is how the expression, “Syzygum ante nativitatem” was born. Many nowadays like to write SAN but that is only because they don’t want to spend too much time figuring out how “sysygy” or is it “zysygy?” , ahem, is spelled.
Laszlo mumbled something about the association of gregarine protozoa but I think he had already had too much of the elixir…
Altair Astrology 
Very funny, Doc! As one whose head was buried in the SAN, your humor is much appreciated.
love,
MB
Hi Marybeth.
Nothing like a place underneath the SAN. 😉
love,
Thomas