Tuesday October 5, 2010 (Moon Phases, Tides)
Feb 23, 2016
The Launch PadTuesday, 10/5/10
Most Moon craters are produced by
A. volcanic activity.B. impacts from
meteoroids.C.sinkholes caused
by unstable lunar soil.
D. ancient lakebeds that are now dry.
Identify the indicated features on the picture.
A
B
C
Sunlight is shown coming in from the right. The earth, of course, is at the
center of the diagram. The moon is shown at 8 key stages during its revolution around the earth. The dotted line from the earth to the
moon represents your line of sight when
looking at the moon. To help you visualize how the moon would appear at that point in
the cycle, you can look at the larger moon image. The
moon phase name is shown alongside the
image.
One important thing to notice is that
exactly one half of the moon
is always illuminated by the sun. Of course that is
perfectly logical, but you need to visualize
it in order to understand the
phases. At certain times we
see both the sunlit portion and the
shadowed portion -- and that creates the various moon phase
shapes we are all familiar with.
Also note that the shadowed part of the moon is invisible to
the naked eye; in the diagram above, it is
only shown for clarification purposes.
So the basic explanation is that
the lunar phases are created by changing
angles (relative positions) of the
earth, the moon and the sun, as the moon
orbits the earth.
TidesTides are the rise
and fall of sea levels caused by the
combined effects of the gravitational
forces exerted by the Moon and
the Sun and the rotation of the Earth.
TidesMost places in the ocean
usually experience two high tides and two low tides each day (semidiurnal tide), but some locations experience
only one high and one low tide each day (diurnal tide). The times and amplitude of the
tides at the coast are influenced by the alignment of
the Sun and Moon, by the pattern of tides in the deep
ocean and by the shape of the coastline and near-shore
bathymetry.
TidesThe difference in height between high and low waters over about a half day varies in a two-
week cycle. Around new moon and full moon when the Sun, Moon and Earth form a
line, the tidal force due to the Sun reinforces that due to the Moon. The tide's range is then at its maximum: this is called the spring tide. It is not
named after the season but, like that word, derives from an earlier meaning of "jump, burst
forth, rise" as in a natural spring. When the Moon is at first quarter or third quarter, the Sun
and Moon are separated by 90° when viewed from the Earth, and the solar gravitational force partially cancels the Moon's. At these points in
the lunar cycle, the tide's range is at its minimum: this is called the neap tide. Spring
tides result in high waters that are higher than average, low waters that are lower than
average, slack water time that is shorter than average and stronger tidal currents than average.
Neaps result in less extreme tidal conditions. There is about a seven-day interval between
springs and neaps.
TidesThe changing distance separating the Moon and Earth also affects tide heights. When the Moon is at perigee, the range increases, and when it is
at apogee, the range shrinks. Every 7½ cycles from full moon to new to full, perigee coincides with either a new or full moon causing perigean
spring tides with the largest tidal range. If a storm happens to be moving onshore at this
time, the consequences (property damage, etc.) can be especially severe.
What will happen to our Moon in the future?
The Moon is gradually receding from the Earth, at a rate of about 4 cm per year.This is caused by a transfer
of Earth's rotational momentum to the Moon's orbital momentum as tidal friction slows the Earth's
rotation.That increasing distance means a longer orbital
period, or month, as well.
What will happen to our Moon in the future?To picture what is happening,
imagine yourself riding a bicycle on a track built around a Merry-go-Round.You are riding in the same direction
that it is turning.If you have a lasso and rope one of the horses, you would gain speed
and the Merry-Go-Round would lose some.
In this analogy, you and your bike represent the Moon, the Merry-Go-Round is the rotating Earth, and your
lasso is gravity.In orbital mechanics, a gain in speed
results in a higher orbit.
What will happen to our Moon in the future?
The slowing rotation of the Earth results in a longer day as well as a
longer month.Once the length of a day equals the length of a month, the tidal friction mechanism would cease. (ie. Once
your speed on the track matches the speed of the horses, you can't gain any
more speed with your lasso trick.)That's been projected to happen once the day and month both equal about 47 (current) days, billions of years in
the future.If the Earth and Moon still exist, the
distance will have increased to about 135% of its current value.