Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    witernmo's Avatar
    witernmo Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Mar 1, 2009, 08:43 PM
    Seeing the moon
    Why in the winter in the northern hemisphere could I not see the moon, even on clear nights, close to the equator?
    ebaines's Avatar
    ebaines Posts: 12,131, Reputation: 1307
    Expert
    		  
    #2

    Mar 2, 2009, 08:59 AM

    Your statement is not true. It depends on what phase the moon is in - in the winter a full moon will always be above the equator, whereas a new moon will be below the equator. At first and 3rd quarter the moon is approximately on the equator.

    The moon is always close to the ecliptic, which is the path the sun follows through the sky over the course of the year. Think of the ecliptic as basically being the plane of the solar system. The earth is tilted 23-1/2 degrees with respect to the ecliptic - therfore the equator is tilted with respect to the ecliptic. The ecliptic crosses the equator at two points - when the moon is at those points (twice in each 29-day lunar cycle) it will be at (or close to) the equator.
Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions
 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

New moon [ 6 Answers ]

Does anyone know when 'new moon' is coming out? Cause I heard it was over the summer and then I heard in the fall... I don't know... please help!! :~) thank u!

The moon [ 5 Answers ]

Is the moon a star?:) If not what is it?:( If you wish upon it how likely is it to grant that wish?;)

Did we go to the Moon? [ 9 Answers ]

I have this debate a lot. I really hope we did go to the moon but I don't know. What do you think?

Rate at which moon obits the earth assuming distance between moon and earth is 382,00 [ 3 Answers ]

What is the rate that the moon orbits the earth assuming the distance between the moon and the earth is 382,000,000 meters. Should I derive from Distance=RatexTime?

Second on the moon? [ 8 Answers ]

Which country do you people think will put a man on the moon next? Russia China India European Space Agency Iraq

View more questions Search