2007-02-23 01:01:36 · 5 answers · asked by Ravi 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Because it is so far away. The same thing happens with other distant objects, like the Sun, mountains, clouds, even distant buildings. The closer something is, the less it seems to follow you as you walk.
2007-02-23 01:21:38 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The word that describes this phenomenon is parallax. The direction of the moon from almost any location in an entire city will be practically the same. The direction to a particular tall building will be different for every location in the town. When you move from one location to another the moon remains very close to the same direction but the direction to each of the things near you change.
2007-02-23 09:36:58 · answer #2 · answered by anonimous 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you move 1 meter to the left, everything you see is 1 meter further to your right. The gum wrapper by your foot, the cricket in the lawn, the trees, your house, that mountain on the horizon, the Moon, Jupiter and every star in Orion's belt, they're all one meter farther to your right. When something is right next to you, 1 meter looks like something. But moving the mountain 1 meter looks like no change at all. Now imagine the Moon shifted 1 meter over in the sky (its point of view, not yours). Or stand still and imagine some guy pushing the Moon 1 meter away from him. Do you think you'll notice the change?
It's all a matter of perspective. That's why cars on the highway move so slowly when you're looking at it from a mile away, but so fast when your standing right next to it.
2007-02-23 16:01:45 · answer #3 · answered by skepsis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
never heard of parallax ? distant objects "seems" to move less, the Moon is really far, so it seems not to move (for short times)
2007-02-23 09:32:47 · answer #4 · answered by scientific_boy3434 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually it moves but it moves very little relative to other closer objects
2007-02-23 11:34:35 · answer #5 · answered by JwH 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋