Stars and Moon

[nia1]

Hi, this is my first time one the board and I have a question.<br />If I were watching the sky at night, in what direction would the moon move and would the stars behind the moon be moving in the same direction and speed as the moon?<br /><br />Thanks!

 

[3488]

Hi there good first question, welcome to SDC.<br /><br />Casual observing will reveal, both the moon & the stars rise in the east & move westwards (Earth's rotation). However the moon orbits the Earth in a west to east direction & in one hour the moon moves from west to east by approx its own diameter (or about half a degree per hour). So in affect the moon will appear to be travelling very slightly slower than the stars.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[nia1]

Thank you very much for your reply!<br /><br />I'm new to this board... I've just started studying planetary geology and will probably have millions of questions as the time goes by!

 

[alokmohan]

Nice precise ,concise replyWhere you were so long?

 

[nia1]

huh?

 

[derekmcd]

Imagine yourself at the geographic north pole looking straight up. The stars would travel in a circular path around polaris going counter-clockwise. Not sure about the moon, but I think it would rise and set at 2 week intervals. To answer your question would depend on what latitude you are viewing the sky from.<br /><br />Your Sky is an easy tool to use. I'm sure others here can direct you to better ones. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#0000ff" class="Apple-style-span">"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</span></div> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi there. Planetary Geology is one of my things in particular Volcanic Geology such as the volcanoes on Venus, Mars, & my pet object is the Jupiter moon Io (to which I hope to get a dedicated mission approved to, but have succeeded in getting a few Pluto bound New Horizons observations approved during the Jovian system encounter in February next year).<br /><br />Hi derekmcd. <br /><br />You are correct. At the north or south pole, the moon would appear to rise & set in roughly fortnightly intervals. During Winter you would have the midday Full Moon & in Summer you would have the midnight new moon along with the midnight sun (wonder if this has ever been observed).<br /><br />Andrew Brown.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[nia1]

Hi everyone!<br /><br />Thanks for your help.<br /><br />3488 - We haven't covered too much planetary volcanism yet, however, we are going to more detail next year.<br />Also, what do you mean by you 'hope to get a dedicated mission approved'?<br />What do you do?