Can a Website Show Historical Moon Phases and Sky Positions for My Location?

In summary: The Naval Oservatory site I gave you gives you that info under Positions of the Sun and Moon - Altitude and Azimuth of the Sun or Moon During One Day.
  • #1
ndogg
24
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I was wondering if there is a site that shows the moon phases for my specific location up to 20-30 days old. I need to know how much of the moon was showing that day, and idealy the part of sky it was in (high or low to horizon) and the weather conditions for that day (e.g. cloudy, clear, etc.).

The last two things are optional, basically I need a site that can at least give me the phase the moon was in each day from now going back a month or so. Please post any URL's that could help me just a little bit as I need this assignment finished by tommorow morning.
 
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  • #2
Try this site http://aa.usno.navy.mil/index.html under Data Services (their website use frames or I'd give you the link directly to Data Services).

The Moon phases will give you the Moon phases from 2000 to 2010.

Everyone sees the same Moon phases. For the info on the Az/El for the Moon at your particular location, scroll down to position of the Sun and Moon.

Further down, the Web based MICA can also be used for your specific location.
 
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  • #3
ndogg said:
I was wondering if there is a site that shows the moon phases for my specific location up to 20-30 days old. I need to know how much of the moon was showing that day, and idealy the part of sky it was in (high or low to horizon) and the weather conditions for that day (e.g. cloudy, clear, etc.).

The last two things are optional, basically I need a site that can at least give me the phase the moon was in each day from now going back a month or so. Please post any URL's that could help me just a little bit as I need this assignment finished by tommorow morning.
You can generate a calendar of moon phases for any date at:
http://www.stardate.org/nightsky/moon

AM
 
  • #4
Thanks for the help. So there is no way of knowing if it would have been "high" or "low" in the sky during each day?
 
  • #5
ndogg said:
Thanks for the help. So there is no way of knowing if it would have been "high" or "low" in the sky during each day?

For $5 you can purchase this program to give the elevation of the moon in the sky at any time at any latitude/longitude:
http://www.elegantpie.com/clickclock.html

AM
 
  • #6
ndogg said:
Thanks for the help. So there is no way of knowing if it would have been "high" or "low" in the sky during each day?
I assume you're talking about the maximum elevation (obviously the Moon is low when it first rises, gets higher, then is low in the sky again right before it sets).

The Naval Oservatory site I gave you gives you that info under Positions of the Sun and Moon - Altitude and Azimuth of the Sun or Moon During One Day. By altitude, they mean the same as elevation.

The table of moonrise and moonset times for the entire year can give you at least a feel for which days the Moon is higher than the other. The higher elevation the Moon reaches, the longer it's above the horizon. Subtracting the rise time from the set time (keep in mind you're subtracting hours and minutes) tells you how long the Moon was above the horizon. Notice, some days, the Moon rises, but doesn't set. If you look at the next day, the moon sets a few minutes after midnight, but doesn't rise until later in the day. In other words, it takes a little thought in order to interpret what they're giving you.
 
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What were the moon phases of last month?

The moon phases of last month were New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Third Quarter.

How long does each moon phase last?

The length of each moon phase varies, but on average, a New Moon lasts about 3.5 days, a First Quarter lasts about 7 days, a Full Moon lasts about 3.5 days, and a Third Quarter lasts about 7 days.

What causes the moon phases to change?

The moon phases change due to the relative positions of the moon, Earth, and sun. As the moon orbits Earth, the sun illuminates different portions of the moon, causing the different phases.

Are the moon phases the same all over the world?

Yes, the moon phases are the same all over the world. However, the perspective and orientation of the moon may appear slightly different depending on your location on Earth.

Can we see all of the moon phases in one night?

No, it is not possible to see all of the moon phases in one night. The moon phases occur in a specific order and each phase lasts for several days.

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