What percentage of the moon can we see from the earth, 50%, more ...less...? ..why?
112075
The most we can ever see is 59% ...\n\nRelative to the Earth, the Moon makes one rotation every 29.5 days. That happens to also be the time it takes for the Moon to complete one revolution around the Earth. This might seem like a coincidence, but it's not. \n\nIn the past, the Moon used to rotate much faster than it does now. But over millions of years, the effect of the Earth's gravity has slowed down the Moon's rotation until it became gravitationally locked to the Earth. This is why we always see the same side of the Moon. \n\nIt would seem logical to say that at any one time we can see 50% of the Moon's face. If the Moon were flat, that would be correct, however we know the Moon is a sphere. And the spherical shape of the Moon hides the area close to the perimeter and we can, at any one time, see only 41% of the Moon's face. \n\nEven though the same side of the Moon's faces us, we do see a bit more than half of the Moon's face. Over time, because of librations, we can see up to 59% of the Moon's surface. \n\nLibrations are irregular motions of the Moon in its elliptical orbit around the Earth. They are measured using longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates. Both are computed from a central point that is at a fixed geographical location on the lunar surface. This point is in the Sinus Medii, a small plain just below and to the right of he large rayed crater Copernicus. Two meridians emanate from this point: the Central Meridian runs north and south, and the Lunar Equator runs east and west. \n\nDifferent librations affect different sides of the Moon and each contribute added surface area. The added viewable surface area changes from day to day and month to month. Some librations overlap, but the maximum amount of lunar surface that we can see over time is 59%. \n\nThe longitudinal libration is produced by the elliptical orbit of the Moon. Because of the nature of the elliptical orbit, the speed of the Moon changes depending on which part of the orbit it is in. When moving from its fastest point (closest to Earth) to its slowest point (farthest from Earth,) the Moon's speed is slowing down. But, because the Moon's rotational speed stays the same, for a period of time the Moon's face is not pointed directly at us, and this "lag" effect allows observers to see an extra bit of the lunar surface. In effect, we are "peeking" around the edge of the Moon! When the Moon is one quarter of the way around the Earth, it is 97 degrees through its rotation. \n\nThis libration is called longitudinal because the extra surface areas exposed are along the lines of longitude (perpendicular to the equator.) The total extra surface area we can see from longitudinal librations is about eight degrees. \n\nThere is also a libration that is latitudinal. The plane of the Moon's orbit is titled 5 degrees to the ecliptic. For half the lunar cycle, the Moon is above the ecliptic and for the other half it is below the ecliptic. Each of these half cycles expose an extra bit of the Moon. The extra surface area shown during these librations is at the top of the northern hemisphere or the bottom of the southern hemisphere. The total extra surface area we can see from latitudinal librations is almost 7 degrees. \n\nThere is one more librations called Diurnal Librations. This librations occurs every day. Observers can "see" over the top of the Moon as it is rising. Likewise they can see under the bottom when it is setting. Diurnal librations are caused because the radius of the Earth adds an extra 4000 miles of height for looking "over" or "under" the Moon when it is on the horizon. This daily libration gives us an extra one percent of lunar surface area for viewing.
126629
It appears as a 3/4 moon.  It helps to make a drawing to visualize this.  The distance from earth to moon is a very small fraction of the distance from either earth or moon to the sun, so it's fair to approximate the light rays hitting earth and moon as parallel.  First, place the moon such that the earth-moon line is at 90 degrees to the earth-sun line.  In this setup we on earth who can see the moon at all see a half moon and moonlings who can see earth see a half earth.  Next move the moon further away from the sun so the earth-moon line is at 45 degrees to the earth-sun line.  Now the moon sees only 1/4 of the sunlit part of earth, a crescent.  (This is the situation described in the question.)  From earth, however, we see 3/4 of the sunlit part of the moon.  Whether the moon phase is waxing or waning depends on which "side" of the sun-earth-sun line the moon is on relative to the moon's earth-orbital rotation direction.
202680
Right now, the moon is not visible from Ireland. It set in the West shortly after sunset. It would be a thin crescent if we were able to see it.\n\nIn addition it's pretty cloudy here in Ireland tonight, so it's a double strikeout I'm afraid!
90954
The moon is there, don't worry. Sometimes, yeah, you can see the people on the moon. Squint properly.
329109
The reason you can see the moon in the sky during the day is because at that time the moon has rotated to where it is inbetween the earth and the sun.  So they are both visable at the same time.  It takes 28 for the moon to circle the earth, this is also the cause of moon phases, such as full moon/ new moon ect.
909206
It's new moon.... actually right now it's only 1% full. Wait till tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, beautiful sight, a thin sliver... gorgeous. Enjoy!
1040803
Explain how a 600 yard wide rock could cause the 2,160 mile wide Moon to wobble, without touching it? It'd be like throwing a golf ball at a bus and expecting it to tip it over....\n\nIt doesn't matter what the moon does as far as wobbling and spinning, it's gravity isnt affected (unless it breaks up) and therefore the end result means zip to us. We may just get to see the far side!
1023489
No.  But we see only the side that faces earth.\n\nHere's a good diagram that explains it better than I can...\n\n\nhttp://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/uts/moon2.html
299559
As the Moon moves along its orbit around the Earth its hemisphere toward the sun is fully illuminated.\n\nBut from the Earth we see only the hemisphere that is turned toward us.\n\nThat is, we are not seeing that hemisphere which is fully illuminated by the Sun.\n\nThat is why we see different shapes which are called phases of the moon.\n\nIn new moon day, the moon is in between Sun and Earth, and the moon’s non illuminated hemisphere is toward Earth and in the back ground of Sun’s bright light, the moon is invisible.\n\nWhen Moon is at 90 degree from the Sun, half of the illuminated hemisphere of Moon is visible from Earth. \n \nWhen Moon is at 180 degree from the Sun, full of the illuminated hemisphere of Moon is visible from Earth. We call it as Full Moon.
499567
no it's not cos of the earth's shadow on the moon. its cos of the position of the sun and the angle at which the sun's rays hit the moon. the moon moves around the earth. if it moves further from the sun, less light will be reflected and you see a half-moon or quarter-moon.\n\nas u know, the light hte moon 'projects' is actually the reflection of light. the moon isnt a source of light. \n\nwhen the sun is directly behind the moon, and it shines on the 'back' of the moon, this causes an eclipse cos ppl on earth can only see a dark circle (the moon - as it does not reflect light in this case) and a whitish circle around the moon (the sun's rays)\n\nhope this helps!! :D
849809
Hi Richie.\n\nI got the Best Answer prize for a very similar question a few dyas ago on here that asked if you can see the American flag from Earth. The answer and the reason is exactly the same - so here it is again,\n\nThe Hubble Space telescope's maximum resolution is such that an entire Apollo landing site and exploration area are only 1/20th of a pixel. Hubble was designed with deep space astronomy in mind.\n\nEven the new OWL telescope (see Link 1) would only resolve the entire site to 2 pixels and would therefore not be enough to see the flag.\n\nIf your question is to prove that man actually walked on the moon then you need look no further than the Laser Reflector Experiment which constantly laser measures the distance between earth and moon. If the astronauts had never made it to the moon, they would not have been able to deploy these reflectors. (see Link 2) \n\nSource(s):\nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2116...\n\nhttp://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmoon/apollo11...\n\n\nPlease ignore the last bit - coz thankfully it looks like you are not one of those nutters !
444891
Tomorrow, 4/13/06.  At least according to my calendar.  We cannot see the moon here as we have had rain for about six weeks straight.  I would love to see it!!
746634
Day or night, you are seeing the portion of the moon that is facing the sun. The only time Earth blocks illumination of the moon is during a lunar eclipse, which happens only two or three times a year.
564515
About 93 million miles away from the sun, give or take...about the same as earth, since the moon orbits the earth.\n\nIf you mean, what is the APPARENT position of the moon in relation to the sun, as seen from earth, it varies all the time, from 0 degrees (as during a solar eclipse) to 180 degrees (a lunar eclipse).
597835
It isn't "chance" although that is why it is the right/size to produce solar eclipses.\n\nThe moon is not perfectly symmetrical. The crust is thinner on our side, and the core (heavy part of the moon) is displaced towards our side. That acts almost like a handle for the earth's gravity. It has slowed to the point where the earth's gravity now keeps this side pointed towards the earth.\n\nHowever it is not perfect. As seen from the earth, the moon wobbles slightly --- both side to side and up and down. The motion is called libration and allows us to see more than half of the moon. We had a discussion on the yahoo lunar group recently with a link to an animated gif that showed the moon's libration.\n\nIf you are interested in the moon, try\nhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/\n\nChuck
727284
Nothing.  You can see no man-made structures from the Moon.  You can't see the great wall of china; it's a myth.
289555
The Moon's apparent size is an illusion based on its apparent proximity to other objects (stars, mountains, trees, buildings).  The Moon alone in the "middle of the sky" can seem quite small, but a few foreground objects of the correct relative proportion will impart the illusion.\n\nTo "correct" the illusion, hold your thumb up at arms length and compare it to the moon at different times of the day and night (visibility dependent, of course).