Jump to content

Why does the moon phase vary from what it should look like?

Doccot

By Doccot
in Welcome

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 41
  • Created
  • Last Reply
ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
Posted
Hi there, thanks for your quick response. I understand how the moons own shadow is cast over it's own surface relative to the position of the sun. The app I have is live and set to my current location (Derby UK) and displays the exact image I should see. At 22.00hrs last night the app was displaying a north/south lunar shadow, but in fact, the moons shadow was deffinitely north easterly, but this morning at 08.00 it was back to how the app displayed it. Does the shadow move differently over the moons surface over a 10 hour period?

Everything in the sky changes its tilt from our point of view during the night. Think of Orion as a stick man. When he rises his shoulders are east of his feet. When he sets his shoulders are west of his feet.

This is the 'field rotation' which is cancelled by equatorial mounts but present in alt-azimuth ones.

I suppose the app just isn't very accurately written but I can't be sure.

Olly

Link to comment
Share on other sites
stev74

stev74

Posted
Posted

Welcome to the forum Doccot. :)

Nice to see you are taking an interest in Lunar observing, I wouldn't worry too much about your app - as has already been suggested it wont be 100% accurate to what you can see visually .

I thought you might like this video on You Tube as it goes over some of the basics of Lunar observing including the phases (about 3mins in).

Stellarium is great but if you would like a closer look at the Moon try this - en:start [Virtual Moon Atlas]

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...
kathymarie

kathymarie

Posted
Posted

HI...I'm a newcomer here.....and at the risk of sounding like a nut...complete with tinfoil hat....the moon hasn't look quite right to me for some time now. ... pictures may follow...let me get my feet wet first and feel comfortable here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Parus major

Parus major

Posted
Posted
HI...I'm a newcomer here.....and at the risk of sounding like a nut...complete with tinfoil hat....the moon hasn't look quite right to me for some time now. ... pictures may follow...let me get my feet wet first and feel comfortable here.

Explain in what way it's not looking "quite right"?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ronin

ronin

Posted
Posted

This would have been a great oppertunity to say that the app is designed to show where the moon "should" be and that the actual observed difference is because scientists have found that the moon will crash into the earth.;):D:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.