1. A look at our nearest neighbor in Space!
The Moon
A look at our nearest neighbor in Space!

2. What is the Moon? A natural satellite
One of more than 96 moons in our Solar System
The only moon of the planet Earth

3. Location, location, location!
About 384,000 km (240,000 miles) from Earth
3,468 km (2,155 miles) in diameter (about ¼ the size of Earth)

4. Birth of the Moon “Born” 4-5 billion years ago
Formed from impact of Mars-sized “planetesimal” on Earth
Debris from both objects melted together to form the Moon

5. Cut to the Core 3 major divisions of the Lunar interior
Crust - average thickness of about 70 kilometers
Mantle
Core - radius is between 300 and 425 kilometers

6. The Moon’s Surface No atmosphere No liquid water Extreme temperatures
Daytime = 130C (265°F)
Nighttime = -190C (-310 F)
1/6 Earth’s gravity

7. Lunar Features - Highlands
Mountains up to 7500 m (25,000 ft) tall
Rilles (trenchlike valleys)

8. Lunar Features - Craters
Up to 2500 km (1,553 miles) across
Most formed by meteorite impact on the Moon
Some formed by volcanic action inside the Moon

9. Lunar Features - Maria
Originally thought to be “seas” by early astronomers
Darkest parts of lunar landscape
Filled by lava after crash of huge meteorites on lunar surface 3-4 billion years ago
Mostly basalt rock

10. Craters
Can you see the rays?
Maria
Does this photo show us a limb or terminator line?

11. Movements of the Moon
Revolution – Moon orbits the Earth every 271/3 days
The moon rises in the east and sets in the west
The moon rises and sets 50 minutes later each day
Rotation – Moon turns on its axis every 27 days
Same side of Moon always faces Earth

12. Far Side of the Moon First seen by Luna 3 Russian space probe in 1959
Surface features different from near side
More craters
Very few maria
Thicker crust

13. It’s Just a Phase Moonlight is reflected sunlight
Half the moon’s surface is always reflecting light
From Earth we see different amounts of the Moon’s lit surface
The amount seen is called a “phase”

14. Waxing and Waning New moon Waxing Crescent moon First Quarter moon
Waxing Gibbous moon
Full moon
Waning Gibbous moon
Third Quarter moon
Waning Crescent moon

15. FOUR MAIN SHAPES
FULL
Four Basic Shapes
CRESCENT
GIBBOUS
QUARTER

17. Tides and Eclipses

18. Tides
The tides are the rising and falling of the ocean surface as a result of the gravitational pull of the moon and the Sun on the earth.
The Moon plays a bigger role than the Sun because it is closer.

19. Effect of the Moon on the Tides
Water bulges on opposite side from the moon also: High Tide in this location
Water gets pulled towards the moon: High Tide in this location.
Low tide here, and on opposite side on the earth that you can’t see.

20. Role of the Sun The sun also has a gravitational pull on the earth.
When the sun is lined up with the moon and the earth, it “helps” the moon pull on the earth, and the tides become more extreme.
When the sun is not lined up with the moon and the earth, it partially cancels out the pull of the moon, and the tides are less extreme.

21. Spring Tides Higher high tide, Lower low tide.
Sun, earth and moon are lined up.
Higher high tide, Lower low tide.
Regular Tide Level
Tide Level during Spring Tides

22. Neap Tides
High tide is lower than normal, and low tide is higher than normal. There is less difference between the level of the tides.
Regular High tide level
High Tide level during neap tides

23. Occurrence of Neap and Spring Tides
Spring tides occur when sun, moon and earth are lined up: Full Moon and New Moon.
Neap Tides occur when the sun and moon pull in opposite directions: First Quarter and Last Quarter.

24. Eclipses There are two types of eclipses:
Solar Eclipse- When the moon lines up exactly in between the sun and the earth. It blocks out the sun so we can’t see it.
Lunar Eclipse- When the earth lines up exactly in between the moon and the sun, and prevents sunlight from reaching the moon. Or, another way to say it is the moon moves into the shadow of the earth.

25. Solar Eclipse
Occurs when the moon is a New Moon and lined up perfectly with the sun and earth.
Places on earth in the Penumbra will see a
Partial Solar Eclipse
Places on earth in the Umbra see a Total Solar Eclipse

26. Solar Eclipse

27. Lunar Eclipse
Occurs when the moon is a Full Moon and the earth, moon and sun are exactly lined up.

28. Earth
Plane of earth’s orbit
Moon
Plane of lunar orbit
Moon

29. Lunar Eclipses
Moon moves into Earth’s shadow – this shadow darkens the Moon
Umbra
Penumbra
About 2-3 per year
Last up to 4 hours

30. Solar Eclipses Moon moves between Earth and Sun
Moon casts a shadow on part of the Earth
Total eclipses rare – only once every 360 years from one location!

31. The Tides Tides caused by pull of Moon’s gravity on Earth High tide –
Side facing Moon and side away from Moon
Every 12 hours, 25 ½ minutes
Low tide –
On sides of Earth

32. Exploring the Moon 1950s to 1960s - probes
Neil Armstrong First man on the Moon – July 20, 1969
Six Apollo missions ( )
382 kg (842 lbs) rocks
12 Americans have walked on the moon

35. When will we return?

36. Ice on the Moon?
1994 – Clementine probe
1998 – Lunar Prospector

37. Moon base of the future?
What would you need to live there?

40. The Lunar Challenge!

41. Name this phase!
Full Moon
What time does this phase rise and set?

42. Name these features.
Craters
Maria
Name these features.

43. Does this image show us the near side or far side of the moon?
How can you tell?

44. Is this line the limb or terminator?

45. Name this phase!
First Quarter

46. Name this phase!
Waxing Crescent

47. Does this image show the near side or the far side of the moon?

48. Name this phase!
Waning Gibbous

49. Name this phase!
Third Quarter

50. From what direction does the moon rise?
The East

51. Name this phase!
Waxing Gibbous

52. Name this phase!
Waning Crescent

53. What might be happening in this image?
Lunar Eclipse

54. Is this line the limb or the terminator?

55. Name this phase!
Look closely!
Waxing Gibbous

56. The Far Side and the Dark Side of the moon are the same thing.
True or False:
The Far Side and the Dark Side of the moon are the same thing.
False!

57. Name this phase!
Full Moon

58. Name this phase!
New Moon

59. Does the moon rise or set in the west?
It sets in the west.

60. Name this phase!
Waning Gibbous

61. Name this phase!
Waning Crescent

62. Name this phase!
Waning Gibbous

63. The Mythical Moon

73. The Lunatic: Leesa Hubbard

74. Photo resources http://www.nasm.si.edu/apollo/AS15/a15images.htm

75. More photo resources

76. This powerpoint was kindly donated to www.worldofteaching.com
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