summer school question...
2007-07-16 06:52:23 · 9 answers · asked by buggerrocks1 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
240,000 miles.
2007-07-16 07:00:16 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Like all celestial bodies the Moon follows an elliptical orbit. An ellipse is a circle that has been squeezed so that it is longer, say, from 'north' to 'south', than it is from 'east' to 'west' - as it were. Unlike an egg, these axes are also lines of symmetry, whereas an egg is not symmetrical.
So the Moon's distance from Earth is changing by the second, all the time. The longer, or major, of these axes is called apogee and the shorter, or minor is called perigee.
The Moon was last at apogee (furthest) at 14:26 on 24th June and was 404,538 kilometers distant. It was last at perigee (nearest) at 21:38 on 9th July and was 368,492 kilometers distant.
At the moment that I write this (17: 58: 27, on 17th July) it is 392,125 kilometers distant but is changing by the second!
If you want to keep track of this distance - by the second - go to the website below, allow a few seconds for the javascript to load, then watch the counters in the little box that appears.
It tells you the current phase (Waxing Crescent),
How much of it is visible (11%),
The age of the current phase (3 days, 5 hours and 36 min's),
It's distance at this very second (see above),
Its distance and the time when last at both apogee and perigee,
And the time and date NOW!
Fantastic!
In other words, in response to a question for which the answer is changing all the while - I give you (or at least, they do) the answer 'second-by-second'.
Edit note: since posting my answer at two minutes to six, and making this note at about ten past six, the amount of the crescent moon now visible has increased to 12% - !
2007-07-17 13:00:45 · answer #2 · answered by Girly Brains 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon orbits the Earth on an elliptical path. At its nearest it is about 365,000 kilometres (228,000 miles) from the Earth. At its furthest, it is about 407,000 kilometres (254,000 miles) from the Earth. Average is about 386,000 kilometres (241,000 miles.)
As a matter of interest, the moon moves across the sky at the apparent speed of about one of its own diameters every hour. It is travelling through space at the speed of about 1020 kilometres per second whilst also circling the Earth. Viewed from along distance, the moon would apper to be covering a wavy track as it circled the Earth and also moves with the Earth around the sun.
2007-07-16 16:21:57 · answer #3 · answered by Diapason45 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this question is a matter of perception.as you are probably aware the earth and the moon are travelling through space, but when you enter space there is no up or down
2007-07-16 14:29:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
About 240,000 miles
2007-07-16 13:59:03 · answer #5 · answered by Martin 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This website should help
http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/lectures/gkastr1.html
2007-07-16 14:00:19 · answer #6 · answered by Black 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES, HOW LONG IS A PIECE OF STRING OR HOW FAR CAN YOU RUN INTO A WOOD OR FOREST???
2007-07-16 15:52:50 · answer #7 · answered by john n 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
on average, 238,000 miles
2007-07-16 16:34:30 · answer #8 · answered by ftm821 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
238,857 miles not up but distant.
2007-07-16 16:04:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋