NOW FOR SOME IMPORTANT (AND INTERESTING)

INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE IN YOUR

MOON BOOK NOTES

You only need to write what is in bold and underlined

Moon Info It takes the same amount of time for

the moon to rotate on its axis as it does to revolve around the Earth (27.3 days)

This is the reason why the Earth only sees one side of the moon – in order to see the other side you need to get on a space ship and go around the moon!

There are 29.5 days from a new moon to the next new moon

Reason for Moon Phase Cycle Length

This is showing the cycle from full moon to the next full moon

Moon Info The lit part of the

moon always points towards the sun.

When waxing: light is on the right

When waning: shadow is on the right

http://www.astro.virginia.edu

The moon rise, moon set The time of the moon rise and set depends on

its phase Rises in the East and sets in the West – due to

Earth’s rotation Remember: moon rises about 50 min later each

day of the moon phase cycle (~ 25 to 75 mins)

Phase Rise Time Midpoint in sky Set TimeNew Sunrise Noon Sunset

1st quarter Noon Sunset Midnight

Full Sunset Midnight Sunrise

3rd quarter Midnight Sunrise Noon

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_rstablew.pl

Can you identify the phase?

Waxing Gibbous

Full

Waning Crescent

Waning Gibbous

New

Last (3rd) Quarter

First Quarter

Waxing Crescent

GOOOO G-Men!

Tides Tides are the rise

and fall of water – rise for about 6 hours then fall for about 6 hours

Tides occur because the moon’s gravity does not pull with the same force on all parts of the Earth

http://serc.carleton.edu

High Tides

Location A: Moon’s gravitational force on the water is greater than its force on the Earth as a whole

Water here is pulled more towards the moon than the Earth = high tide

A

D

B

C

High Tides

Location B: The moon’s gravitational force on the Earth as a whole is stronger than its force on the water

The Earth is pulled more towards the moon and the water is “left behind” = high tide

A

D

B

C

Low Tides

Locations C and D: Water flows away from these locations towards points A and B = low tide

B

D

C

A

Spring and Neap The Sun’s gravity also pulls on Earth’s

waters Sometimes the sun’s and moon’s gravity

work together (spring tide) Sometimes they pull on the water at right

angles (neap tide) Spring and Neap tides both happen twice

a month

Spring Tide

during full & new moons highest high tides & lowest low tides Greatest tidal range (difference between

high and low tide)

http://www.huntsmanmarine.ca

Neap Tide Neap tide: during

first & last quarter moons

lowest high tides & highest low tides

Smallest tidal range

http://www.huntsmanmarine.ca

Shadows

Umbra: darkest part of shadow: this shadow causes total eclipses

Penumbra: Outer, less dark shadow

Lunar Eclipse Moon in Earth’s shadow (Earth blocking

sunlight from hitting Moon) Earth cannot “see” the moon Order: Sun, Earth, Moon Do not have an eclipse every full moon

because moon’s orbit is at an angle

Moon

Lunar Eclipse

Total: Moon entirely in Earth’s umbra Partial: Moon partially in Earth’s

umbra Penumbral: Moon in Earth’s

penumbra

Moon

Lunar Eclipse Eclipsed moon

looks redish orange (rust) because some sunlight bends as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere before hitting the moon

Lunar Eclipse Last total lunar eclipse

was on February 20, 2008

Last partial – June 26, 2010 (we couldn’t see this in CT)

Next total eclipse on Dec 21, 2010

Generally 2 eclipses (total, partial or penumbral) a year

http://www.jsu.edu

Picture of the entire length of March 2007’s Eclipse

Stefan Seip (TWAN)

Solar Eclipse

Earth is in moon’s shadow (moon blocking sunlight from hitting Earth)

Earth cannot “see” the sun Order: Sun, Moon, Earth

Solar Eclipse

Total: Earth in Moon’s umbra Partial: Earth in Moon’s penumbra

Total Solar Eclipse – you see the Sun’s Corona

http://www.astropix.com

Pictures of Annular Eclipses

Annular: moon is at a point where it is not big enough to block all of the sunlight: a ring of sunlight is visible

http://www.astronomy.com

Solar Eclipse Last total eclipse = Jul 11,

2010 – seen in Chile There are only partial

eclipses in 2011 Next total eclipse = Nov 13,

2012– seen in Australia Next eclipse visible in

Eastern USA – a partial eclipse in 2014

There can be 2 - 4 eclipses (total, partial or annular) a year (at most 5)

http://www.astro.uva.nl

Solar Eclipse

Anyone in the dark blue saw a total eclipse

Eclipses 2010

Solar and Lunar Eclipses of 2010

Annular Solar Eclipse of 2010 Jan 15

Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2010 Jun 26

Total Solar Eclipse of 2010 Jul 11

Total Lunar Eclipse of 2010 Dec 21

Eclipses 2011

Solar and Lunar Eclipses of 2011

Partial Solar Eclipse of 2011 Jan 04

Partial Solar Eclipse of 2011 Jun 01

Total Lunar Eclipse of 2011 Jun 15

Partial Solar Eclipse of 2011 Jul 01

Partial Solar Eclipse of 2011 Nov 25

Total Lunar Eclipse of 2011 Dec 10

List of Eclipses