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Astronomy Vocab Quiz -Earth /Moon relationships
Terms:
1. Maria-dark areas on the moon. Results from lava flows
2. Highlands-light colored regions of the moon’s surface. Elevated above maria.
3. Regolith-lunar dust “fine rocky layer”
4. Craters-bowl shaped depression on surface of the moon or planet caused by debris
5. Apollo program- was the third human spaceflight program carried out by the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the United States' civilian space agency, and the
program was responsible for the landing of the first humans on Earth's Moon in 1969.
6. “Dark side of the Moon”- refers to the side that is opposite to the Sun and which causes
the phases of the Moon, e.g. New Moon, Half Moon etc to appear from the perspective of the
Earth.
7. New moon-When the moon isn’t visible to earth bound observers
8. Terminator-line between dark and bright sections of the lunar face
9. Gibbous-the entire face of the moon is nearly visible to earth bound observers
10. Waxing-phases of the moon grow from new to full
11. Waning-phases of the moon lessen from full to new
12. Barycenter-common center of gravity of the earth- moon system
13. Apogee-moon’s furthest point on its own orbit
14. Perigee-the moon’s closest approach to the earth
15. Neap tides-smallest tides, occurs when earth-moon line is perpendicular to earth-sun at 1st and
3rd quarters
16. Spring tides-Largest tides. Occurs when sun, moon, and earth are aligned at new and full moons.
17. Eclipses-event during which one body passes in front of another, so that the light from one body
is blocked.
18. Total eclipse- celestial event during which one body is completely blocked from view by another.
19. Corona-outer atmosphere of the sun, it’s above the chromosphere.
20. Lunar eclipse-event during which the moon passes through the shadow of the earth.
21. Occultation- an event that occurs when an object is hidden by another object that passes
between it and the observer.
22. Sidereal period-time it takes the moon to make a full 360 degree around the earth. 27.32 days
23. Synodic period-29.53 days it takes to go through the cycles of phases.
24. Penumbra-region in which only apportion of the light is obscured. An observer experiences a
partial eclipse.
25. Umbra-darkest part of a shadow where the light source is completely blocked. An observer in
the umbra experiences a total eclipse.
7. What are the lunar seas?
8. Who was the first astronaut on the Moon?
9. Who was the second astronaut to step foot on the Moon?
10. Who was the astronaut that stayed in lunar orbit while the other two astronauts walked on the
Moon?
11. _________ 11 was the first mission to the Moon.
12. What type of rocket took this spacecraft to the Moon?
13. How is the interior of the Moon similar to Earth?
14. How is the interior of the Moon different from Earth?
15. How old is the Moon?
16. What is one of the oldest regional features on the Moon?
17. What are some of the youngest geologic features on the Moon?
18. List the names of the Apollo 1 astronauts.
19. Describe some of the characteristic features of impact craters.
20. What is the thickness of each interior layer on the Moon?
21. Describe each theory for the formation of the Moon.
22. List all advantages and disadvantages for each theory.
23. In the 1950's many scientists thought the craters on the Moon were caused by:
24. What caused most of the mountain ranges in the lunar highlands?
25. Which mineral produces lighter color rocks in the highlands?
26. The line surrounding some craters are called:
27. When was Apollo 11 launched?
28. When did Apollo 11 land on the Moon?
29. When did Apollo 11 return to Earth?
30. What was the name of the first satellite?
31. Who was the first American astronaut in space?
32. What was the main reason for traveling to the Moon?
33. What was the approximate size of the planet that probably collided with Earth and formed the
Moon?
35. If the Moon and Earth formed together, the Moon would have a large ______ core.