How far away is the Moon?
Thursday, April 24th, 2008Today, the average distance to the moon is 238,856 miles.
There are two interesting things to note in that answer. First, note the word “average.” Remember that the Moon’s orbit is elliptical and not perfectly circular so the distance varies by as much as 26,000+ miles. To put that into perspective, the distance of the Moon […]
Who was the first man to walk on the Moon?
Thursday, April 24th, 2008The first man to walk on the moon was Neil Alden Armstrong followed immediately by fellow Apollo 11 crewman, Edwin Eugene ‘Buzz’ Aldrin, Jr. on July 20, 1969. While most folks know of Neil Armstrong and many recognize Aldrin as Buzz Aldrin, few know that a 3rd astronaut accompanied the men and remained in orbit […]
Why is the Moon Bigger on the Horizon?
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008First of all, let’s clear up that the question is all wrong. The moon doesn’t shrink as it passes over us. It isn’t actually bigger on the horizon. It does appear to be, though, doesn’t it? A rising moon on the horizon looks huge compared to one hanging high in the heavens. Almost double the […]