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The Moon's North Pole



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 10th 11, 12:47 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Sam Wormley[_2_]
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Default The Moon's North Pole

The Moon's North Pole
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/61...n/photostream/

NASA image release September 7, 2011

The Earth's moon has been an endless source of fascination for humanity
for thousands of years. When at last Apollo 11 landed on the moon's
surface in 1969, the crew found a desolate, lifeless orb, but one which
still fascinates scientist and non-scientist alike.

This image of the moon's north polar region was taken by the Lunar
Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, or LROC. One of the primary scientific
objectives of LROC is to identify regions of permanent shadow and
near-permanent illumination. Since the start of the mission, LROC has
acquired thousands of Wide Angle Camera images approaching the north
pole. From these images, scientists produced this mosaic, which is
composed of 983 images taken over a one month period during northern
summer. This mosaic shows the pole when it is best illuminated, regions
that are in shadow are candidates for permanent shadow.

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

  #2  
Old September 10th 11, 01:55 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
oriel36[_2_]
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Posts: 8,478
Default The Moon's North Pole

On Sep 10, 1:47*am, Sam Wormley wrote:
The Moon's North Pole
* *http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/61...n/photostream/

NASA image release September 7, 2011

The Earth's moon has been an endless source of fascination for humanity
for thousands of years. When at last Apollo 11 landed on the moon's
surface in 1969, the crew found a desolate, lifeless orb, but one which
still fascinates scientist and non-scientist alike.

This image of the moon's north polar region was taken by the Lunar
Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, or LROC. One of the primary scientific
objectives of LROC is to identify regions of permanent shadow and
near-permanent illumination. Since the start of the mission, LROC has
acquired thousands of Wide Angle Camera images approaching the north
pole. From these images, scientists produced this mosaic, which is
composed of 983 images taken over a one month period during northern
summer. This mosaic shows the pole when it is best illuminated, regions
that are in shadow are candidates for permanent shadow.

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University


A North pole assumes variations in latitudinal speeds between
equatorial and polar coordinates and this is an affront to the senses
as the moon does not rotate however it has a traveling axis which
observers on the Earth see as the phases -

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/graphics/Moon_phases.jpg

There is no reason for people to behave this way,I do not condescend
and assume that people can work out that the moon has orbital
characteristics in its orbit of the Earth that does not include
intrinsic rotation and it is not difficult at all to arrive at a
stable conclusion.









  #3  
Old September 10th 11, 02:07 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Quadibloc
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Posts: 7,018
Default The Moon's North Pole

On Sep 9, 6:55*pm, oriel36 wrote:
I do not condescend
and assume that people can work out that the moon has orbital
characteristics in its orbit of the *Earth that does not include
intrinsic rotation and it is not difficult at all to arrive at a
stable conclusion.


The Moon has librations in longitude which are best explained by
considering the Moon to have an intrinsic rotation (relative to the
stars) which is constant and uniform, as measured by a mechanical
clock, with both the fact of the Moon always turning the same face to
us, _and_ those regular back-and-forth librations, being due to the
difference between that intrinsic rotation and the Moon's orbital
motion, which is not uniform, for example, because the Moon's orbit is
an ellipse following Kepler's laws instead of a perfect circle.

I know it seems funny to think of the Moon as "rotating" when it
always shows, roughly, the same side to us, but if we decide to be
slaves of "common sense", then we will end up by following Aristotle
in preference to Galileo. By rebelling against Newton, that is what
you are doing, even though you won't admit it - you are betraying the
achievements of Galileo by refusing to follow the path that he opened.

John Savard
  #4  
Old September 10th 11, 09:08 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
oriel36[_2_]
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Posts: 8,478
Default The Moon's North Pole

On Sep 10, 1:47*am, Sam Wormley wrote:
The Moon's North Pole
* *http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/61...n/photostream/


Here is what you do Sam before you instruct students.

Instead of trying to inflict a nonsensical intrinsic rotation on the
moon which requires variations in latitudinal speeds,explain to them
using imitation analogies why the lunar orbit of the Earth is not the
same as the planetary orbit around the Sun,in short,walk around a
central object while keeping the same face to it (lunar) or,using a
broom to substitute for daily rotation and orientation,why a planet
turns in a 360 cycle to the central Sun,something which is a 100 %
observational certainty -

http://astro.berkeley.edu/~imke/Infr..._2001_2005.jpg

The combined effect of the orbital motions of the moon and the Earth
around the Sun and the orbital motion of the moon around the Earth
resolved any observed effect hence libration is not intrinsic to the
motion of the moon ,but just like planetary retrogrades,are a
combination of motions belonging to both the Earth and the moon in
combination and as distinct motions.

Have I not treated you with respect Sam ?,there are any amount of
nuisances here in this forum who have lost the ability to accomplish
anything other than to try an diminish readers to their own condition
and level and I never much cared to engage in vitriol or bellylaughs
so they are best left to their own devices.How does anyone present a
formal rendering of the modification to orbital dynamics of the Earth
which influences such things as the distinction between lunar and
planetary orbits at a time when observers are all too quick to run to
the attributes of exoplanets and assign them exotic structures,it is
not that I can't compete with worthless novelties,I just don't believe
that astronomers would want to.I insist that I am not hard done by
even if I do retain a small sense of dismay,after all,I have spoken of
an astronomer as being more human in the range of
sensibilities ,keeping those things in balance and using them to good
effect.












 




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