I know that during the year the position of the Sun when it rises in the east changes with respect to the horizon. Is it the same case for the moon? Does it’s position relative to the eastern horizon change from day to day?
Sure, and for basically the same reasons.
There is an old “Farmer’s Almanac” type saying that when the full moon rises in the North, you’ll need an extra quilt at night. This is nothing more than a recognition that in winter (in the Northern hemisphere) the full moon rises to the North of East between the equinoxes.
Since the New Moon lies very close to the solar plane (which is how we get solar eclipses) it will generally rise and set fairly near the places that the sun is rising or setting on that day. The Full Moon, however, is directly opposite the sun’s position and it will rise about as far North of East as the sun is rising South of East and vice versa. (Change East to West to describe the setting moon or sun.)
This, of course, means that in the course of a month, the moon will appear to rise in a slightly different position (as well as at a different time) each day, traveling back and forth across the Eastern horizon.
The full moon sets and rises about where the sun sets and rises six months earlier or later. The new moon sets and rises about where the sun sets and rises zero months earlier or later. The quarter moon sets and rises about where the sun sets and rises three months earlier or later (but only one of those).
Of course you realize, dolphinboy, that the moon crosses the entire sky every month.
The Moon also has a somewhat greater degree of variation than the Sun, due to its orbit not being quite aligned with the ecliptic and precessing. It can be further north or south than the Sun can get.
On a related note, the distance between the Earth and the Moon varies, thus making the Moon appear slightly larger or smaller at times. At largest, the Moon is at apogee, at smallest, perigee. I think.
-Oli
Vice the versa, starman. Apogee is the farthest point of the Moon’s orbit, so it appears smaller. Perigee is the closest point, so it appears larger.
Eh, that’s what I meant. Largest distance is what I should have said. Thanks for the correction.
-Oli