What Was With The Moon Last Night?

[Spy Car]

Was I alone in seeing the moon last night looking like a "smile" rather than a "crescent"???

 

It was weird. Can someone explain what that was about? That's not "normal" is it? Or have I just not been paying attention :001_huh:

 

Bill (who feels he losing touch with reality :tongue_smilie:)

[smrtmama]

Was I alone in seeing the moon last night looking like a "smile" rather than a "crescent"???

 

It was weird. Can someone explain what that was about? That's not "normal" is it? Or have I just not been paying attention :001_huh:

 

Bill (who feels he losing touch with reality :tongue_smilie:)

 

This blog seems like it might be addressing the phenomenon you're describing, a "new crescent moon," or the very first sliver of crescent moon signaling the next lunar cycle. The picture used on some of the pages looks more like a smile than a crescent.

 

Obviously, the moon you saw wouldn't be the newest crescent moon, but maybe it's just the skinnier sliver?

[MariannNOVA]

:bigear:

 

[JudoMom]

Was I alone in seeing the moon last night looking like a "smile" rather than a "crescent"???

 

It was weird. Can someone explain what that was about? That's not "normal" is it? Or have I just not been paying attention :001_huh:

 

Bill (who feels he losing touch with reality :tongue_smilie:)

 

I think it's quite obvious the moon was happy to see you.

[Jann in TX]

And she doesn't even like Alice in Wonderland (well except for the cat!).

 

DD8 and I stood outside in the cold quite a while last night looking at the stars--and that BEAUTIFUL moon!

[Spy Car]

And she doesn't even like Alice in Wonderland (well except for the cat!).

 

DD8 and I stood outside in the cold quite a while last night looking at the stars--and that BEAUTIFUL moon!

 

That's what I said to my son...it looks like the Cheshire Cat.

 

At least I wasn't the only one :lol:

 

So is this a regular occurrence that, somehow, in my 5 decades on the planet I've just failed to notice???

 

Bill

[tadbhoward]

I saw it for the first time last month and then again last night. I had never seen it look like a smile before either.

[MariannNOVA]

That's what I said to my son...it looks like the Cheshire Cat.

 

At least I wasn't the only one :lol:

 

So is this a regular occurrence that, somehow, in my 5 decades on the planet I've just failed to notice???

 

Bill

 

I said it to the dog :001_huh:.......he seemed unimpressed ...but I also wondered how in my 5.5 decades, I was only just noticing this.:)

[Spy Car]

...but I also wondered how in my 5.5 decades, I was only just noticing this.:)

 

I did ask my son (5.5) if he'd ever seen the moon look like that.

 

Never in all my life Daddy :lol:

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

I saw it for the first time last month and then again last night. I had never seen it look like a smile before either.

 

I'm at least finding comfort knowing I wasn't alone.

 

Did you find it spectacularly unusual? Or was it just ho-hum?

 

Bill (who will admit it freaked him out :D)

[Amy in KS]

I first noticed this moon about a month ago and thought it was a weird partial eclipse.

 

I discovered it has to do with the orbit, how close it is to the horizon and how close you are to the equator.

 

http://feu.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070124232310AAIcS9k

[Spy Car]

I first noticed this moon about a month ago and thought it was a weird partial eclipse.

 

I discovered it has to do with the orbit, how close it is to the horizon and how close you are to the equator.

 

http://feu.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070124232310AAIcS9k

 

Oh sure, use science :D

 

So how often does this Cheshire Cat moon happen?

 

Bill

[MariannNOVA]

I did ask my son (5.5) if he'd ever seen the moon look like that.

 

Never in all my life Daddy :lol:

 

Bill

 

 

Oh, to have a 5.5 year old again -- well, hmmmmmmmmmmm, maybe not......I'll have to make do with the 10 year old and the 9 year old twins......and there are the grand-daughters: 6.5 and 4.

Spectacularly unusual? Well, noticeably unusual......which I think is a great thing b/c it has given me cause to stop focusing on the snow and all the stuff with our house and look beyond all of that so as not to miss 'spectacularly unusual' things! So, while there may not be any flowers to stop and sniff, there is a moon to see. Thank You!

[Desert Rat]

I remember seeing this kind of moon in years' past. Mostly in the winter. We've always called them Cheshire moons too. :o

[Liz CA]

That's what I said to my son...it looks like the Cheshire Cat.

 

At least I wasn't the only one :lol:

 

So is this a regular occurrence that, somehow, in my 5 decades on the planet I've just failed to notice???

 

Bill

 

This is an easy one! Bill, it's just God smiling down on you and yours. :lol:

[MBM]

I've seen a smiling moon in Hawaii and a huge, double haloed moon as well. The moon there is so beautiful. Maybe it's just that the weather is so nice that it's easy to go outside and watch all those things.

 

We used to live in a high rise in Chicago on the lake, and the moon was gorgeous there, too, especially reflecting on the lake, but I don't remember any smiling ones. Single haloes, yes.

 

[rowan25]

That's what I said to my son...it looks like the Cheshire Cat.

 

At least I wasn't the only one :lol:

 

So is this a regular occurrence that, somehow, in my 5 decades on the planet I've just failed to notice???

 

Bill

Yep, that's what we said too!! :lol: Though I also called it a Horned Moon since it looked like bulls horns to me

[KidsHappen]

My kids always call this the Cheshire Moon. We have seen them before but I am especially tuned into the moon. I am always awestruck by the moon, every single time I see it. Seriously, it is not safe for me to drive anytime we have afull moon near the horizon or any even slightly unusual moon phenomenon. I will drive right off the road looking at the moon. I am not much better with walking. I need to be stationary when observing the moon so as to give it my full attention. Lucky for me, that is very easy to do as my deck in the backyard gives me a perfect view of the moon and I get to observe it on a regular basis when I let the dog out each night. My kids find my fascination with the moon somewhat amusing.

[TXMomof4]

Was I alone in seeing the moon last night looking like a "smile" rather than a "crescent"???

 

It was weird. Can someone explain what that was about? That's not "normal" is it? Or have I just not been paying attention :001_huh:

 

Bill (who feels he losing touch with reality :tongue_smilie:)

 

It definately was an Alice in Wonderland moon. I kept expecting the eyes to appear.... a little spooky quite honestly.

[mrsrevmeg]

This is an easy one! Bill, it's just God smiling down on you and yours. :lol:

 

That what we said last night when my husband pointed out "Hey, look at the moon, its smiling!" ( I've never noticed a a smiley moon either)

[ElizabethB]

When my daughter was 2 or 3, she and dad liked to go look at the moon. (They still do, occasionally, but she really liked it at that age.) They would look out the back door first, then she would demand to see the "other one moon." So, they would go out the front door and look at the "other one moon." Since she was so young, we never figured out if she actually thought there were two different moons or she just liked making dad look at it with her from the front and back of the house. We kept telling her there was only one moon, but there is only so much (or maybe none!) reasoning you can do with a 2 or 3 year old, at some point you just have to go with the flow.

[Hathersage]

Ah. It is also called the "Wet Moon." The period where this is most common, January 20 - February 18

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_moon

 

http://www.farmersalmanac.com/astronomy/a/can-the-moon-be-wet-or-dry

Edited February 19, 2010 by Hathersage

[RegGuheert]

I first noticed this moon about a month ago and thought it was a weird partial eclipse.

 

I discovered it has to do with the orbit, how close it is to the horizon and how close you are to the equator.

 

http://feu.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070124232310AAIcS9k

Thanks for this! Every time I've been to Singapore (2 degrees North latitude) I've been shocked to see just the bottom half of the moon. I've asked my host about it, but they didn't think it was such a big deal. The reason it was so notable to me is that I have never seen the moon look like that around here. I'll have to look for it now!

[TCB]

It's nice to know I'm not the only one too. My six year old DD and I saw it 2 nights ago and were amazed. I thought I must just be spectacularly unobservant because I don't remember seeing it before.

[Sasharowan]

And she doesn't even like Alice in Wonderland (well except for the cat!).

 

DD8 and I stood outside in the cold quite a while last night looking at the stars--and that BEAUTIFUL moon!

 

That's what my dd and I said too. ;)

[hornblower]

Oh - I assumed the Vancouver Olympic Committee arranged that too. We have beautiful clear nights (dropping below zero even in the city) and the moon has been adding to the light shows etc.

 

You mean VANOC can't claim credit for this? :tongue_smilie:

[KidsHappen]

Ah. It is also called the a "Wet Moon." The period where this is most common, January 20 - February 18

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_moon

 

http://www.farmersalmanac.com/astronomy/a/can-the-moon-be-wet-or-dry

 

Well, now see, I haven't been paying attention long enough to notice that. Interesting piece of trivia to add to my collection of moon facts. :D

[In the Rain]

I noticed it last night too, from Oregon. I don't ever remember seeing the moon like that.

[Spy Car]

I noticed it last night too, from Oregon. I don't ever remember seeing the moon like that.

 

That's what I'm thinking. Never. seen. it. like. that. Ever!

 

But no one is talking about it. Except us :D

 

Bill (amazed)

[Nicole M]

I loved it! I was coming home from a fantastic concert featuring the Brandenburg Concerto, and it looked to me like a cradle hanging just above my house.

[Hathersage]

That's what I'm thinking. Never. seen. it. like. that. Ever!

 

But no one is talking about it. Except us :D

 

Bill (amazed)

 

Well, it was significant enough to be a part of Hawaiian mythology.

[ElaineJ]

I noticed this too and wondered about it, but was too busy (lazy?;)) to look it up last night. So thanks, all, for doing the work for me! It was very beautiful and interesting to look at.

 

Elaine

[Spy Car]

Well, it was significant enough to be a part of Hawaiian mythology.

 

Funny you mention that, because this morning I was thinking that I was so taken aback by the appearance of the moon that were I living in ancient times I would likely have looked for (or helped invent) a mythological explanation for this strange occurrence. It was so unsettling to my psyche that I long for an explanation.

 

The wiki article suggests this wet moon might happen yearly? But I've never seen a moon like this. So have I been inattentive, or is this moon really different???

 

Bill

[Hathersage]

Funny you mention that, because this morning I was thinking that I was so taken aback by the appearance of the moon that were I living in ancient times I would likely have looked for (or helped invent) a mythological explanation for this strange occurrence. It was so unsettling to my psyche that I long for an explanation.

 

The wiki article suggests this wet moon might happen yearly? But I've never seen a moon like this. So have I been inattentive, or is this moon really different???

 

Bill

 

From what I can tell it happens yearly, a passing from winter into spring event.

 

Here's an explanation I found, but I can't understand:

http://www.astronomycafe.net/qadir/q2685.html

[Spy Car]

From what I can tell it happens yearly, a passing from winter into spring event.

 

Here's an explanation I found, but I can't understand:

http://www.astronomycafe.net/qadir/q2685.html

 

So this happens EVERY YEAR, and it's just taken a half-a-century for me to notice??? It that what you are telling me?????? :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm not sure I can accept this :lol:

 

Bill

[KidsHappen]

So this happens EVERY YEAR, and it's just taken a half-a-century for me to notice??? It that what you are telling me?????? :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm not sure I can accept this :lol:

 

Bill

 

That's what we are telling ya, Bill. ;)

 

I know the feeling though, when you notice something for the first time that has always been that way and when you ask around people look at you like you are crazy and then once you do notice it, it is so incredibly obvious that you wonder how it is possible that you didn't notice it before. It is terribly upsetting. I have taken to telling myself that I must have noticed it previously but that I forgot because you know, that is must less unsettling. :001_smile:

[Slartibartfast]

They showed a really cool video of that moon on my local news and clouds passing. It looked so neat but I can't find it now

[Miss Sherry]

I did ask my son (5.5) if he'd ever seen the moon look like that.

 

Never in all my life Daddy :lol:

 

Bill

I like your sons answer. :lol: My dh and I were noticing the moon last night too, and thought it looked unusual. How did we all manage to get this old and not remember seeing the moon look just that way before ? I am 48. :tongue_smilie:

[Hathersage]

So this happens EVERY YEAR, and it's just taken a half-a-century for me to notice??? It that what you are telling me?????? :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm not sure I can accept this :lol:

 

Bill

 

Even the farmer's almanac doesn't give us a heads up. :001_huh:

I had to dig around to find an explanation on their website.

So, how are we supposed to know to look for it?! As for me, I'm not usually outside this time of year looking at the night sky, so I have yet to see it. :tongue_smilie:

[myfunnybunch]

It was so unsettling to my psyche

 

My oldest son was completely unnerved by it. We were out for a walk, and he wouldn't let go of my hand...and he's "too Old" to hold hands with his mom now.

 

The wiki article suggests this wet moon might happen yearly? But I've never seen a moon like this. So have I been inattentive, or is this moon really different???

 

The weather isn't that great in Jan/Feb. Lots of cloudy nights, at least where I live.

 

Cat

[Sputterduck]

I saw it last night. I, too, have never ever ever ever seen that before. Clearly it's the end of the world.

[Miss Marple]

That was the sweetest moon I have seen in a while! It made me smile...

 

I was wondering if there are any tribes/sects/etc who might have attached some sort of significance to it. It seemed special.

[sleepymommy]

I did see the smiling moon last night. I don't remember ever seeing it like that before, I guess it's taken me several decades to notice as well!

[Hathersage]

OK, this is probably only of interest to myself, but I found an article from 1909 on the wet and dry moon for Popular Astronomy in the astrophysics data system.

 

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1909PA.....17...11B

 

Umm, yeah I might be OCD :tongue_smilie:

 

But I prefer to think of myself as the needle in a haystack researcher.

 

Plus, I learned that there is a Digital Library for Physics and Astronomy. :001_smile: