# The moon's path as seen from polar regions **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 6, 1999, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-moons-path-as-seen-from-polar-regions/11121 "1999-11-06T21:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-moons-path-as-seen-from-polar-regions/11121/1 "1999-11-06T21:50:00Z")
Vanessa Williams’ song went: “Sometimes the snow comes down in June Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon…” I’ve wondered about the second line–there’s nothing wrong with the first line, since snow _does_ fall in June on high mountains anywhere, and in the Southern Hemisphere (June, of course, begins winter in the Southern Hemisphere). But what about the moon? I know the sun’s path across the sky in the polar summer is just around and around in the sky, but does the moon take a similar path, thus vindicating Ms. William’s song? And, during the polar winter, does the moon just go round and round in the sky without setting? ---
**Author:** ![KJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@KJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KJ)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-moons-path-as-seen-from-polar-regions/11121/2 "1999-11-07T06:52:00Z")
You know, this reminds me of a scene I once saw in the cartoon “Pinky & The Brain…” (Yeah, I watch cartoons. So sue me, I’m 14.) I forget exactly how it goes, but it was something like this: Brain: I need to finish this poem. What rhymes with June? Pinky: Gee, brain, I don’t know. Brain: What are you doing, Pinky? Pinky: Oh, nothing. I’m just singing a tune while standing on a spoon that’s attached to a balloon while I watch a babboon by the light of the moon. (He doesn’t just say that, all that is really happening.) Brain: Oh, I don’t care. What rhymes with June? ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-moons-path-as-seen-from-polar-regions/11121/3 "1999-11-07T15:40:00Z")
I took my “Starry Night” software, set my location to the North Pole, and set the time step for 24 hours to see what the path of the moon was. It is currently below the horizon if you are at the North Pole. It will rise above the horizon on 11/20, at nearly due east on the compass, and remain there until 12/2, when it will disappear below at due west. It rises again on 12/17, ESE, and sets on 12/29, NW. Rise, 1/14, SE; Set, 1/26, NNW. So it spends alternating half-month periods below and above the horizon, with its rising point moving around the compass, or the pole, in a westerly direction. As expected, when the moon is above the horizon at the North Pole, it is below at the South, and vice-versa, and it’s rising point at the South moves in an easterly direction. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 1999, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-moons-path-as-seen-from-polar-regions/11121/4 "1999-11-08T14:41:00Z")
\*KJ: You know, this reminds me of a scene I once saw in the cartoon “Pinky & The Brain…” (Yeah, I watch cartoons. So sue me, I’m 14.) \* Hey, I’m 35 and I still watch cartoons. Sadly, my wife doesn’t so I’ve missed the Simpsons for the last 4 years. But I _do_ watch Cartoon Network late at night. 🙂 🙂 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-moons-path-as-seen-from-polar-regions/11121/5 "1999-11-16T21:30:00Z")
AWB: Have you seen _Futurama?_ That one women looks pretty although she has one eye… ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 1999, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-moons-path-as-seen-from-polar-regions/11121/6 "1999-11-17T20:44:00Z")
\*dougie\_monty: Have you seen Futurama? That one women looks pretty although she has one eye… \* Nope, it’s one of those prime-time cartoons that gets the autoclick from my wife. Man, if I’d known the Cartoon Network was going to start, I wouldn’t’ve gotten married. (Just Kidding!) ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 1999, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-moons-path-as-seen-from-polar-regions/11121/7 "1999-11-17T21:18:00Z")
To AWB: It sounds as though your wife should try to be better than the character on _Futurama_ rather than censoring her.