Comment by lowaltflier on 13/09/2023 at 17:35 UTC

3 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)

View submission: Ask Anything Wednesday - Physics, Astronomy, Earth and Planetary Science

On vacation in Peru, I learned that the moon was opposite of how we see it in the north. If I were on the equator, would the moon “flip” when the earth changes its angle throughout the year?

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Comment by ThatCrazyCanadian413 at 13/09/2023 at 17:59 UTC

12 upvotes, 1 direct replies

No, all observers at different latitudes see the Moon rotated at slightly different angles; it doesn't suddenly "flip" as you cross the equator (or any other line on Earth). If you were to travel from the north pole to the south pole while looking at the Moon the entire time, it would appear to gradually rotate from facing one way to facing the other way.