# Americans: did you know what the moon was before 7/20/69? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854 "2011-03-16T00:00:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/1 "2011-03-16T00:00:21Z")
Just curious. I did not know: I think I knew that there was a big glowing orb in the night sky, but when people said “Astronauts landed on the moon” I a) had no idea that they were referring to that object, and b) had no clear idea what the “Moon” was - ie, was it an uncharted island? What? I don’t think I’m that unusual in that. Now that it’s so famous I think people assume that everyone always knew what the Moon was- but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. (People who lived on the Moon either during or before the landings don’t need to reply unless they somehow didn’t know what the Moon was.) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/2 "2011-03-16T00:06:36Z")
I honestly had no idea what the moon was before the moon landing. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/3 "2011-03-16T00:08:13Z")
I’m an ignorant American, so I’m obligated to say “no”. I was also three years old at the time, but that doesn’t excuse me from not having knowledge about the most visible celestial objects. ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/4 "2011-03-16T00:11:01Z")
Love this thread! ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/5 "2011-03-16T00:13:38Z")
The atoms that would eventually come together to form the sperm cell that would impregnate an egg of my mother’s were scattered throughout the world. So no. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/6 "2011-03-16T00:13:57Z")
Would enjoy it more if I knew what was the parody or referenced même… And I may have had just turned 8 but darn tootin’ I knew whut th’ Moon wuz and Ah wuz ticked off they didn’t ask if I wanted a ride ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/7 "2011-03-16T00:15:42Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Would enjoy it more if I knew what was the parody or referenced même… > **[Americans: did you know what the World Trade Center was before Sept. 11, 2001?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=600757)** > > Just curious. I did not know: I think I knew that there were two big skyscrapers at one end of Manhattan, but when people said “The World Trade Center has been hit!” I a) had no idea that they were referring to those buildings, and b) had no clear... ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/8 "2011-03-16T00:21:32Z")
Have I heard of the what, now? (I didn’t think that thread was _that_ bad, for the record.) ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/9 "2011-03-16T00:26:13Z")
I was born in 1978, so I’ve always known what the moon was. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/10 "2011-03-16T00:27:06Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > I was born in 1978, so I’ve always known what the moon was. You didn’t know what it was before 1969, though, did you? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/11 "2011-03-16T00:27:55Z")
I had heard the moon was a harsh mistress, but that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/12 "2011-03-16T00:32:51Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > You didn’t know what it was before 1969, though, did you? Fair point. I did not. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/13 "2011-03-16T00:36:38Z")
I was almost 7 at the time of the moon landing and had recently spent the Summer of Love in San Francisco, where I lived. I knew the WTC was being built, was going to be the tallest buildings in the world and that I wanted to live in a Yellow Submarine. I knew what the moon was, but could not figure out why it appeared during the daytime. By the time I was 8, I knew. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/14 "2011-03-16T00:44:19Z")
I think “the moon” is probably as good as it’s going to get. But here are some other tries: * * * **Americans: did you know what death was before the O.J. trial?** Just curious. I did not know: I think I knew that something happened to keep you from living forever, but when people said “O.J. stabbed his ex-wife to death” I a) had no idea that they were referring to that event, and b) had no clear idea what “death” was - ie, was it a city in California? What? I don’t think I’m that unusual in that. Now that it’s so famous I think people assume that everyone always knew what death was- but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. (People who are dead or in prison for killing someone don’t need to reply unless they somehow didn’t know what death was.) * * * **Americans: did you know what a “President” was before the JFK assassination?** Just curious. I did not know: I think I knew that there was an executive branch, but when people said “the president has been shot” I a) had no idea that they were referring to the head of that branch, and b) had no clear idea what a “president” was - ie, was it a small forest animal? What? I don’t think I’m that unusual in that. Now that it’s so famous I think people assume that everyone always knew what the president was- but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. (People who have been the president don’t need to reply unless they somehow didn’t know what a president was during their term.) * * * **Americans: did you know what a shoe was before that guy threw one at Bush?** Just curious. I did not know: I think I knew that there were things on the outside of my socks protecting my feet, but when people said “a dude threw a shoe at Dubya” I a) had no idea that they were referring to those things, and b) had no clear idea what a “shoe” was - ie, was it a type of difficult question? What? I don’t think I’m that unusual in that. Now that it’s so famous I think people assume that everyone always knew what a shoe was- but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. (People who wore shoes before the incident don’t need to reply unless they somehow didn’t know what a shoe was.) * * * **Americans: did you know what love was before “Say Anything”?** Just curious. I did not know: I think I knew that there was a type of emotional connection some people felt, but when people said “John Cusack really loved whasserface in _Say Anything_” I a) had no idea that they were referring to that emotional connection, and b) had no clear idea what “love” was - ie, was it a legal process? a fungal infection? What? I don’t think I’m that unusual in that. Now that it’s so famous I think people assume that everyone always knew what love was- but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. (People who somehow knew true love before _Say Anything_ don’t need to reply unless they somehow didn’t know what was happening to them.) * * * Here - try your own: > [@](#): > > [noparse] **Americans: did you know what \_\_\_\_\_ was before \_\_\_\_\_?** > Just curious. I did not know: I think I knew that there _ **, but when people said "** _" I a) had no idea that they were referring to **, and b) had no clear idea what the "**" was - ie, was it a \_\_\_\_? What? > > I don’t think I’m that unusual in that. Now that it’s so famous I think people assume that everyone always knew what \_\_\_\_ was- but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. > > (People who \_\_\_\_ don’t need to reply unless they somehow didn’t know what \_\_\_\_ was.) [/noparse] ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/15 "2011-03-16T00:45:32Z")
I did, but only because of the episode of The Simpsons a few years earlier where Homer goes to the moon to get his car that Barney abandoned there. It’s too bad they never air that episode anymore. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/16 "2011-03-16T00:47:17Z")
I keep getting caught between this thread and the one about New York City… ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/17 "2011-03-16T00:49:47Z")
I admit I am Canadian and not American, but I suspect most Americans that are currently my age (57) had a pretty good idea what the moon was long before you guys got messy footprints on it. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/18 "2011-03-16T00:52:44Z")
Of course I new what the moon was. I visited in the 8th grade and took pictures. In fact it was freaky how many times I said “wow, no one else will ever visit it again”, and then I was wrong! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/19 "2011-03-16T00:53:11Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > **Americans: did you know what love was before “Say Anything”?** I did not, but now I’m [alive with the glory of it](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alive_with_the_Glory_of_Love). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/20 "2011-03-16T00:59:06Z")
Being somewhat backwards in Alaska, we mistakenly called it the “Noom” for many years. Imagine how we felt when we heard on the news (two years after the event) that it was really called “Moon”. We immediately all dropped our pants in surprise, and the rest is history. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854.md?page=2)