The Moon
The Moon
• Man in the Moon
– Imaginary image seen on
the surface of the moon.
– Drawn in the dark maria
(sea) and lighter highlands
of the moon.
– Myths about image are
found in many cultures.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_in_the_moon
Rotation and Revolution
• Why do we always see the same side of
the moon?
• Moon’s rotation on its axis: 27.3 days
• Moon’s revolution around Earth: 27.3 days
• Revolution takes the same amount of time
as rotation, so we always see the same
side of the moon facing Earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jUpX7J7ySo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exIpL0Uhr_k
Moon Phases and Eclipses
Moon Phases
• Moon Phases the different
forms the moon
takes on when
viewed from
Earth.
• Phases depend on the relative positions of
the Earth, Moon, and Sun.
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf
We only can see the “day” side of the moon
when it reflects the sunlight.
New Moon
• Occurs when the
moon is between
the Earth and Sun.
• The lighted half of
the moon is facing
the Sun, the dark
half is facing Earth.
New Moon Position
Waxing
• More of the illuminated half of the Moon
can be seen each night. (Its getting
bigger)
Waxing
Crescent
First
Quarter
Waxing
Gibbous
1st Quarter Position
Full Moon
• Occurs when the
moon is opposite
the sun, with the
Earth in between.
• All of the Moon’s
lighted half is
facing the Earth.
Full Moon Position
Waning
• Less of the illuminated half is seen each
night. (Its getting smaller)
Waning
Gibbous
Third
Quarter
Waning
Crescent
3rd Quarter Position
Shadow
• The Moon’s shadow appears to move from
the right to the left.
Left
Right
Complete Moon Phase Cycle
Crescent 1st qtr Gibbous
NEW
Gibbous 3rd Qtr Crescent
I------------ WAXING ---------I FULL I------------WANING----------I NEW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCweccNOaqo
Name the Phase Quiz
Full Moon
1st Quarter
New Moon
3rd Quarter
Waning Gibbous
Waning Crescent
Waxing Gibbous
Waxing Crescent
Eclipses
Eclipses
• Caused by the revolution of the moon.
• Occurs when the moon blocks the sunlight
from reaching the Earth or vice-versa.
Solar Eclipse
• Occurs when the moon moves directly in
between the Earth and Sun and casts its
shadow on the Earth.
• What phase is the moon?
– New Moon
Shadow of an eclipse
• Umbra-Darkest part of the shadow (total
eclipse)
• Penumbra- Lighter, surrounding part of
shadow (partial eclipse)
Solar
eclipsenotice the
CME’S
around the
sun.
Satellite
photo of
solar eclipse
shadow on
Earth, notice
the umbra
and
penumbra
areas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMyqPxFh5Zw
Lunar Eclipse
• Occurs when the Earth moves directly
between the Sun and the Moon. The
Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.
• What phase is the moon?
– Full Moon
• Sometimes, when the moon is in the
umbra, sunlight is bent through Earth’s
atmosphere causing a red color on the
moon.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/612949.stm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMw7yamP4Rw&feature=related
Lunar Eclipse from the Moon
Will I see an eclipse?
• http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa
.gov/eclipse.html
The moon’s orbit is tilted so
eclipses are rare events.
Moon Phases in the Southern
Hemisphere
• http://www.tki.org.nz/r/science/day_night/in
dex_e.php