[UFAlien]

Well I just saw something pretty interesting. Here in western MA, the moon just set. At 9:50 PM. Wait, what?

Seriously, I'm usually awake well past midnight, and at, like, 4 AM, it'll still be pretty high up. This has been the case very recently - including, you know, yesterday. It also had a neat orange/red tint today ^^

Anyone else at all notice this? Can someone offer me the scientifical explanation?

Also, here are the pictures I managed to take, in between about 9:35 and 9:50.










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[Tinu.]

This isn't terribly scientific, just what I've gathered by observation and watching the weather channel and nurturing a love of astronomy.
Have you ever noticed how the sun moves and rises in different places depending on the season? Or how the constellations move, and some aren't (or are) visible during certain seasons? For example, our old buddy Orion is rather hard to spot in the summer, because he stays low to the horizon. The moon does the same thing. It's not always there at night - in fact, it's rarely up for most of the night. Contrary to popular belief, the moon is NOT limited to being up at night. Ever seen the moon during the day? It's called a Day Moon, and it happens quite often. Because of the earth's tilt (I'm assuming), the moon will rise early, especially in the summer time. How early? About 9 to 10 AM. So it will set at about 9 or 10 each night (this I learned from the weather channel, which will give you moon rise and set times just like it gives sunrise and set). The times change, just like the sun, and so sometimes it will stay up later, or rise earlier (I think that generally happens in winter - it doesn't rise until about 11). But generally, in the late watches of the night, Luna is alseep. Which is good news for those of us who pursue hobbies in watching meteor showers.

The odd color is caused by atmospheric pollution and light reflections and the angle of the sun and yada-yada-yada - several different factors play into it. The orange color of your pictures is a very common color, as is a slightly more yellow tone.

Nothing unusual here, Alien, all is well in the sky.

Keep an eye on the weather channel - or if they don't have moon times, you can find them fairly easily on the internet. :3

I hope this was helpful and not too convoluted.
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[UFAlien]

Thank you for the effort Tinu, but honestly it took me four minutes to figure that out for myself. Basically, I liked my pictures and wanted an excuse to post them XD
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Just because I like scary things doesn't mean I'M- okay, it kinda does sometimes.

Dubbed Loofah by Asa
UFAlien = UFA = oofah = Loofah

[thespaceinvader]

The reason it's red is the same reason that the sun goes redder when it sets - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset#Colors

The size is quite likely to be only an apparent increase - like the sun, the moon looks a lot larger when it is closer to the horizon.
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[YatesOfYore]

Also relevant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_moon

It's not the full out Harvest Moon that you're seeing there, but it's the same effect/cause/etc. I've always loved spotting a harvest moon, they're just so spiffy!
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[Tinu.]

[Asa]

Or sturgeon moon, or fruit moon, or barley moon. Interesting choices; I assume they have to do with the harvests gathered in this month.
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[theBSDude]

Except sturgeon. 'cause that's a fish.
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TheBSDude, dubbed 'BS' by Asa and nicknamed 'Thebes.'
Keeper of the Tristam, The Amazing Non-Emo Vampire!(tm) and a Massive List of Webcomics.

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[thespaceinvader]

You can harvest fish
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Keeper of Tristram's rings, and Felucca's very expressive ears.

[Asa]

Yep. When they come back upstream to mate, people catch them in droves.
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Self-styled Forum Grandmother, because I hand out nicknames and hugs whether you want them or not. ^_^

Keeper of the Library and the Gateway to Haven

Nem: "It's the sort of face you just know is getting ready to poke you with something sharp."
BS: "...then insist you eat a brownie."
__________________
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended...
Give me your hands if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

[Squeeself]

The most impressive moon phenomenons are, imho, a particularly large moon low on the horizon, and moon halos. The moon halos can cause the sky to appear as if it's day, though not quite as much light as daylight on the ground. Still pretty bright though.

[Tinu.]

Halos also signal storms approaching.

. . . I wanted to be a meteorologist when I was younger - the old fashioned way, so I've all this useless information about predicting the weather lying around in my brain. >>:
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Keeper of Gaia and all the books on Earthsong

"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid."
~Einstein

[theBSDude]

That's cool. All I can do is guess when it's gonna rain.
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...In accordance with the prophesy.

TheBSDude, dubbed 'BS' by Asa and nicknamed 'Thebes.'
Keeper of the Tristam, The Amazing Non-Emo Vampire!(tm) and a Massive List of Webcomics.

"I'm like a ninja with no hopes or dreams." --Wally of Dilbert

[Asa]

I can stick my arm out the window and say, "Yep, it's wet outside."


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Self-styled Forum Grandmother, because I hand out nicknames and hugs whether you want them or not. ^_^

Keeper of the Library and the Gateway to Haven

Nem: "It's the sort of face you just know is getting ready to poke you with something sharp."
BS: "...then insist you eat a brownie."
__________________
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended...
Give me your hands if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

[Miho]