h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A44336856

I have changed it to <>
"Demark" was flagged on my spell-checker which is why I asked

Regarding Cyzaki's points, I feel I should add a section "Southern Hemisphere" and add her to the contributing Researchers, let me see if I can knock something up before the builders arrive and all h*ll breaks loose.

" singing Fly me to the moon..."

You don't need to add me - I've only been wondering about things, not coming up with any answers!

Well you can check what I've written and tell me if it sounds alright


It's already a collaborate entry unless you specifically don't want to be added, in which case I'll remove your U-number

As it's already collaborative, it's up to you whether you leave my U-number there or not

I agree that Cyzaki's question warrants some clarification in this piece. I've put a para togather that I hope copes with it.

I've also done one to link to the 'Full Moon Names'. If you think they're acceptable you could tag them on at the end.

You'll find them tagged onto A12460790

But I wrote the 'Experiment' para as the final one. If you're going to put these two in, could you shift the experiment one to last.

Deke

GB

http://www.last.fm/music/Frank+Sinatra/_/Fly+Me+To+The+Moon

Deke

Oh I do that thank you Deke

Updated

That paragraph's great.

Another awkward question though - if I stand on the equator, will the moon be sideways?

Tricky.

I'll have to think about that.

The answer is that I don't 'think' so. I had occassion to see the Moon from Costa Rica a couple of years ago and it seemed much the same as in the UK. It was just higher towards overhead.

Really it can't go sideways because it's axis is always going to be the same relative to the Earth and it's orbital path. I'ts eastern side (the r/h side as we look at it from earth's northern hemisphere) is always going to be the leading side. So for its north or south pole to suddenly be in the lead would mean an event of cataclysmic proportions.

No, I mean, if it's the right way up in the northern hemisphere, and upside down in the southern hemisphere, is it sideways in the middle?

Am I just getting horribly confused?

You could always tilt your head to compensate

Anyway, any more alterations required to the update, or can it proceed?

Well, I still don't get it. You say it's upside-down in the southern hemisphere compared to the northern, so is there a spot on earth where it suddenly flips, or does it seem to turn slowly as you go south?

Thinking about it is making my head hurt

Well I don't know if this is going to clarify anything but here goes...

What you have to consider is that the Moon doesn’t ‘do’ anything except orbit the Earth and turn on its axis, doing both at the same time in the course of a month. That’s all it does. What you have to consider in this context is that it is your perspective that alters, not the Moon. It’s not the moon that’s changing, it’s your perspective on it.

Both the Earths’ and the Moon’s axes point more or less the same way, so they are always locked in the same relationship to one another. Both north poles point the same way and so do the south poles. Nothing can change in that relationship.

If we simplify the Moons orbit and say that it revolves directly above the Earths equator you can see that if you are standing in the Earth’s northern hemisphere and you look at the moon it appears a certain way up. If you are somewhere near the north pole your head is pointed to the north and the Moon rises in the east, works it way just above the horizon to its highest point in the south and eventually sets in the west.

If it’s a full moon (or whatever) then it’s still a full moon (or whatever) for anyone else at any point on Earth. .

Now if you were able to walk straight down a line of longitude to the equator you would gradually get to the point where the moon was overhead. While you are still facing the same way (south), all that‘s happening is that the moon appears to gradually get higher in the sky so you would have to look further upwards. You have walked around a quarter of the curvature of the Earth and at this point you are at 90 deg to your original North pole position. The moon hasn't done anything different it's just that you have changed your position relative to it.

To walk further south (and still facing south), the Moon would now be behind you. For you to see it in front of you, you would have to turn around 180 degrees and face north while looking up. And that’s probably where the ‘flip’ that you mention comes into it. In other words it’s you that does the flip, not the Moon.

So if you finally end up near south pole, your head is now pointing south, exactly 180 degrees opposite to your north pole stance, and it’s you that has become inverted. You are now upside down in relation to your position at the north pole. But the brain being what it is, tells you it’s the Moon that has inverted when in fact it’s you.

Dunno if this helps

Deke

GB
I don't have any other alterations. It's OK by me.

Deke

That does help, thanks

I knew that it's the observer that flips rather than the moon, but from the POV of the observer it's the moon that flips

update applied and Eds informed to shift this thread to the old EGE
F47997?thread=6162067

Thanks all!

GB

Editorial Note: This conversation has been moved from 'UPDATE for Lunar Phases A346673' to 'Lunar Phases'.

Thank you

Good entry!

I think the header should be "Third Quarter Moon" rather than "Three Quarter Moon".