The Moon Near Side

The moon was once a part of Earth. A large object, pulled by Earth’s gravity, knocked it off. The moon is about ¼ the diameter of the Earth.

Rotation vs. Revolution The Earth rotates on its axis. One rotation happens every 24 hours. This rotation gives us day and night. The Earth revolves around the Sun on its orbit. One revolution happens every 365 ¼ days (one year).

What about the rotation/revolution of the Moon? Facts Moon days to revolve around the Earth. Takes about 27 days for the moon to make one full rotation on its axis. That is why…. We only see one side of the moon. The phase of the moon depends on how much of the sunlit side of the moon faces earth.

Motions of the Moon The moon rotates on its axis. Its period of rotation equals its time to revolve around the Earth. So we always see the same side of the moon. The far side (dark side) of the moon remained a mystery until 1959 when the Russian space probe Luna 3 took the first pictures of it.

Phases Phases are caused by the revolution of the moon. Phase we see depends on how much of the lit part we see. It takes the moon days to revolve around Earth. That is how many days it takes to cycle through the phases.

Phases of the Moon The Moon goes through its entire set of phases once 29.5 days. Remember: The phase depends on how much of the sunlit side is visible from the Earth. Waxing moons are showing us more of the sunlit side (getting bigger), while waning moons are showing us less of the sunlit side (getting smaller).

Phases of the Moon Cycle

365.com/moon/current-moon- phase.html Why? Draw how this happens! What is today’s moon phase?

The Moon is a sphere, big and white It loves to reflect the sun’s bright light. It goes on a journey every 28 th day Around the Earth, hide and seek it will play. In the beginning, it is new Out of sight from me and you! Then it waxes in white light As it grows on its right. Waxing, Crescent, Quarter, then gibbous, too. When it’s full, the phases are halfway through! Now it shines more to the left and starts to wane As it fades away in its orbit lane. Waning, gibbous, quarter, then crescent, too. It’s completed its orbit and back to new!

Five friends noticed they could see better at night when there was a full Moon. They wondered where the moonlight came from. This is what they said: Curtis: “The Moon reflects the light from the Earth.” Clarence: “The Moon gets its light from distant stars.” Chet: “The light from the Sun bounces off the Moon.” Deirdre: “There is light inside of the Moon that makes it shine.” Which person do you most agree with? Why?

Eclipses Eclipses occur when the Earth’s shadow hits the moon, or the moon’s shadow hits the Earth. Since the moon’s orbit is slanted at 5°, we do not get an eclipse every month. They are named for what gets eclipsed: The sun is eclipsed in a solar eclipse. The moon is eclipsed in a lunar eclipse. Solar and lunar eclipses occur in almost equal number.

Eclipses lunar eclipse -when Earth is between the moon and sun. During a full moon. Draw Me! solar eclipse-when the moon gets between the Earth and the sun. (During a new moon) Draw Me! Demo.

Eclipse Drawings

Eclipses A total eclipse happens when the moon or Earth blocks all of the light from the sun. Umbra- darkest part of the shadow. Penumbra-largest part of shadow.

Solar Eclipses Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun. This blocks sunlight from a small portion of the Earth. The moons shadow hits the Earth. So a solar eclipse is really just a new moon that blocks your view of the sun.

Total Solar Eclipse Light from the sun is completely blocked by the moon. The sky will be dark. You can see stars and the solar corona, which is the faint outer atmosphere of the sun.

Partial Solar Eclipse Part of the sun will be visible as the Earth passes through the moon’s penumbra.

Lunar Eclipses Occurs at a full moon as the Earth passes between the moon and the sun. The Earth blocks sunlight from the moon. The moon is in the Earth’s shadow.

Total Lunar Eclipses Total eclipses occur when the moon passes into the Earth’s umbra. You see the Earth’s shadow on the moon before and after the eclipse. Unlike a solar eclipse, they can be seen anywhere the moon is visible.

Partial Lunar Eclipses Most of the time the earth, moon, and sun are not in a perfect straight line. Only part of the moon is in the Earth’s umbra.

Why don’t we have an eclipse every month?

Tides Tides caused by gravity of Moon and Sun Spring tide happens at full and new moon. Earth, Moon, Sun lined up-higher highs and lower low tides Neap tide happens at first and third quarter-Earth, Moon, Sun at right angles: tidal range is lower

Spring Tide and Neap Tide

Seasons

view.cfm?WUID=42 1)Model how the moon orbits the Earth. 2)And how the Earth orbits the Sun at the same time! S E M