<p>The orbital inclination of the Moon is 5.1°, which means it can be that amount above or below the ecliptic. That means it can theoretically reach a declination of 23.4° + 5.1° = 28.5° (North and South), so <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chabahar" rel="noreferrer">Chabahar</a>, in the south of Iran, lying 25° North of the equator, is within the "lunar tropics".</p>

<p>This will not happen every month or even year; sometimes, the orbital inclination of the Moon (around the Earth) and the Earth (around the Sun) cancel out and the maximum declination will be 23.4° - 5.1° = 18.3°. This is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_standstill" rel="noreferrer">minor lunar standstill</a>. One could say that at that moment, the "lunar tropics" are smaller than the "solar tropics". The last minor lunar standstill happened in October 2015; we're slowly moving towards a major standstill which will occur in April 2025.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-05T10:54:46.070Z
I did not go to the very south of Iran.  As well as Tehran, I went to Isfahan (32°38′N 51°39′E) and Zahedan (29°29′N 60°51′E).  So, it seems that I cannot have seen the Moon directly overhead but I might have been lucky and seen it close.  The time that I saw this "high moon" was during a rest stop on the bus trip between those cities, I guess that the road may have dipped skightly south but probably not.  Certainly, it was much higher than I ever see it here in the UK.
badjohn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-05T10:55:50.570Z
I saw the term "lunar standstill" first only just now while researching this question.  I'll read up on it.
badjohn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-05T19:57:44.230Z
After some reading, it seems that I was mistaken.  My trip was not near a major standstill, it 5.5 years before one.  So, the Moon was maybe much higher than I was used to but not directly overhead.
badjohn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-05T10:47:46.077Z
2018-08-05T10:47:46.077Z
Glorfindel
<p>The tropics is region of the Earth in which the Sun could be directly overhead.  What is the corresponding region for the Moon?  Is it the same or slightly larger?  </p>

<p>I live in the UK and hence have to travel quite far to see the Sun directly overhead.  If I am content to see the Moon directly overhead, would my trip be much shorter?  </p>

<p>My experience suggests so.  Once long ago, I travelled to India without flying.  I "saw" the Moon directly overhead while in Iran and hence not yet in the Tropics.  However, I had no way to accurately measure this and I may have mistaken the usually high (for me) Moon for being exactly overhead.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-05T16:49:09.560Z
Not my question but it would also be interesting.  A rather long trip to go to see it though.  I was not sure of the correct term for what I wanted hence the quotation marks which were intended to indicate that it was only my guess of the appropriate term.
badjohn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-05T18:34:22.253Z
Verne put the giant cannon of [From the Earth to the Moon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_the_Earth_to_the_Moon) south of the 28th parallel so it could be vertical.
Mike G
<the-moon>
"Lunar tropics"
badjohn
# "Lunar tropics"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-05)

The tropics is region of the Earth in which the Sun could be directly overhead. What is the corresponding region for the Moon? Is it the same or slightly larger?

I live in the UK and hence have to travel quite far to see the Sun directly overhead. If I am content to see the Moon directly overhead, would my trip be much shorter?

My experience suggests so. Once long ago, I travelled to India without flying. I "saw" the Moon directly overhead while in Iran and hence not yet in the Tropics. However, I had no way to accurately measure this and I may have mistaken the usually high (for me) Moon for being exactly overhead.

**Tags:** the-moon

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Not my question but it would also be interesting.  A rather long trip to go to see it though.  I was not sure of the correct term for what I wanted hence the quotation marks which were intended to indicate that it was only my guess of the appropriate term.  
> **username_1**: Verne put the giant cannon of [From the Earth to the Moon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_the_Earth_to_the_Moon) south of the 28th parallel so it could be vertical.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-08-05. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

The orbital inclination of the Moon is 5.1°, which means it can be that amount above or below the ecliptic. That means it can theoretically reach a declination of 23.4° + 5.1° = 28.5° (North and South), so [Chabahar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chabahar), in the south of Iran, lying 25° North of the equator, is within the "lunar tropics".

This will not happen every month or even year; sometimes, the orbital inclination of the Moon (around the Earth) and the Earth (around the Sun) cancel out and the maximum declination will be 23.4° - 5.1° = 18.3°. This is a [minor lunar standstill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_standstill). One could say that at that moment, the "lunar tropics" are smaller than the "solar tropics". The last minor lunar standstill happened in October 2015; we're slowly moving towards a major standstill which will occur in April 2025.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I did not go to the very south of Iran.  As well as Tehran, I went to Isfahan (32°38′N 51°39′E) and Zahedan (29°29′N 60°51′E).  So, it seems that I cannot have seen the Moon directly overhead but I might have been lucky and seen it close.  The time that I saw this "high moon" was during a rest stop on the bus trip between those cities, I guess that the road may have dipped skightly south but probably not.  Certainly, it was much higher than I ever see it here in the UK.  
> **username_0**: I saw the term "lunar standstill" first only just now while researching this question.  I'll read up on it.  
> **username_0**: After some reading, it seems that I was mistaken.  My trip was not near a major standstill, it 5.5 years before one.  So, the Moon was maybe much higher than I was used to but not directly overhead.  

---

