I mean... it is daytime in California, and I can see the moon. So where it is nightime (on the opposite side of earth, say China)... can they see the moon? do they see the same phase as I do?
2006-12-29 05:19:30 · 7 answers · asked by Vladimir H 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Yes. Since the world is round, what can be seen by a person on one side of the globe cannot be seen by a person on the other side of the globe at the same time. 12 hours later, that other person will be in a position to see it and you will no longer be. And after another 12 hours, it will be back the same was as at first again, only the Moon will have moved about 1/30 of the way around its orbit and so its phases will be slightly different and it will appear in a slightly different position against the background of fixed stars.
And, yes, they see the same phase.
If you have trouble visualizing this, set up a globe and then use a baseball or something to represent the Moon. The Moon should be placed at a distance of 30 times the diameter of the globe to be at the correct scaled distance. For a 10 inch globe, that is 25 feet away. Then look at it from different places, all of which are as close to the globe as you can get your eye. It should become clear then.
2006-12-29 05:22:32 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At the same instant, no. Though China and California are hardly on opposite sides of the Earth, we will assume for the sake of the question that they are. The Chinese would somehow have to peer through the Earth to see the moon, because the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from them.
What is happening is that the moon is between the Earth and the Sun (not directly, or there would be a solar eclipse), so as the Earth spins on it's axis, you will eventually go into the night, and you won't be able to see the moon, but the Chinese will.
However, in this case, the moon is probably near what is known as the "half moon" phase, where only half of the side that is facing the Earth is lit up. That means, assuming that it is in exactly the half moon phase, the moon will be at its highest point in the sky at either dawn or dusk. Assuming its at dawn, the moon starts to rise during the night, and is visible later at night, and then sets during the day, and is still slightly visible during the day, which is what you are looking at.
2006-12-29 05:29:58 · answer #2 · answered by John C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The seen component of the moon, no count if comprehensive or no longer, is bright sufficient to be considered with the aid of day because of the fact it relatively is at as quickly as illuminated with the aid of the sunlight. The changing stages of the moon are because of the moons' place around the Earth relative to the sunlight. The moons' place shifts approximately 15 ranges each and every day, winding up one revolution in under 29 days. The moon isn't seen at night, noticeably if it is on the brink of the sunlight place-smart. Then, it relatively is a sunlight hours moon. you will on no account see an entire moon on the brink of the sunlight, nor a crescent moon in the lifeless of night. comprehensive moons are on the alternative fringe of the Earth's sky from the sunlight. i'm hoping this helped!
2016-11-24 23:07:05 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Moon is always visible from one half of Earth's surface at a time. The other half cannot see the Moon.
Of course, this region of visibility changes as Earth rotates and as the Moon goes around its orbit.
If you could stand at the spot where (for an instant) the Moon appears directly overhead, then, for someone located at your antipode (the point on Earth diametrically opposed), the Moon would be located in the direction of her feet (therefore, well below the horizon).
If for you, the Moon is 30 degrees above the horizon, then it would be 30 degrees below the horizon for your antipodal twin. And so on.
This is true whether it is day or night. It is also true for any other celestial body, including the Sun (if the Sun is above the horizon for you, it is below the horizon for your antipodal twin).
2006-12-29 05:34:25 · answer #4 · answered by Raymond 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This has nothing to do with the moon's distance from earth.
if you can see the moon, the people directly opposite you on the earth cannot see it. If you can see the sun, the people directly opposite you on the earth cannot see it. If you see the moon in the daytime, it is nighttime directly opposite you on the earth, with no moon in the sky
2006-12-29 05:29:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it just means that the earth is close to the moon at that point
2006-12-29 05:23:24 · answer #6 · answered by kool_aid_1_00 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are too many variable and you're not providing enough info
2006-12-29 05:27:48 · answer #7 · answered by Wabbit 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋