Explore the MoonExplore the Moonwithwith

GRAIL MoonKAMGRAIL MoonKAM

2

33

Ellen Ochoa

Astronaut

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Planetarium Director

3

Joy CrispGeologist and Project Scientist

Andrew RevkinEnvironmental Reporter

4

Maria Zuber MIT Planetary Scientist

Let’s find out more about what Maria is working on right now.

In 2012 NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission will place two spacecraft in a low-altitude orbit around the Moon to measure its gravity in unprecedented detail.

GRAIL Science Objectives• Determine the structure of the lunar interior, from crust to core• Advance understanding of the thermal evolution of the Moon

• GRAIL is the first NASA planetary mission with instruments fully dedicated to education and outreach

•GRAIL MoonKAM will allow classrooms to request pictures of the lunar surface from cameras on the twin satellites

Up to 4 per cameras spacecraft

Students target and select images

You can be part of this mission!

8

What can I do with a picture?

1. Measure the width of the picture.

2. Measure the width of this crater.

3. Measure the width of this crater.

9

Now that you’ve mastered some of the skills of a scientist, let’s learn more terminology to study the moon!

10

What is the Moon?

• A natural satellite• One of more than 96

moons in our Solar System• The only moon of the planet

Earth

11

Earth and Moon

12

• 3,468 km (2,155 miles) in diameter (about ¼ the size of Earth)

How BIG is it?

Using two objects to represent the Earth and moon, let’s estimate how far away the moon is from the Earth.

An approximate judgment or calculation.

Using diameter: 240,000 miles/8,000 miles = 30 Earths385,000 km/13,000 km = 29.6

Using circumference:240,000 miles/25,000 miles = 9 ½384,500 km/40,000 km = 9 ½

16

• About 384,000 km (240,000 miles) from Earth

360,000 km 406,000 km 224,000 miles 252,000 miles

Orbits (revolves around) Earth every 27.3 days

Elliptical orbit (not a perfect circle)

17

The imaginery line between the illuminated part of the moon, and the dark side is called the TERMINATOR.

The edge where the moon meets the sky is called the LIMB.

18

Craters - Blue Lowlands - Green

Apollo Sites - RedMountain Ranges - Black

19

The Moon’s Surface

• No atmosphere• Extreme

temperatures– Daytime = 130C

(265°F)– Nighttime = -190C

(-310 F)

20

EKKKKKK

• 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

Lunar Features - Maria

21

22

• Mountains up to 7500 m (25,000 ft) tall

• Rilles (trenchlike valleys)• Cover about 85% of the

surface

Lunar Features - Highlands

23

Mountains and Valleys

24

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• More on the far side of the moon

Crater Lake, Oregon

Barringer Crater, Arizona

Mars

26

E

27

28

29

Name these features.

Name these features.

craters

maria

30

Do you think this is a picture of the near side or far side of the moon?

Far side

31

About how far away is the moon?A. 24 miles

B. 240 miles

C. 24, 000 miles

D. 240,000 miles

32

Which feature of our moon did early astronomers think were “seas?”

A. craters

B. maria

C. rays

D. mountains

33

About how big is the moon compared to the Earth?

A. 1/8th

B. 1/4th

C. 1/3rd

D. 1/2

34

Which of these statements is TRUE?

A. Side A is the TERMINATOR and Side B is the far edge.

B. Side A is the LIMB and Side B is the TERMINATOR.

C. Side A is the INSIDE edge and Side B is the OUTSIDE edge.

D. Side A is the TERMINATOR and Side B is the LIMB.

A

35

How can you learn more about the moon?

A. Read more about it!B. Become an astronomer!C. Be part of the GRAIL/MoonKAM mission!D. All of the above!

36

ETo find out more about GRAIL MoonKAM visit:

www.GRAILMoonKAM.com

www.sallyridescience.com