Is the moon a star?
Asked by
ddbryant (
25
)
December 18th, 2008
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
56 Answers
A star is defined as being a massive ball of plasma. Our sun for instance is a star. The Moon is not a star as it is not a ball of plasma, it is a solid body object, here’s what it looks like as a cross-section. If anything, our Moon is more similar to Earth than to a star.
Although the moon reflects light, so it seems similar to a star (which produce light) in the night sky, it is not a star. Our Sun is a star.
Star: Ball of burning gas
Planet: Ball of rock, liquid, and/or gas orbiting a star
Moon: Ball of rock, liquid, and/or gas orbiting a planet
No , a moon is a moon and Pluto is still a planet no matter what other so called “experts” say.
The giant size of the moon, its changing phases during a 28+ day cycle and lack of point-like twinkle are pretty good give-aways. Look at it with binoculars and then look at a star. There are some very bright ones in Orion during the winter months.
Gailcalled is referring to the 5th century grammarian, Orion of Thebes, of course.
The moon is a heavenly body. Like this one.
@gail If your rely on twinkle alone, venus could easily be confused as a star right now.
@rob, I don't know if you're serious or not... for everyone else, I believe Gail is referring to the Orion constellation : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_(constellation)
note the parentheses…they may not work in the URL
Not unless you are talking about Moon Zappa.
@knot, that heavenly body is ALSO a star.
…
RICHARD SIMMONS IS THE REASON THAT NOBODY KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STARS AND MOONS!
@rob – He was a star of sorts.
Hi, Perchik. I am happy to see your name pop up. If this guy doesn’t know the difference between the moon and a star, should we distract him by mentioning the five planets visible to the naked eye? It is, indeed, true, that they twinkle but Venus was about 4 magnitudes brighter than Sirius: I’ll let you explain to ddbryant that the magnitude scale is logarithmic.
(We haven’t had clear skies in a week so I have no idea how bright Venus is now.)
Rob and Knot; Surely you must have a life outside this site? I wonder about all of us sometimes. Orion of Thebes indeed.
< < Posed this question to his four year old son this morning…
Me: Son, is the moon a star?
Son: (snort) No!
Me: What is it then?
Son: It’s… it’s a moon!
Me: Well, what’s a star?
Son: I don’t… the sun! The sun is a star!
In all fairness, my two year old daughter did get it wrong. How old are you, @ddbryant?
If the eighteen preceding answers didn’t get this across, I’ll be frank about it: this is, without a doubt, one of the dumbest questions I’ve ever been asked. Ever.
Assuming you’re not a toddler, you should be embarrassed.
Tangential: bragging father ==>
—
Would like to point out that, while my 2.5 y.o. daughter might not know that the moon is not a star, she is able to pick out Venus and Jupiter in the night sky.
Seriously, you should see her pirouette around and sling her arm out rigidly pointing to those stars with absolute confidence.
Venus and Jupiter look awesome right now. Good stuff, Rob. did you tell her they were planets? hee hee
No. The moon is a great big ball of green cheese. Stars are made of port wine.
Not having seen the heavens in two weeks, I am relieved to hear that everything that belongs up there is still there.
However, I do have icicles hanging off my eaves that, if falling, could impale a deer or hunter.
@AstroChuck, it’s Wensleydale Cheese, actually. Wallace and Grommit proved that in A Grand Day Out. :D
All I know is that it’s green.
Speaking of the moon, did you know that Google Maps has interactive maps of the moon, too?
@AstroChuck, back when it was a new service, used to be you could zoom in to the lowest level of detail and it’d show cheese. Trying it now though, it seems they’ve removed that feature truth.
Dear Damien; I always like being mentioned, being so very much smarter than poor, dim-witted Wallace. Love, Gromit (one “m,” please).
The best way to solve this dilemma is to look at the moon with binoculars, and then to look at the sun with binoculars. Real simple to figure out the difference. seriously, such action is not recommended for anyone under 18 years of age
Dear Zebra. NO ONE SHOULD EVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN (unless it is behind a heavy cloud cover): and to suggest using binoculars is irresponsible. There are young readers here.
Looking at the moon and then some of the brighter stars is fine.
“Viewing the Sun through light-concentrating optics such as binoculars is very hazardous without an appropriate filter that blocks UV and substantially dims the sunlight. An attenuating (ND) filter might not filter UV and so is still dangerous. Unfiltered binoculars can deliver over 500 times as much energy to the retina as using the naked eye, killing retinal cells almost instantly (even though the power per unit area of image on the retina is the same, the heat cannot dissipate fast enough because the image is larger). Even brief glances at the midday Sun through unfiltered binoculars can cause permanent blindness.”
More here about staring at the sun with the naked eye; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun#Observation_and_eye_damage
sorry, I was trying to be clever, and it was irresponsible of me to suggest such a heinous action. Mea Culpa.
What do you mean, I shouldn’t look at the sun with binoculars? It can’t be that bad. Let me try this… OH GOD, MY EYES!!
See, my irresponsibility has cost shadling her vision. Now whenever I see her with that cane and dark glasses, I’ll know its my fault. I should get her a seeing eye dog. Would a chihuahua work, shad?
Perhaps a seeing-eye zebra?
naw, zebras don’t domesticate very well. They have a tendency to bite. I’ve read about a few people who have worked with zebras, and it takes a real special talent to get them to do what you want. Sort of sounds like my biography, so I’ll stop now.
No zebras! Everyone would compliment my zebra’s gorgeous stripes, and I’d be once again reminded of how I horrifically lost my vision.
* sob * I’ll never see stripes again!
Yes, the moon is a star.~
No, but the moon is actually made of cheese. It’s just so old that it is now gray and hard.
Um yeah, I bet it is…..(;
@queenie Oh, I dunno….17 cents? Some ham and rye to put it on? A textbook for the OP?
@erichw1504 Classically, the moon was made of green cheese, that is, cheese that has not yet ripened.
^ He would know. He’s originally from the cheesy moon, which is why he smells so much.
Well to be honest I think the moon and the sun are both stars. Especially the sun but then again the moon I’m kind of stuck in between.
Stars are a big ball of burning gas. I have more gas than the moon.
Stars shine from their own light. The moon reflects light.
Stars usually go out in a blaze of glory. The moon just hangs out.
Where did you find this @Here2_4? This is hilarious!
Amazing. This question is in general, the answers fit more in social, and yet it hasn’t been modded to death. Where are you, mods? Get to work, and ruin this question
When this was asked there were no separate sections. Just one that had the guidelines like General. When they grandfathered the old questions in they just threw them all in General. Even the Frizzer question shows it’s in General.
Somebody was in chat when I first came to Fluther, talking about the Founders. I looked for them, and started following who they followed, read some of the greatest questions, and greatest answers listed on various profiles. I found a batch of old gems.
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
