The Moon

A look at our nearest

neighbor in space!

The Moon

What is the Moon?

1. A natural satellite

2. One of more than 96 moons in our Solar System

3. The only moon of the planet Earth

Location, location, location!

1. About 240,000 miles from Earth

• 2,155 miles in diameter (about ¼ the size of Earth)

The Moon’s Surface

1. No atmosphere

2. No liquid water

3. Extreme temperatures– Daytime = 265°F

– Nighttime = -310

Lunar Features - Craters

1. Up to 2500 km (1,553 miles) across

2. Most formed by meteorite impact on the Moon

3. Some formed by volcanic action inside the Moon

Movements of the Moon1. Revolution – Moon

orbits the Earth every 271/3 days

2. The moon rises in the east and sets in the west

3. The moon rises and sets 50 minutes later each day

4. Rotation – Moon turns on its axis every 27 days

5. Same side of Moon always faces Earth

Far Side of the Moon1. First seen by Luna 3

Russian space probe in 1959

2. Surface features different from near side

1. More craters

2. Thicker crust

It’s Just a Phase

1. Moonlight is reflected sunlight

2. Half the moon’s surface is always reflecting light

3. From Earth we see different amounts of the Moon’s lit surface

4. The amount seen is called a “phase”

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

• New moon

1. Waxing- Lit side getting larger.

2. Waning- Lit side getting smaller.

What you see in the boxes is the view of the Moon as WE SEE IT FROM EARTH!!

Moon Phase Animation Links

• http://www.amnh.org/ology/astronomy/stufftodo/moon2.html

• http://www.collinseducation.com/resources/ict%20activity/earth_FULL.swf

Lunar Eclipses

1. Moon moves into Earth’s shadow – this shadow darkens the Moon

A. Umbra

B. Penumbra

2. About 2-3 per year

3. Last up to 4 hours

Next Total Eclipse- Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. beginning around 9:00 pm!!

Umbra

• Umbra-1. Umbra-a region of the shadow where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.

2. Penumbra-a region of shadow where the Earth blocks part but not all of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon

Lunar Eclipse

Solar Eclipses1. Moon moves

between Earth and Sun

2. Moon casts a shadow on part of the Earth

3. Total eclipses rare – only once every 360 years from one location!

1. Umbra- a region of the shadow where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.

2. Penumbra- a region of shadow where the Earth blocks part but not all of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon

The Tides

1. Tides caused by pull of Moon’s gravity on Earth

2. High tide –1. Side facing Moon and side away from Moon

2. Every 12 hours, 25 ½ minutes

3. Low tide –1. On sides of Earth

Exploring the Moon

1. 1950s to 1960s - probes

2. Neil Armstrong First man on the Moon – July 20, 1969

3. Six Apollo missions (1969-1972) 842 lbs rocks

4. 12 Americans have walked on the moon

When will we return?

Moon base of the future?

• What would you need to live there?

Name this phase!

Full Moon

Name this phase!

First Quarter

Name this phase!

Waxing Crescent

Name this phase!

Waning Gibbous

Name this phase!

Third Quarter

Name this phase!

Waxing Gibbous

Name this phase!

Waning Crescent

What might be happening in this image?

Lunar Eclipse

Name this phase!

Look closely!

Waxing Gibbous

Name this phase!

Full Moon

Name this phase!

New Moon

Name this phase!

Waning Gibbous

Name this phase!

Waning Crescent

Photo resources• http://www.nasm.si.edu/apollo/AS15/a15images.h

tm• http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogall

ery-moon.html#apollo• http://clementine.cnes.fr/index.en.html• http://cass.jsc.nasa.gov/pub/research/clemen/clem

en.html• http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0108/15mooncre

ate/• http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/

pxmoon.html

More photo resources

• http://www.nrl.navy.mil/clementine/clemovies/clemovies_index.html

• http://www.solarviews.com/eng/moon.htm• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/620649.stm• http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/

eclipses/article_99_1.asp• http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/results/ice/eureka.htm• http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/

solarsystem/moon_nss_020604.html