# platypus moon **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 21, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/platypus-moon/460755 "2008-08-21T02:46:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![VineTendon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e47c2d/32.png) [@VineTendon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VineTendon)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/platypus-moon/460755/1 "2008-08-21T02:46:21Z")
I live in the northern hemisphere and have yet to visit the thalassic southern hemisphere. Now I am curious as to the appearance of our lone satellite in those southern skies. Does the moon appear to be upside down to the unaided eye of a northern hemisphere native? ---
**Author:** ![Cider\_Depot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Cider\_Depot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cider_Depot)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/platypus-moon/460755/2 "2008-08-21T02:50:15Z")
As it rises in the east it will appear the same, but will pass across the northern sky, rather than the southern sky, as you are accustomed to. ---
**Author:** ![Cider\_Depot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Cider\_Depot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cider_Depot)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/platypus-moon/460755/3 "2008-08-21T03:07:27Z")
And I suppose it would be upside down, relatively speaking, when high in the sky. But have you ever noticed that a setting moon appears upside down compared to a rising moon? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/platypus-moon/460755/4 "2008-08-21T07:24:28Z")
The phases of the moon in the northern hemisphere are the reverse of those in the southern hemisphere: [link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_phases). In the southern hemisphere the waxing crescent moon grows from the left, not from the right as in the northern hemisphere. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/platypus-moon/460755/5 "2008-08-21T07:39:32Z")
No matter where you are on earth, you won’t see the horns of the crescent moon pointing downwards (at night) because, think about it, where would the sun have to be to make that happen? ---
**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:** [August 21, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/platypus-moon/460755/6 "2008-08-21T13:25:28Z")
[QUOTE=Cider Depot] As it rises in the east it will appear the same, but will pass across the northern sky, rather than the southern sky, as you are accustomed to. [/QUOTE] And that’s why it appears “upside down” to an observer in the opposite hemisphere. The natural way to view the moon in the northern hemisphere, as it crosses the southern sky, is while facing south. The natural way to view the moon in the southern hemisphere, as it crosses the northern sky, is while facing north. Hence the reversal. If you’re near the equator, and the moon is nearly overhead, hey, you can stand facing either way, and make it “flip” at will. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/platypus-moon/460755/7 "2008-08-21T20:49:00Z")
If you’re referring to the pattern of markings on the surface (the Man in the Moon, or whatever you think it looks like), that will be more-or-less upside-down from what you’re used to.