Earth’s Motion, Earth’s Moon, and Eclipses and Tides The Sun-Earth-Moon System Earth’s Motion, Earth’s Moon, and Eclipses and Tides

What natural phenomena do the motions of Earth and the Moon produce? The Sun-Earth-Moon System What natural phenomena do the motions of Earth and the Moon produce?

Seasons: Earth’s Motion around Sun causes seasons. Natural Phenomena Examples Summary: Seasons: Earth’s Motion around Sun causes seasons. Moon Phases: Moon’s Motion around Earth causes phases. Eclipses and Ocean Tides: Earth and Moon’s Motion together causes eclipses and ocean tides

The Sun-Earth-Moon System Earth’s Moon The gravitational pull of Earth on the Moon makes the Moon revolve around Earth. The Moon rotates once as it makes one complete orbit around Earth. The lit part of the Moon that you can see from Earth—the Moon’s phase—changes during the lunar cycle as the Moon revolves around Earth.

Surface of the Moon The major surface features of the moon are maria, highlands, and craters. Maria: Low, flat plains formed by ancient lunar lava flows. (Appear dark) The Lunar highlands are rough, mountainous regions that surround the maria. These are the light-colored area.

Surface of the Moon Craters Much of the moon is covered by craters---round depressions in the surface caused by the impact of high-speed meteoroids. These thousands of craters are evidence that moon is geologically dead---due to little erosion on the moon and no plate motion to alter these craters.

WAXING VS. WANING PHASES Waxing Phases: these phases occur after a New moon and up to a Full moon. Waxing phases are when the amount of LIGHT INCREASES or moon is getting larger until all light is all Visible (a FULL MOON). Waning Phases: these phases occur after a Full Moon and back to the New Moon. Waning phases are when the amount of LIGHT DECREASES or the moon is getting shrinking until NO light is Visible (a NEW MOON).

When the Earth’s shadow is cast on the moon, a lunar eclipse occurs. The Sun-Earth-Moon System Eclipses and Tides When the Moon’s shadow appears on Earth’s surface, a solar eclipse occurs. When the Earth’s shadow is cast on the moon, a lunar eclipse occurs. ***The gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun on Earth produces tides, the rise and fall of sea level that occurs twice each day.

Eclipse Images

Earth’s Motion and the Cause of the Seasons The Sun-Earth-Moon System Earth’s Motion and the Cause of the Seasons The gravitational pull of the Sun on Earth causes Earth to revolve around the Sun in a nearly circular orbit.

SEASONS and EARTH DIAGRAM

SEASONS and EARTH DIAGRAM

This causes sunlight to spread out closer to the poles, making Earth Earth’s Motion and the Cause of the Seasons Areas on Earth’s curved surface become more tilted with respect to the direction of sunlight the farther you travel from the equator. This causes sunlight to spread out closer to the poles, making Earth colder at the poles and warmer at the equator.

These changes in the concentration of sunlight cause the seasons. Earth’s Motion & Cause of Seasons Continued As Earth revolves around the Sun, the tilt of Earth’s rotation axis produces changes in how sunlight spreads out over Earth’s surface. These changes in the concentration of sunlight cause the seasons.