Busting Moon Myths
The Solar System > Our Moon has been revolving obediently around this planet since way before we ever got here, and when we did get here we immediately recognized its inherent ability to be a great timekeeper and fine nightlight, and exalted it to A-list celebrity status.
But in all those years legends grew up about what Shakespeare calls our "sweet moon," some of which, it turns out, are not exactly brimming with truth. Let's look at some.
#1. The Moon is seen only at night.
Many believe that the Sun is out during daytime, and its counterpart the Moon is, contrariwise, only out at night. Well, the Moon knows no such manmade law. It is going around this planet, taking its blessed time, and cares nothing as to when or where it is seen. Sometimes it is over the dark side of the earth; those times we see it at night. Other times it is on the same side as the sun, the daytime side, and we can see it then if only we know where to look.
Look for it yourself in the next couple evenings in the southern skies in the 5 o'clock hour, about 30 degrees above horizon. See it there in all its quarter moon glory - during the day.
#2. The Moon used to be used as a timekeeper, but those days are gone.
For our western culture, forgetful of the sky above and drowning in digits and technology, we have just vague leftovers remaining from those days when we used the moon for timekeeping.
One bit of flotsam that is an unknown nod to those bygone days is the word "month." It takes just over 29 days for the Moon to begin repeating its phases, not coincidentally the period of time we call a "month," named for that cycle of the moon.
But there are several cultures that still today use the movement of the Moon to keep time and mark the calendar.
Case in point: The 9th month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan, has just begun. It is a month of daylight fasting for Muslims. And it begins at the first site of the youngest sliver of a Moon, just after New Moon, the time our satellite passes in front of the Sun in its orbit around us. Moreover, the varying dates for Passover and Easter owe their reckonings to lunar movement.
#3. Since the Moon moves in front of the Sun every month, we probably have a solar eclipse every month.
That would be true if the Moon moved directly in front of the Sun every month. But our satellite's slightly tilted orbit takes it just above or just below the Sun most of the time. Because of this, there are usually just one or two solar eclipses somewhere on the planet in any given year.
#4. The best time to see the Moon through binoculars or a telescope is Full Moon!
As a matter of fact, one of the worst times to scope out our satellite is during full moon. It is completely front-lit, thus losing all its wondrously detailed surface features. See it, if you can, at First Quarter, the phase it will happen to be in during the next few days. It is then that the oblique angle of the sun's light raises to life so many craters and valleys you feel you could reach out and touch it.
We see our Moon so often that we easily take it for granted. But if you can take another look at it, do. Examine it, study its history. It is a wonderful work of art worthy of the time.
Until next time, clear skies!
Posted by Mark Ritter at 2007.09.16 08:29 PM | Comments (0)
