Moon Background

Earth’s Moon

The moon is a natural satellite.

A satellite is a moon or machine that orbits a planet or star.

Earth has only one moon.

14

5

62

The moon is about 240,000 miles from Earth.

The Moon is 2,155 miles in diameter.Or about ¼ the size of Earth’s diameter.

Photo taken of Earth and our moon from 114 million miles away!

The Moon’s Temperature

The Moon’s Surface

• No atmosphere• No liquid water• Extreme temperatures–Daytime = 265°F–Nighttime = -310 F

• 1/6 Earth’s gravity

The Earth’s moon revolves around the Earth as both go through space and revolve around the Sun.

Movements of the Moon

• Revolution – Moon orbits Earth every 27.3 days

• Rotation – Moon turns on its axis every 27.3 days

Movements of the MoonBecause the rotational period is equal to its period of revolution around the Earth, we always see the same side of the moon (from Earth)!

Why do we always see the same side of the moon?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZIB_leg75Q

Far Side of the Moon

• First seen by Luna 3 Russian space probe in 1959

• More craters / less maria

Exploring the Moon

• 1950s to 1960s – probes sent

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

• Six Apollo missions (1969-1972)

• 12 Americans have walked on the moon

When will we return?

What causes the moon to appear in

a series of phases?

Moonlight is reflected sunlight

• Half the moon’s surface is always reflecting light• From Earth we see different amounts of the Moon’s lit

surface• The amount seen is called a “phase”

From Earth, our moon appears in a series of phases that repeat in a regular cycle.

Phases: the different appearances of the moon due to its changing position.

FULL

QUARTER

(half)

CRESCENT

(less than half)

GIBBOUS

(more than half)

FOUR MAIN SHAPES copy into notes!

Waxing: when themoon appearsto get larger

Waning: when the moon appears to get smaller

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=ibCLiZ4AHS2AFM&tbnid=dDV2VYLmmsgbTM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.dur.ac.uk/john.lucey/users/&ei=fu6mUqy9D-rB2QXuo4D4CQ&psig=AFQjCNH9JQ_ABnNOcrCADTirmBUSWcpsEA&ust=1386758021963054

fill in the moon phases on your sheet!

CHECK YOURS!

NEW

WAXING CRESCENT

First Quarter

WAXING GIBBOUS

FULL

WANINGGIBBOUS

THIRD QUARTER

WANING CRESCENT

Video on Phases

Discovery Education: “Space Exploration: Phases of the Moon” (2:30)• http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Nt

t=moon+phases

MOON PHASECHALLENGE

waning crescent

third quarteror

last quarter

waxing gibbous

fullmoon

waxing crescent

waning gibbous

new moon

first quarter

Journal Work

• Please glue in the small sheet of paper with the phases of the moon. Attempt to label each of the phases without your book or notes. Once you feel “stuck”, you may check your notes from yesterday!