Questions out of curiosity… Enlighten me please

[~DarkAngel]

These questions just popped out of my head while we were gazing the sky with my friend… Can anyone please help me?

1. Are the shapes of the moon likely to be visible in the morning than in the evening? If it is, then where is the sky?
2. Are the shapes of the moon likely to be visible in the evening than in the morning? If it is, then where is the sky?
3. How long is the sun up? Is it always the same number of hours?
4. Does the sun look exactly round?
5. Does either the Big Dipper or Little Dipper, or both, move during the night? If so, in what direction?
6. In what direction do the stars around the planets move? East, west, south or north?
7. Do Venus and Saturn move in the same direction in the night sky?

I tried answering these questions:

1. No.
2. Yes. Up above, the sky is already dim and bleak and this makes us see the moon more visibly.
3. Maybe 13 hours? No, it isn’t always the same number of hours.
4. I guess not?
5. Yes. To the east, I think.
6. To the east?
7. Yes.

 

[cesiumfrog]

What direction does the sun move in the sky?

 

[Janus]

These questions just popped out of my head while we were gazing the sky with my friend… Can anyone please help me?

1. Are the shapes of the moon likely to be visible in the morning than in the evening? If it is, then where is the sky?
2. Are the shapes of the moon likely to be visible in the evening than in the morning? If it is, then where is the sky?

The moon is most visible between sunset and sunrise. Where is appears, and for how long after the Sun sets or before the Sun rises depends on which phase it is in.

3. How long is the sun up? Is it always the same number of hours?

This depends on the time of year and your latitude (How far you are from the Equator. The futher North or South you are, the greater the difference between the longest period of Sun and the shortest.

4. Does the sun look exactly round?

Pretty much yes. You might get some slight flattening of its appearance as it sets, but this is due to atmospheric bending of light.

5. Does either the Big Dipper or Little Dipper, or both, move during the night? If so, in what direction?

Facing North, the Big and Little Dipper traveling in counter-clockwise circles around the North star. The little Dipper actually circles the last star in its handle, which is the North Star.

6. In what direction do the stars around the planets move? East, west, south or north?

All the stars travel in counter-clockwise circles around the North Star, the further from the North Star they are the bigger the circles. For stars far enough away to rise and set against the horizon, they will rise in the East and set in the West.

7. Do Venus and Saturn move in the same direction in the night sky?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. That is if you mean as measured against the background stars. Ohterwise, they rise and set just like the stars do.

I tried answering these questions:

1. No.
2. Yes. Up above, the sky is already dim and bleak and this makes us see the moon more visibly.
3. Maybe 13 hours? No, it isn’t always the same number of hours.
4. I guess not?
5. Yes. To the east, I think.
6. To the east?
7. Yes.

 

[Kurdt]

Pretty much yes. You might get some slight flattening of its appearance as it sets, but this is due to atmospheric bending of light.

Can I just add that the sun is slightly oblate due to its rotation pushing the material outwards, so its not perfectly round.