Is the Moon acting funny?

[Tesla_Energy]

i live in NYC and noticed this past night 11-19/20-2010 that the moon passed almost directly over head.
isn't the moon supposed to follow the same path of the sun thru the sky?
which at this time of year is MUCH lower in the sky

[shakeshakeshake]

its a glitch in the matrix

[ow my eyes]

the moon has a mind of its own.....ask pete

[phoenix 7]

She's a cruel mistress, too.

[MrGretsch]

The moon's path around the earth is independent of the earth's orbit+ around the sun. Also, the moon's path does vary greatly from month to month, as there is a pronounced wobble in its orbit. Sometimes the moon is very high in the sky, and the next month it may appear noticeably lower.
It isn't your imagination.

[rob2001]

I'm no astronomer but there is something to the "harvest moon"....I think.

The heat of summer messes with the look of the moon. In fall you'll see a clearer moon because it's not distorted by heat waves. And I think it is closer in Fall....hopefully someone who knows will chime in.

[partytrain]

The entire orbit of the moon is faked by Stanley Kubrick.

[tonedaddy]

The OP's question is answered here and in the related questions at the bottom of the page:
http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=642


Lots more info in the Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit_of_the_Moon

Such as....

Wobble (libration)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Lunar_libration_with_phase2.gif/200px-Lunar_libration_with_phase2.gif


The difference in appearance of the moon at its nearest/farthest from the earth:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Lunar_perigee_apogee.png/320px-Lunar_perigee_apogee.png


Also here:
http://cseligman.com/text/sky/moonmotion.htm

[pinkphiloyd]

It's reacting to the increased gravitational effect caused by the approach of Nibiru.

[Ricman]

The more awesome I become the more everything gravitates towards me.
But, that's not happening, so no worries....

[B-Squared]

It's a sign that the zombies are coming. :D

Prepare your weapons.

BB

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

There is no moon just like there was no moon landing. It's an image that is over 4 Billion years old originally caused by water droplets on the Sun. :red

[mge80]

I'm no astronomer but there is something to the "harvest moon"....I think.


The "harvest moon" is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, which this year occurred on Sept 22.

So, I don't think the current phenomena that the OP mentions is related to that.:)

[Polynitro]

being able to predict the Moons orbit has been a PITA for a long time.

[greggorypeccary]

The moon is over 5 degrees off the plane of the ecliptic (the path of the sun in the sky) so depending on what season and phase it could be a lot higher in the sky or a lot lower than the sun.

For example - on the 12/21 the sun is lowest noon altitude in the northern hemisphere (about 33 degrees at my latitude). If the moon was full that day, it would be at it's highest point at midnight which would put it at about 85 degrees up. The opposite would be true in the summer.

[Jan Folkson]

Perhaps it's been bingeing on some Four Loko before the ban kicks in.

[Pfeister]

There's a hole in that story. I lived in Manhattan for a few years and never once saw the moon:nuts

[Doug's Tubes]

Conan has been messing with the movement of the moon. Has has a remote control.
http://img2.allvoices.com/thumbs/event/609/480/66349772-conan-brien.jpg

[alguit]

Well, KEITH Moon wobbled quite a bit, so is this all that different?

[Zilmo]

The moon is very funny. I regularly laugh my ass off at it.