Star gazer observation
- Thread starter diverdon
- Start date
Pretty, huh?
I'm not sure if you're looking for an explanation, but for some reason it's important to me that everyone sees the Earth-sun-moon system for what it is. You know, navigation and all, not just because it's pretty.
Since we're near the winter solstice, when the sun is lowest in the sky (due to Earth's tilt with respect to the rest of the solar system), it makes sense that the (nearly) full moon (which is on the opposite side of the Earth as the sun) is at its highest in the sky.
If you have a globe in your house it's easier to see. Set it up on the table with the tilt towards a small pot (the small pot represents the moon). Put a lamp on the opposite side of your globe. That's the sun. All will be clear! You can use this to see the phases of the moon and what they'll look like from Earth.
Fun times....
I'm not sure if you're looking for an explanation, but for some reason it's important to me that everyone sees the Earth-sun-moon system for what it is. You know, navigation and all, not just because it's pretty.
Since we're near the winter solstice, when the sun is lowest in the sky (due to Earth's tilt with respect to the rest of the solar system), it makes sense that the (nearly) full moon (which is on the opposite side of the Earth as the sun) is at its highest in the sky.
If you have a globe in your house it's easier to see. Set it up on the table with the tilt towards a small pot (the small pot represents the moon). Put a lamp on the opposite side of your globe. That's the sun. All will be clear! You can use this to see the phases of the moon and what they'll look like from Earth.
Fun times....
Good observation. I noticed it was noticeably further left on the eastern than the night before. Taken off the deck.
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I'm sure some of what you are saying is correct. But Ide have to disagree about the moon being opposite the sun. Solar eclipse? 12 lunar orbits per solar orbit (months per year).
I'm sure you are correct that it has to do with the coming solstice.
I believe that the lunar orbit is constant but that because of axial inclination it presents its self at extremes at the solstices.
I'm glad you disagree. It makes life so much more interesting!
I'm not sure exactly what you're saying. Let me give it a stab anyways...
Surely the moon has to be on the opposite side of the sun at some point of its orbit, right? Your solar eclipse comment, once again, I'm not sure what you mean, but I imagine you're thinking that if they're opposite during a full moon we should have a lunar eclipse (solar would be when the moon and sun are on the same side of the Earth and lined up). The eclipses only happen sometimes because the plane that contains the moon's orbit is about 5 degrees (87 mrads if that's how your scope works-hahaha) off with respect to the plane that contains the Earth and sun (the ecliptic). So not everything lines up on every pass for an eclipse to occur.
When you say that "the lunar orbit is constant," that's true in a sense. It's common to take the angular momentum of an orbit as a constant, but that still allows for variations in the radius of the orbit, speed of the orbiting body, angular speed, precession of the orbit, etc, all kinds of cool dynamics that kept ancient astronomers up at night.
It's a crazy world!
I'm not sure exactly what you're saying. Let me give it a stab anyways...
Surely the moon has to be on the opposite side of the sun at some point of its orbit, right? Your solar eclipse comment, once again, I'm not sure what you mean, but I imagine you're thinking that if they're opposite during a full moon we should have a lunar eclipse (solar would be when the moon and sun are on the same side of the Earth and lined up). The eclipses only happen sometimes because the plane that contains the moon's orbit is about 5 degrees (87 mrads if that's how your scope works-hahaha) off with respect to the plane that contains the Earth and sun (the ecliptic). So not everything lines up on every pass for an eclipse to occur.
When you say that "the lunar orbit is constant," that's true in a sense. It's common to take the angular momentum of an orbit as a constant, but that still allows for variations in the radius of the orbit, speed of the orbiting body, angular speed, precession of the orbit, etc, all kinds of cool dynamics that kept ancient astronomers up at night.
It's a crazy world!
fuck Biden and all the commie doucheclowns who supported him.
used to love this tv show and waiting to see meteor showers sadly never really got all that into it equipment wise or knew much about the names of the constellations and remember to keep looking up .
Thanks, Acuda, I never thought of that.
That's a great way to remember where and when to find Aries and Leo.
That's a great way to remember where and when to find Aries and Leo.
If you really want to see the meteor showers, try it with some NV on. Pretty amazing all the ones the human eye can't see...
For the last week Venus has been visible with the naked eye. It is just above the moons path and looks like a red star.
Now that you mention it....
The moon rise last night was about as far north as I see the sun when it is at summer solstice.
Outside my kitchen window I see directly in front of me a large water tower.
Currently the sun is well south (to the right of the water tower) even south of Boston which I can also see from my house.
Soon, after winter solstice, I will be watching the sun move north until eventually it rises to the north (left of the water tower) right about summer solstice.
This is a hard and set observation.
The moon not so much.
Earlier this week it was rising south of the water tower.
Its movement, in relation to the suns movements, is much more dramatic and I havent figured out a law abiding pattern like that the sun displays.
The moon rise last night was about as far north as I see the sun when it is at summer solstice.
Outside my kitchen window I see directly in front of me a large water tower.
Currently the sun is well south (to the right of the water tower) even south of Boston which I can also see from my house.
Soon, after winter solstice, I will be watching the sun move north until eventually it rises to the north (left of the water tower) right about summer solstice.
This is a hard and set observation.
The moon not so much.
Earlier this week it was rising south of the water tower.
Its movement, in relation to the suns movements, is much more dramatic and I havent figured out a law abiding pattern like that the sun displays.
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What We Know About the Rare "Christmas Star" That Formed in 2020, Which We Won't See Again Until 2080!
Jupiter and Saturn made history on Dec. 21, 2020!
What We Know About the Rare "Christmas Star" That Formed in 2020, Which We Won't See Again Until 2080!
Jupiter and Saturn made history on Dec. 21, 2020!www.popsugar.com
Please be a sign 2021 will not suck for people that just want to be left alone, shoot guns and listen to good music while riding high horse power machines and operating chain saws..........
Distance to the Moon: 239,000 miles
Distance to the Sun: 93,000,000 miles
How could the Moon ever be on the opposite side of the Sun?
Because the sun is racing around, to come up behind you again.
I'm glad we got some astronomy fans loitering around. I won't crap on everyone with orbits and whatnot cause I do just enjoy stargazing myself and find that my spotting scopes and even riflescope make good makeshift telescopes for things like Saturn (easy to see rings), Jupiter (and its moons) and comets that are always promised to be bright but pretty much end up disappointing.
As far of the location of "moonrise" its a pretty complex topic-- but ill just leave these tidbits to wonder about-- THe earth-moon-sun orbits are mostly "fixed" (they do change very very slowly--much longer than our lifetime). However they are not in "synch" Meaning we do not return to the same alignment every year at the same time.
It actually why we have leap years, leap seconds, what looks like random eclipse cycles (they aren't random) etc. Its like watching a giant complex clock.
Also that giant moon on the horizon?
Same size as it it directly overhead (measure it). That one still farks with my head even though I know that fact.
also as far as Earth moon sun:
M-----E-------------------------------S: Lunar Eclipse (possibly--orbits are tilted so perfect alignment rare)
-------E-----M------------------------S : Solar Eclipse (possibly)
E---------S----------M F on your astronomy test
As far of the location of "moonrise" its a pretty complex topic-- but ill just leave these tidbits to wonder about-- THe earth-moon-sun orbits are mostly "fixed" (they do change very very slowly--much longer than our lifetime). However they are not in "synch" Meaning we do not return to the same alignment every year at the same time.
It actually why we have leap years, leap seconds, what looks like random eclipse cycles (they aren't random) etc. Its like watching a giant complex clock.
Also that giant moon on the horizon?
Same size as it it directly overhead (measure it). That one still farks with my head even though I know that fact.
also as far as Earth moon sun:
M-----E-------------------------------S: Lunar Eclipse (possibly--orbits are tilted so perfect alignment rare)
-------E-----M------------------------S : Solar Eclipse (possibly)
E---------S----------M F on your astronomy test
Thanks, I meant opposite side of the Earth from the moon. Here's a picture to clear up my verbal train wreck...
[sun]------------[Earth]------[moon]
I wish I could tilt the Earth. Drawing is not to scale!
I have yet to see a shooting star through NV, but seeing the night sky through it absolutely blows me away. It's very humbling to realize how many are out there that we don't normally see.
Meteor shower with NV is now on my list, thanks!
For those too afraid to ask,,, why/how is it that you're thinking that Mars is EVER between the Sun and the Earth?????
It's not rocket-surgery, you know!
Mostly to scale drawing (sorry mil fans!) The moon orbit is inclined 5 degrees to the earth orbit around sun. So the moon can be 5 degrees above or below the sun.
Rougly to Scale
At Sunrise/Moonrise, this picture is put on its side.
NOT TO SCALE (Moon can actually be at Max declination 28.5 degree when the sun is NOT at the solstice because of the motion of the Earth/Sun/Moon through the background stars. Its really tough to explain without heavy math and 3-d diagrams)
So the farthest "North" moonrise occurs when your particular phase of the moon corresponds to the moon being at the "highest" point in its orbit
Likewise the farthest "south" will be when your phase of the moon is at the lowest point in its orbit.
Eclipses can only happen when the moon crosses the earth/sun orbit during a new moon/full moon phase (happens about every 173 days). That is also why eclipses come in pairs 2 weeks apart (usually) becuase if the alignment was perfect for the first eclipse, 2 weeks later the alignment is still "good" and we get another (solar/lunar then lunar/solar). Sometimes you can get 3 in a row if the timing is right.
The reason I bring up ecplises is they are the opposite of extreme moon rises. Rather than being at the high/low point, the moon is at its midpoint
edit: This was wrong celestial mechanics is hard AF
TLDR farthest north moonrise will occur around Jun 21. However which phase of the moon that corresponds too can vary as the cycle of the moon and the cycle of earth are not "in synch" (aka divisble by a whole number) So each year the phase of the rising moon farthest north will change.
The moons orbit changes slightly as well as "Eclipse season" when the Moon crosses the earth-sun orbit, moves "backwards" on the calendar.
Coincidently, we currently are in Eclipse season (nov 30 Lunar, Dec 14 Solar).
There is a very small correction for the moons orbit slowly "wobbling" around the earth, but it is on the order of tenths of a degree. (Lunar Standstill). The big changes are when the moon is at the max of its orbit when rising for a particular phase (23.5 + 5).
Rougly to Scale
At Sunrise/Moonrise, this picture is put on its side.
NOT TO SCALE (Moon can actually be at Max declination 28.5 degree when the sun is NOT at the solstice because of the motion of the Earth/Sun/Moon through the background stars. Its really tough to explain without heavy math and 3-d diagrams)
So the farthest "North" moonrise occurs when your particular phase of the moon corresponds to the moon being at the "highest" point in its orbit
Likewise the farthest "south" will be when your phase of the moon is at the lowest point in its orbit.
Eclipses can only happen when the moon crosses the earth/sun orbit during a new moon/full moon phase (happens about every 173 days). That is also why eclipses come in pairs 2 weeks apart (usually) becuase if the alignment was perfect for the first eclipse, 2 weeks later the alignment is still "good" and we get another (solar/lunar then lunar/solar). Sometimes you can get 3 in a row if the timing is right.
The reason I bring up ecplises is they are the opposite of extreme moon rises. Rather than being at the high/low point, the moon is at its midpoint
edit: This was wrong celestial mechanics is hard AF
The moons orbit changes slightly as well as "Eclipse season" when the Moon crosses the earth-sun orbit, moves "backwards" on the calendar.
Coincidently, we currently are in Eclipse season (nov 30 Lunar, Dec 14 Solar).
There is a very small correction for the moons orbit slowly "wobbling" around the earth, but it is on the order of tenths of a degree. (Lunar Standstill). The big changes are when the moon is at the max of its orbit when rising for a particular phase (23.5 + 5).
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