Perspective does funny things

[Shadrok]

I was looking at the moon minuets ago and noticed something funny about it, it looked like it was rocketing across the sky. I know what causes this (the moving clouds in perspective to the moon) but still it's funny seeing it.

Sorry about the bad quality of the video, but my digital camera's not to good at taking night photos/videos.

[Netrogo]

Oh my god the moon is running away!


Cool video though. Bit of advice, if you proped the camera up on some kind of tripod or even just on a table it would look even better when the only movement is 'the moon'.

[Brunhidden]

Oh my god the moon is running away!

actually the moon is running away from the earth, i cant remember how much but its around a couple feet/inches a year

[Goatmon]

Even if that's true, I can't imagine the moon leaving the earth's orbit altogether.  You would think that, once it's orbit takes it far enough away from Earth that the gravitational pull is weakened, it's speed of orbit would be reduced and thus it would slow down. 

Of course, this is just an educated guess, and I'm just a writer as opposed to a physicist. 

[Valynth]

Actually, the speed of the moon leaving orbit will snowball since the moon's inertia remains unchanged and since gravity is the force working against the moon's inertia, keeping it in orbit.  As the gravity lessens, the moon's perceived speed away from the earth will increase without increasing the moon's velocity.

[Brunhidden]

the moon was once far closer to earth then it is now, supposedly a theoretical person was standing looking at the sky the moon would be more then twice the apperant size then it is now at a time thats not too long ago in geological terms.

and don't knock your physics, much of our greatest fun facts and weird ideas that turn out to be true were thought up by science fiction writers as a 'what if' and then later proven by scientists. one such was the idea that an earth like world NEEDS an over sized moon of close orbit in order to be habitable, as the moon would over the millennium skim off the excess atmosphere. if it were not for the moon the sheer weight of air would be enough to crush a human.

[superluser]

one such was the idea that an earth like world NEEDS an over sized moon of close orbit in order to be habitable, as the moon would over the millennium skim off the excess atmosphere. if it were not for the moon the sheer weight of air would be enough to crush a human.

There was also the theory that the moon caused perennial floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons, brutal colds, scorching heats, droughts, famines, ubiquitous epidemics of deadly diseases such as cholera, typhus, AIDS, `etc.' and that if we blew it up, they would cease.

Unfortunately, this theory was not by a science fiction author but rather a professor emeritus at Iowa State University.

[Brunhidden]

and only about one out of every three of those has any basis in fact, and only minor effect.

if i recall he just wanted to make some obscure point that nobody actually got and looked like a fool

[gh0st]

it's sorta like the legend of zelda majorahs mask only... backwards....

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

Off-track eh? And yet still strangely on topic.

I'm not good with those optical illusions :\ I couldn't really tell what was going on, and wouldn't have at all if you hadn't pointed it out.

I saw the clouds racing by though...

[Omega]

Few time I've thought the very same thing, Netrogo. There's something eerie about the moon when your alone in the dark, and the only light comes from that pale sphere behind the clouds. The moon in the daylight is rather dull.

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

I'm going to have to disagree with you there Omega.
I for one find the light of the moon very comforting, and when it comes to the day time... quite possibly nothing facsinated me more as a child than that such an event could occur.

To this day I find the sight unnatural and beautiful.
Although, perhaps supernatural would be better

[Omega]

Well, perhaps 'eerie' is too strong word. What I meant to say was, awestrucked (not awesome). It makes me feel small, mortal, invigorating and as if someone is watching me.

*plays Iron Maiden's "Fear of the dark"*

[Alondro]

Well, perhaps 'eerie' is too strong word. What I meant to say was, awestrucked (not awesome). It makes me feel small, mortal, invigorating and as if someone is watching me.

You are being watched.  The Illuminate placed many tiny spy probes all over the moon during the Cold War under the guise of the moon landings.  They can now watch everyone and have secret information with which to blackmail people into doing their bidding...

Except for me... as I am the Illuminate!   

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Illuminati, Alondro. ;-]

[Alondro]

Illuminati, Alondro. ;-]

I knew you'd say that.  Just proves you're not one of us, because only WE know how we actually spell it!   

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

.. wrongly?

[Eowyn]

What Eowyn types- mmmmmooonnn,,,,,pprrreeeyyy

What Eowyn says- *bouncing off the seat* moon! moon! lookitdamoon! pretty!

What Eowyn means- Arrrooooooo!

[Alondro]

.. wrongly?

Yesh!   

It's French.  They spell things funny over there.   

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Latin, actually. Older than French. ;-]

Not that I'm trying to tell you you're wrong, of course... ;-]

[Alondro]

Latin, actually. Older than French. ;-]

Not that I'm trying to tell you you're wrong, of course... ;-]

Well... French happens to be the proper verbal pronunciation of cave paintings language 25,000 years ago, then it was translated into Latin to fool the unworthy!    Ha!  I win!  My conspiracy RULZ!   

[Brunhidden]

Illuminati, Alondro. ;-]

I knew you'd say that.  Just proves you're not one of us, because only WE know how we actually spell it!   

I bet you don't even know the secret handshake

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

Oh.
And I thought it was a pun

[Alondro]

Illuminati, Alondro. ;-]

I knew you'd say that.  Just proves you're not one of us, because only WE know how we actually spell it!   

I bet you don't even know the secret handshake

It's actually more of a high-five, ninja jutsu hand-sign combination.   

[Sienna Maiu - M T]

Illuminati, Alondro. ;-]

Well that just plain sounds cool!

I knew you'd say that.  Just proves you're not one of us, because only WE know how we actually spell it!   

I bet you don't even know the secret handshake

It's actually more of a high-five, ninja jutsu hand-sign combination.  

[Fuyudenki]

the Illuminate is just the splinter cell which broke off from the Illuminati in the mid 14th century, when their high priests couldn't decide on caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.  They're not as well-known, because they like to do things more quietly, and they blame the Illuminati whenever they're caught, in hopes of eventually overthrowing the larger faction, and establishing their one-government world.

If you must know, the Illuminate wanted regular coffee, and the Illuminati wanted decaf.  The grudge still goes to this day, so if someone reacts violently to either type, then you can tell which faction they belong to.

Me?  I'm a loose cannon: I don't drink coffee at all.

[Alondro]

the Illuminate is just the splinter cell which broke off from the Illuminati in the mid 14th century, when their high priests couldn't decide on caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.  They're not as well-known, because they like to do things more quietly, and they blame the Illuminati whenever they're caught, in hopes of eventually overthrowing the larger faction, and establishing their one-government world.

If you must know, the Illuminate wanted regular coffee, and the Illuminati wanted decaf.  The grudge still goes to this day, so if someone reacts violently to either type, then you can tell which faction they belong to.

Me?  I'm a loose cannon: I don't drink coffee at all.

*twitches from hyper-caffination*  Decaf coffee sucks!  It tastes like chemicals and the whole delicate flavor is ruined by the extraction process!  And do you know, they used to use carbon tetrachloride to extract the caffeine!  That crap is toxic!  DAMN YOU DECAF!!!!