The Phases of the Moon Section ain.html#part2

Bell work What PHASE was the moon last night???

It has been since ______that the Apollo Mission and Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon. It has been since ______that the Apollo Mission and Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon. The Moon is still the ONLY other celestial body (besides Earth) that humans have walked on. The Moon is still the ONLY other celestial body (besides Earth) that humans have walked on.

“Luna” our Moon “Luna” our Moon Moon is our nearest neighbor Moon is our nearest neighbor 2 nd brightest object in the sky (What’s the brightest?) 2 nd brightest object in the sky (What’s the brightest?) For a planet to have one large moon is unusual. For a planet to have one large moon is unusual. Galileo first observed the Moon with a telescope in Galileo first observed the Moon with a telescope in What he saw conflicted with the existing theories (made of cheese?!) What he saw conflicted with the existing theories (made of cheese?!) He noticed that it had a rough surface, craters, mountains, valleys, and what at the time seemed to be seas (maria). He noticed that it had a rough surface, craters, mountains, valleys, and what at the time seemed to be seas (maria). He concluded that the Moon was not all that different from Earth. He concluded that the Moon was not all that different from Earth. This took away the mystery of the Moon This took away the mystery of the Moon

Cold, Hard Facts pg. 557 The Moon’s diameter of 2,160 miles at its equator. The Moon’s diameter of 2,160 miles at its equator. 1/4 th size of Earth 1/4 th size of Earth 1/6 th Earth’s mass 1/6 th Earth’s mass Density 3.3 g/cc (Earth’s is about 5.0 g/cc) Density 3.3 g/cc (Earth’s is about 5.0 g/cc) If Earth were the size of your head, the orbiting Moon would be the size of a tennis ball 30 feet away. If Earth were the size of your head, the orbiting Moon would be the size of a tennis ball 30 feet away.

Cold, Hard Facts The surface gravity on the Moon is 1/6 that on Earth. The surface gravity on the Moon is 1/6 that on Earth. This is why astronauts can jump as they do. This is why astronauts can jump as they do. If you weigh 160 lbs. on Earth, you would weigh _________lbs on the Moon. If you weigh 160 lbs. on Earth, you would weigh _________lbs on the Moon.

A Cold, Hard Place The Moon is not massive enough to hold on to an atmosphere, so there is no atmosphere. The Moon is not massive enough to hold on to an atmosphere, so there is no atmosphere. One of the first observations you will make about the moon is all of the craters on its surface. One of the first observations you will make about the moon is all of the craters on its surface. Most craters are the result of asteroid and meteoroid impacts. Most craters are the result of asteroid and meteoroid impacts.

Is There Life? The Moon is apparently as “dead” geologically as it is biologically. The Moon is apparently as “dead” geologically as it is biologically. There is no internal heat, magma, plate tectonics. There is no internal heat, magma, plate tectonics. Instruments left behind on the Moon have recorded only tiny amounts of seismic activity. Instruments left behind on the Moon have recorded only tiny amounts of seismic activity.

Why do we see the moon with different amounts of it’s surface lit during a month?

POM Chart (in your note book) PHENOMENON: What did you observe? What evidence do you have? OBJECTS: Define the system. What objects are interacting? MOTION: Describe the motion that in the model that explains your observations

What Phase of the Moon? WaningWaning GibbousCrescent

Phases of the Moon modeling activity

Phases of the Moon: the daily changes in the moon’s appearance as viewed from Earth All but invisible in the sky. Moon and sun are lined- up in the same direction as seen from Earth. The Sun is behind the moon. Position 1Day 1

Phases of the Moon Day 4 Day 4 Waxing crescent Waxing crescentmoon (‘wax on’) (‘wax on’) The moon appears The moon appears to grow brighter each night each night Position 2 The moon gets brighter going to the LEFT

Phases of the Moon 7 days old, the Moon is at its first quarter. 7 days old, the Moon is at its first quarter. This is the optimum night to look at the Moon. This is the optimum night to look at the Moon. Lunar features are in their most deeply shadowed relief. Lunar features are in their most deeply shadowed relief. Position 3

Phases of the moon 10 days old 10 days old As the Moon enters is waxing gibbous phase beyond first quarter, As the Moon enters is waxing gibbous phase beyond first quarter, It is nearly full, and it becomes very bright. It is nearly full, and it becomes very bright. Position 4

Phases of the moon Full moon Full moon 14 days old 14 days old Sun and moon are at opposite sides of the Earth. Sun and moon are at opposite sides of the Earth. The moon is brightest and “shines” by reflected sunlight The moon is brightest and “shines” by reflected sunlight Position 5

Phases of the Moon 18 days old 18 days old Waning (away) Waning (away) Slowly getting darker. Slowly getting darker. Waning gibbous Waning gibbous Position 6

Phases of the moon 22 days old 22 days old 3 rd quarter moon 3 rd quarter moon It continues to wane It continues to wane The Apennine Mountains are clearly visible. The Apennine Mountains are clearly visible. These were the mountains that Galileo studied the most intensely. These were the mountains that Galileo studied the most intensely. Position 7

Phases of the moon 26 days old 26 days old Waning crescent Waning crescentmoon Position 8

Phases of the moon Day 28 New moon again All but invisible

Quiz! Name that phase! Waxing or Waning? Phase….. Crescent

Name that phase! Waxing or Waning? Phase….. Gibbous

Name that phase! Waxing or Waning? Phase….. 1 st Quarter

Name that phase!

Day_____: New Moon Moon Phases Text page 563

How did we get our Moon? We still don’t know with certainty how the Moon was formed. There are four theories of how the Moon was formed. 1. The oldest theory: the Moon was originally part of Earth, due to Earth’s fast rotation it and was spun off. Theory was rejected because the Earth could not have spun quickly enough.

2. Another theory holds that the Moon formed separately from Earth around the same time (4.6 bya) and out of the same stuff. This was rejected after lunar rock samples revealed different “stuff” than Earth. This was rejected after lunar rock samples revealed different “stuff” than Earth. 3. The third theory is that the Moon formed independently and it was pulled in by Earth’s gravity when it passed too close.

4. The final, and favored, theory is known as the 4. The final, and favored, theory is known as the impact theory. States that a very large object (roughly the size of Mars) collided with Earth 4.5 bya ago when it was still forming. States that a very large object (roughly the size of Mars) collided with Earth 4.5 bya ago when it was still forming. The debris from the Earth and the colliding object combined into an object with a stable orbit. The debris from the Earth and the colliding object combined into an object with a stable orbit.

What if there was no moon? Suggest 2 ramifications with explanations. Discovery Video: “If We Had No Moon” If we had no moon part 1 If we had no moon part 1 If we had no mooon part 2 If we had no mooon part 2 BBC Video: Do We Really Need the Moon? Do we really need the moon Do we really need the moon