Moon and sun orbit paths

[mystified]

I understand why the sun appears to rise in different places throughout the year (further south in the winter...I'm in central Calif.). It involves the tilt of the earth's axis as it orbits the sun. However, I don't understand why the moon also seems to rise in different places through the year, since it orbits the earth (I'm assuming the same orbital path all the time). Can someone explain why the moon does as the sun, and seems to rise in different places (more to the north in winter, I think). Thanks....

 

[MeteorWayne]

It's actually for the same reason, with an added bonus. The earth orbits close to the ecliptic (the plane of the solar system.) and is also about 5 degrees different than our equator. The appearence in the sky therefore follows the same path as the sun, plus or minus an extra 5 degrees. So it can appear further north and south than the sun. It's hard to explain in words. A globe, properly aligned at 23 1/2 degrees can make it clearer. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[rfoshaug]

Welcome to Space Dot Com. That is a very good question! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />As MeteorWayne said, the moon is orbiting the Earth not along the equator, but more or less along the ecliptic.<br /><br />I live very far north (about 69° north), so in winter time the sun disappears for a couple of months, and in the summer time the sun never sets and shines constantly for a couple of months.<br /><br />The same thing happens with the moon, except that the moon makes one orbit roughly every month instead of every year. But the same effect can be seen if one looks at how high the moon is in the sky during full moons through the year.<br /><br />At full moon, the moon and sun are on opposite sides of the Earth (that's why the entire near-side is illuminated). Since the Moon is more or less in the ecliptic plane, this means that the Sun, Earth and Moon are more or less on a line with the Earth in the middle at full Moon. This also means that the full moon always is due south at midnight (since that's when the Sun is due north).<br /><br />In the darkest period of the winter (just before Christmas), the tilt of the Earth makes the northern hemisphere point away from the sun (that's why it is so gorram dark here now, even in the middle of the day). Since the moon is on the opposite side at full moon, this means that that same tilt makes the northern hemisphere point towards the moon, so the moon rides high.<br /><br />As the moon wanes, it goes lower and lower until it is in the same direction as the sun (at "null moon"), and therefore goes just as low as the sun.<br /><br />In the summer, it is the complete opposite situation. The northern hemisphere points towards the sun so that it never sets at 69º north. At full moon, this means that the northern hemisphere points away from the moon, so the full moon is below the horizon. The time when the moon is highest above the horizon is around "null moon" because it is in the same direction as the sun.<br /><br /><br />At a <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff9900">----------------------------------</font></p><p><font color="#ff9900">My minds have many opinions</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Nice post. Hope it helped make my feeble effort clearer. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[mystified]

Thanks so much for taking the time to point these things out.....much appreciated! When you said the moon orbits along the ecliptic rather than the equator, that does help me to understand. I don't know why I always thought it orbited the equator. Anyway, as I said, I do appreciate the explanations....nice reads <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[MeteorWayne]

It's actually kind of in between the ecliptic and the equator, but since the equator related orbit precesses, sometimes it's higher and sometimes it's lower.<br />I believe it's a 19 year cycle, similar the the Metonic lunar cycle. Probably more than you want to know right now. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br />Hang in there, though....we ALL learn a lot here (well except for a few people who insist they already know everything....dismiss those fools!). Learning never ceases, and it never hurts to ask questions. It gets us inspired!<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[brellis]

Thanks for the question and answers. I hadn't thought about that relationship. I'm still trying to get my little brain around the wavy path of the ISS <img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>