# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/41 "2011-03-16T04:52:49Z")
I was living in a cave in Afghanistan at the time and yet even I knew about the moon. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/42 "2011-03-16T05:03:58Z")
> [@Rotlla](#): > > Are you honestly confused about the difference between the common French word “même” (meaning ‘same’) and the word “meme”? Like, are you really, honestly, _completely_ unfamiliar with the last thirty years of evolutionary theory – as you’d have to be, if you didn’t actually know the difference? Yes, but I’m familiar with the last three years of lolcatz, does that count? ---
**Author:** ![expectopatronum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/expectopatronum/32/173_2.png) [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/43 "2011-03-16T05:29:24Z")
great thread 🙂 ---
**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, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/44 "2011-03-16T05:37:54Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > This post redeems the thread. Hey, it’s the best that I can do. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/45 "2011-03-16T06:34:46Z")
[I](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13572583&postcount=1) will admit this is pretty funny. And to answer the question: only sorta kinda. But only because until '72 my parents made me go to bed every night at sundown, so I never had the chance. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/46 "2011-03-16T07:10:22Z")
Of course. I was an astrologer and my pluto is square my sun. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/47 "2011-03-16T08:05:52Z")
Astrologers noticed an anomaly in Uranus’ influence, and thought there was a need for a planet that ruled intense energy. Areas in which we consciously or subconsciously seek to exercise power or control had no associated heavenly body and horoscopes were slightly off. Using careful calculations from other sun signs and planetary influences, they computed just where this unknown force would be, and found it as expected in 1929. Now horoscopes could be complete. However, after decades of detailed study, they became aware that the observed astrological effect was less than predicted, and in 2006, Pluto was downgraded to compensate. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/48 "2011-03-16T10:09:38Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Was this parody really necessary? No. Next some joker is going to ask “Do you know what Uranus is?” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/49 "2011-03-16T11:24:00Z")
Pffth, no offense, but that’s a pretty insulting question to us Americans. I mean, comon, what kind of a slope-headed knuckle-dragger wouldn’t know that Pluto was Mickey Mouse’s pet dog? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/50 "2011-03-16T11:24:53Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > **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.) > > * * * I LOLed. Well done, sir, well done. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/51 "2011-03-16T11:49:56Z")
I had it covered early on, after the green alien chick looked at Captain Kirk quizzically and inquired, “what is this . . . thing . . . you humans call . . . _love_?” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/52 "2011-03-16T11:54:31Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Would enjoy it more if I knew what was the parody or referenced **même** … > [@fachverwirrt](#): > > (Bolding mine) > > The what, now? Same difference. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/53 "2011-03-16T11:58:10Z")
Certainly people should have known what the Moon was.It was in that George Melies silent film “A Trip to the Moon”, and there was the Heinlein movie \*\*Destination: Moon[/B, sorta based on his novel _Rocket Ship Galileo_, about a trip to the moon. Not to mention **rocket Ship X-M** , **Rocket to the Moon** , **Cat Women of the Moon** , **Hercule versus the Moon Men** and, of course, **2001: a Space Odyssey** , with its lengthy sequence featuring a trip to the moon. The Moon featured prominently in the posters for many of these. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/54 "2011-03-16T12:11:38Z")
Might it have something to do with this? [Moon](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/mooning.jpg&imgrefurl=http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/02/investigating_pam_roachs_mooni.php&h=283&w=328&sz=13&tbnid=ONtmdv6SuWUYWM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmooning%2Bimages&zoom=1&q=mooning+images&hl=en&usg=__1FlEZsYy7PO6t0kmKBEDxMsDfBs=&sa=X&ei=daiATZSSIsPAgQflpeSfCA&sqi=2&ved=0CBsQ9QEwAA) ---
**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, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/55 "2011-03-16T12:36:43Z")
Curse you, **Gaudere**!!! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/56 "2011-03-16T13:31:51Z")
Of course. I knew The Moon even before it was featured in one of [my favorite movies](http://www.annyas.com/screenshots/updates/moonstruck-1987-norman-jewison-cher-nicolas-cage/). ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/57 "2011-03-16T14:09:59Z")
I knew about Moon Pies, but I didn’t realize the name referenced an actual celestial orb until Americans landed there. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/58 "2011-03-16T14:22:02Z")
I was six months old on 7/20/69, so I have to admit I had no idea that it existed at the time (to the best of my recollection). Probably because I was an ignorant American, although I didn’t know that either. That’s how ignorant I was! ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/59 "2011-03-16T15:00:25Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > 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. That’s because they stuck all the jerks in Tower 1. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854/60 "2011-03-16T19:39:54Z")
I was -20 years old, so, no, I didn’t know what the moon was. But I’m pretty sure I figured it out after I’d been born for a bit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-did-you-know-what-the-moon-was-before-7-20-69/574854.md?page=4)