For example, during at night you are driving and look out of the window as you look up the sky, and the moon appear to follow you around. Why?
2007-01-19 20:20:32 · 8 answers · asked by Eve W 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It's an optical illusion.
Consider when you're driving in the country. There are trees close to the car and mountain is the distance. When you drive through the tree, they whiz right by your car, while the mountains seem to crawl slowly away.
If you are moving at a high rate of speed, objects closer to you will only be in you view for a second or so. Objects in the distance can be seen for longer, especially if they're large.
It's the same principle with the moon. It's hundreds of miles away, hundreds of miles wide, and can be clearly see. You are techincally passing under the moon, but you're doing it at such a slow rate that it is impossible to see.
2007-01-19 20:32:51 · answer #1 · answered by Shiomi Ryuu 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I remember puzzling about that as a child. The reason is that it is so far away that the little bit of motion of your car doesn't change the distance, but it can change the angle at which you are viewing the moon. So you still find the moon, now on your left shoulder, now on your right, but never any closer or further away. It's following you, obviously. I mean, if the lights of a car were behaving like that, and you were noticing the lights in your rear-view mirror, it would be following you, right?
But the moon is so very much further away.
2007-01-20 04:31:21 · answer #2 · answered by auntb93again 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess you are compairing the behavior with those of trees and buildings that appear to be moving in the opposite direction.
The key to the answer is the angle, that they subtend at your eyes. The further the object will be, minimum the change in angle will be, and mininum the apperent movement will be.
Have you noticed, that mountains at far appear to be moving slowly than nearby trees. when you see a reaver from train on a bridge, it feels that your velocity has ceased... actually relative distance increases for fome time... Moon is very far, no apperent change in angle is noticed for reletavily small distance on earth. So it feels static
2007-01-20 04:41:40 · answer #3 · answered by Sandeep K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
THE MOON DOES NOT LOOK AS IF ITS VERY FAR AWAY BUT THE DISTANCE OF THE MOON IS 239000 MILES....BECAUSE THE DISTANCE OF THE MOON FROM THE EARTH IS QUITE GREAT ,WE FEEL AS IF THE MOON IS FOLLOWING US...COMPARED TO THE DISTANCE TRAVELED BY OUR VEHICLE IN FEW MINUTES ,THAT DISTANCE IS ENORMOUS...SO AS WE MOVE ALONG ,THE ANGLE AT WHICH WE SEE THE MOON HARDLY CHANGES...IN FACT,WE COULD GO ALONG A STRAIGHT PATH FOR MILES AND THE ANGLE AT WHICH WE WOULD SEE THE MOON WOULD STILL BE THE SAME,,,,AND AS WE NOTICE,WE GET THAT FEELING OF THE MOON FOLLOWING US......IT IS ONLY A PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTION ....AS WHEN WE SPEED ALONG THE ROAD ,WE FEEL AS IF EVERYTHING MOVES APART US......
2007-01-20 05:08:22 · answer #4 · answered by pavithra 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes but the moon is so big and we are so small we cant stop seeing it in the same place
2007-01-20 04:24:52 · answer #5 · answered by despazz 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, it doesnt, but it appears to. because the moon is so big compared to you or your vehicle so it appears to be always with you. you may have also noticed it with the sun.
2007-01-20 04:27:58 · answer #6 · answered by nuha k 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Believe me, its not following you.
2007-01-20 06:08:27 · answer #7 · answered by Arnie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it doesnot follow us
2007-01-20 04:37:44 · answer #8 · answered by aman dhawan 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋