The Moon- Earth’s Satellite

Earth’s satellite

The 8 phases of the moon

•New Moon•Waxing crescent•1st quarter•Waxing Gibbous * Full Moon•Waning gibbous • 3rd or last quarter•Waning crescent

New Moon aka: “No Moon”

• New moon is when we see no moon in the sky. The sky will appear black. The last new moon was Thursday, Feb. 7th

• This is when the sun is totally behind the moon. There fore no light is shining on the moon to expose it to Earth

Phase #2 Waxing Crescent

• Phase happens during the first 7 days

After a new moon• Waxing means “expanding or

enlarging”• When drawn on paper the

waxing crescent starts at the right side

Phase #3 First Quarter

• You can see half the moons face from the right side

• This is when the moon is at one quarter of a revolution

Phase #4 Waxing Gibbous Phase

• Almost all the moon is visible at this point & will increase to become more visible over the next few days

Phase #5 Full Moon

• The spot where the Earth lies between it & the sun

• All of the moons face is illuminated in the sky

Phase #6 Waning Gibbous

• As the moon continues to move the area visible becomes less & less creating the waning gibbous

• Waning means “shrinking”

Phase #7 3rd Quarter

• Last quarter moon• This appears when the moon is

three fourths of a revolution

Phase #8 Waning Crescent

• This occurs over the last week of a lunar month

• The quarter moon shrinks to form a waning crescent

Eclipses• Events where one celestial body

passes through the shadow of another

• Two main types of eclipses• Lunar Eclipse• Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse

• An eclipse of the Sun (or solar eclipse) can only occur at New Moon when the Moon passes between Earth and Sun.

• The Moon’s shadow is then cast onto Earth. Depending on where you are on Earth you may see it.

The geometry lines up just right so that some part of the Moon's shadow falls on Earth's surface and an eclipse of the Sun is seen from that region.

See the Moon’s Shadow on Earth?

Moon Shadows

• Umbra- Dark inner shadow; total eclipses are seen from within this shadow

• Preumbra-Faint outer shadow; partialeclipses are seen from

within this shadow.

Lunar Eclipse or Eclipse of the Moon

• Earth’s shadow falls on the moon• This only can occur during a full

moon

Lunar Eclipse

• During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching the Moon

• This is an imageOf the moon During a lunarEclipse

The next Lunar Eclipse

• December 21, 2010- Total lunar eclipse

• Watch the moon & see it change colors!!

Eclipse Safety

• Total Eclipse of the Sun is the most spectacular sight & very few people have seen it!

• Once the Sun is entirely eclipsed, however, its bright surface is hidden from view and it is completely safe to look directly at the totally eclipsed Sun without any filters. In fact, it is one of the greatest sights in nature.

• This is only for a brief time!!! You should never look directly at the sun! You will damage your eyes

Tides

• The rise & fall of sea level caused by the gravitational pull of the Earth-Moon system & Sun

• Moon’s mass tugs both water & land but water moves more easily

• The Earth’s ocean “bulges” more easily

• Two main types of tides- spring tides & neap tides

What is the difference between

high & low tides?• High tides• Ocean bulges are

considered high tides

• This area where the moon is pulling at Earth’s oceans

• Occurs on along opposite sides of Earth

• Low tides• Ocean is being

stretched out.• Opposite sides of

the high tides• Think of pizza

dough being pulled apart

Spring & Neap Tides

• Spring Tides• Occurs when the Earth,

Moon & Sun are in alignment with each other

• The Moon & the Sun “gang” up by pulling on Earth’s ocean

• Spring tide has nothing to do with the season of spring

• German word “Springen” which means to jump

• High tides are higher & low tides are lower

• Neap Tides• Occurs when the

Sun moon & Earth form at a right angle

• High tides are lower than normal

• Lowe tides are higher than normal

SPRING TIDES

• Especially strong tides • Occur during full moon & new

moon

NEAP TIDES

• Neap tides are weak tides & occur during quarter moons

Quick Review

• What type of tide occur when the Earth moon & sun are in line?

• YOUR RIGHT! SPRING TIDES!• What type of eclipse occurs when the

Earth’s Shadow falls on the moon?• GREAT!! Lunar Eclipse• What phase of the moon do you see

no moon?• AWESOME JOB!! NEW MOON!