As fases da lua e as diferentes perspectivas latitudinais

Abstract

The present study investigates the variation in the perception of the Moon's phases at different latitudes through the construction of an experimental apparatus and comparison with simulations in the Stellarium software. The experiment was developed using easily accessible materials, including a bicycle rim and an adjustable webcam, allowing for the simulation of the Moon's appearance from different geographic positions on Earth. The comparative analysis between the images generated by the apparatus and the computational simulations revealed apparent differences in the Moon's orientation and illumination depending on the observer's latitude, highlighting the perception of the phases between hemispheres and the horizontal position of the Moon near the Equator. The results indicate that the constructed apparatus has great potential to aid in understanding the Moon's phases and the apparent changes in its illuminated portion as a function of different latitudes.