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Earth Time, Moon Earth Time, Moon Phases and EclipsesPhases and EclipsesAll graphics, photos and text copyright All graphics, photos and text copyright
2007 2007 Kris H. LightKris H. Light
http://easttennesseewildflowers.com/
Revolution: 1 Year = 365.4 daysRevolution: 1 Year = 365.4 daysIt takes the Earth 365.4 days, or one year, to revolve
around the Sun. Every 4 years a leap year addsan extra day.
The Earth has seasons because the north/south axis points toward or away from the sun as the year progresses. Winter has the shortest days, summer has the longest. On the first day of spring and fall, the “equinox”, day and night is equal, 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.
To remember the Phases of the To remember the Phases of the moon moon ––
think of think of ““DD--OO--CC””
The moon looks different each night becauseit revolves around the Earth. Since the moondoes not make its own light (it reflects light fromthe sun), we see different phases. A lunar cycletakes 28 days (or 1 “moonth”). On the first day the moon can’t be seen from Earth. Thisis the new moon. During the next 14 daysmore light is seen each night, the moon is in the “waxing”
phase. The tiny sliver of a waxing crescent
looks like the outside of a “D”. On the 7th
night, one-half of the moon can be seen, it isthe 1st
Quarter. The phases just before and after the full moon are called the gibbous
phases. On the 14th
night the entire disc of the moon can be seen in the full moon, it then looks like the Letter “O”. From here on out the moon will be losing light each night and it begins the phases of the waningGibbous, the 3rd
Quarter, and the waning crescent
“C”
.On the 28th
day it can’t be seen in the new moonphase and the “moonth”
is complete.
Sun
Waxing Crescent Waxing Crescent Moon Moon ––
““DD””
The Moon is in the The Moon is in the waxing crescent waxing crescent phasephase
in this photograph. The moon in this photograph. The moon rises an hour later each day, so during rises an hour later each day, so during some phases in the 28some phases in the 28--day lunar day lunar monthly cycle (which I call a monthly cycle (which I call a ""moonthmoonth"), it can be seen early in the "), it can be seen early in the afternoon. An easy way to tell where afternoon. An easy way to tell where the moon is in the cycle is to think of the moon is in the cycle is to think of "D"D--OO--C". At the beginning of the 28C". At the beginning of the 28--
day "day "moonthmoonth" there is a " there is a New MoonNew Moon, , which is between the sun and the which is between the sun and the Earth and it can't be seen. Each day Earth and it can't be seen. Each day as the moon continues its' revolution as the moon continues its' revolution (orbit) around the earth, a little more (orbit) around the earth, a little more light is added, this is called a light is added, this is called a waxingwaxing
moon. The first sign of the moon is moon. The first sign of the moon is the the crescentcrescent
moon, with a tiny sliver moon, with a tiny sliver of light visible on the right. of light visible on the right.
K. Light
First QuarterFirst Quarter
On around the 7th day of the On around the 7th day of the ""moonthmoonth" the moon is 1/4th " the moon is 1/4th into the revolution and half of into the revolution and half of the moon is visible, called the the moon is visible, called the first quarterfirst quarter. The light is visible . The light is visible from the right side, like the edge from the right side, like the edge of a "D". By the way, this is the of a "D". By the way, this is the best time to view the moon best time to view the moon through a telescope or through a telescope or binoculars, it is up early enough binoculars, it is up early enough in the evening and the craters are in the evening and the craters are easy to see on the edge. easy to see on the edge.
K. Light
Waxing GibbousWaxing Gibbous
The next phase is The next phase is the "almost full" the "almost full" phase called a phase called a gibbousgibbous
moon. moon.
K. Light
Full Moon Full Moon ––
““OO””
On day 14 the moon is On day 14 the moon is fullfull, it , it then looks like an "O". The full then looks like an "O". The full moon reflects the light from the moon reflects the light from the sun back toward the earth, it sun back toward the earth, it doesn't make its' own light. doesn't make its' own light.
The moon rotates so slowly that The moon rotates so slowly that only one side can be seen from only one side can be seen from the earth. We have never seen the earth. We have never seen the back side of the moon the back side of the moon except from an orbiting except from an orbiting spacecraft. spacecraft.
The gray areas seen here are The gray areas seen here are called called maremare
((mahmah--ray), meaning ray), meaning ““seasea””
in Latin. They are lava in Latin. They are lava beds from ancient eruptions. beds from ancient eruptions.
The surface of the moon is The surface of the moon is covered in craters made by covered in craters made by meteorites. Since the moon has meteorites. Since the moon has no atmosphere or weather, the no atmosphere or weather, the surface does not change unless it surface does not change unless it has been struck by foreign has been struck by foreign objects (or spacecraft from objects (or spacecraft from Earth!). Earth!).
K. Light
Waning GibbousWaning Gibbous
After the full phase, the After the full phase, the moon begins to lose light moon begins to lose light every night. It then every night. It then begins the begins the waningwaning
phase. phase.
K. Light
Third Quarter Moon Third Quarter Moon
By day 21, it is in the By day 21, it is in the 3rd quarter3rd quarter
phase phase
and half of the and half of the moon is visible from moon is visible from the left side. It can the left side. It can be seen very late at be seen very late at night and into the night and into the early morning. early morning.
K. Light
Waning Crescent Waning Crescent ––
““CC””
By day 25, it is in the By day 25, it is in the waning waning crescentcrescent
phase and a sliver of phase and a sliver of
the moon is visible from the the moon is visible from the left side. It can be seen very left side. It can be seen very late at night and into the early late at night and into the early morning. The faint ring next morning. The faint ring next to the bright part of the to the bright part of the moon in this picture is called moon in this picture is called gegenscheingegenschein, it is light reflected , it is light reflected to the moon from the Earth. to the moon from the Earth.
K. Light
New MoonNew Moon
At the beginning and end At the beginning and end of the of the ““moonthmoonth””
the the
moon is between the moon is between the earth and sun and it canearth and sun and it can’’t t be seen from earth. The be seen from earth. The light shines on the light shines on the ““back back sideside””
of the moon.of the moon.
A Solar Eclipse occurs only during A Solar Eclipse occurs only during a New Moona New Moon
If the moon is in the correct plane between the earth and sun it will block the light of the sun, causing an eclipse.The Moon’s shadowzooms around the earth at 1000 miles per hour as the Earth rotates! During “totality” the sun is completely blocked and people will see the stars for a short time. Never look at the sun during an eclipse!
Moon’sshadow
During a solar eclipse the moon During a solar eclipse the moon blocks the sunblocks the sun
Moon
A Lunar Eclipse takes place only A Lunar Eclipse takes place only during a Full Moonduring a Full Moon
When the full moon is in the correct plane, the earth blocks the sunlightand throws its shadow on the the moon causing a lunar eclipse.During a lunar eclipse the moon looks reddish because some of theSun’s light bends around the earth. It is OK to look at a lunar eclipse because you are not looking at the sun.
Map of the MoonMap of the Moon
The The ““seasseas””
and and ““oceansoceans”” on the Moon do not on the Moon do not
contain water, they are contain water, they are large flat areas where lava large flat areas where lava flows occurred millions flows occurred millions of years ago. of years ago.
The Sea of Tranquility is The Sea of Tranquility is the location of the first the location of the first manned Moon landing in manned Moon landing in 1969. 1969.
Comet 17P / HolmesComet 17P / Holmes
In October 2007, Comet Holmes In October 2007, Comet Holmes put on a spectacular show by put on a spectacular show by suddenly becoming much brighter suddenly becoming much brighter over 3 days. over 3 days.
A A nucleusnucleus
of the comet is a of the comet is a ““dirty dirty snowballsnowball””
made of water ice, dry made of water ice, dry ice, dust and rock. It gives off ice, dust and rock. It gives off gases, dust, and ions. This part is gases, dust, and ions. This part is called the called the comacoma
which is lit by the which is lit by the sun; comets do not make their own sun; comets do not make their own light. light.
Comets orbit the sun like a planet, Comets orbit the sun like a planet, but usually with an oblong path but usually with an oblong path out of the plane of the planets. out of the plane of the planets. Algol – a
binary starin Perseus
Comet Holmes
Coma
Nucleus
K. Light
The 8 The 8 Planets in Planets in our Solar our Solar SystemSystem
Pluto was designated a “dwarf planet”
in August2006 due to its small size andelliptical orbit.
FollowFollow--up Questionsup Questions
1. What does the earth do when it revolves?1. What does the earth do when it revolves?
2. What does the earth do when it rotates?2. What does the earth do when it rotates?
3. Does the sun move through the solar system?3. Does the sun move through the solar system?
4. Why do we have seasons?4. Why do we have seasons?
5. How many days is a 5. How many days is a ““moonthmoonth””??
6. What is the moon doing if it is 6. What is the moon doing if it is waxingwaxing??
7. Does the moon rise at the same time each day?7. Does the moon rise at the same time each day?
8. How much of the moon is visible during the 1st and 3rd Quarte8. How much of the moon is visible during the 1st and 3rd Quarter r phases?phases?
9. What is a 9. What is a gibbousgibbous
moon?moon?
10. Where is the moon in relation to the earth and sun when it i10. Where is the moon in relation to the earth and sun when it is full?s full?
11. What are the 11. What are the maremare
on the moon?on the moon?
12. Why can we see only one side of the moon?12. Why can we see only one side of the moon?
13. Does the moon make its own light?13. Does the moon make its own light?
14. What is 14. What is gegenscheingegenschein??
15. How much of the moon is visible during a New Moon?15. How much of the moon is visible during a New Moon?
16. During what phase of the moon does a solar eclipse occur?16. During what phase of the moon does a solar eclipse occur?
17. During what phase of the moon does a lunar eclipse occur?17. During what phase of the moon does a lunar eclipse occur?
End of End of PresentationPresentation http://EastTennesseeWildflowers.comhttp://EastTennesseeWildflowers.com
Kris Light ([email protected])Kris Light ([email protected])
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For more information on the moon phases, see the website galleryFor more information on the moon phases, see the website gallery::
http://www.easttennesseewildflowers.com/gallery/view_album.php?shttp://www.easttennesseewildflowers.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumNameet_albumName=moon=moon
