Tides – Week 5 Post

Tides are caused by the interaction between Earth, the Moon, and partially, the Sun. The gravitational pull of the Moon on Earth results in the oceans bulging in the direction of the Moon. There are 2 tide cycles each day: high tide and low tide.

 During new/full moon phases, when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in a line, the gravitational pull on Earth is strong, causing high tides called spring tides. The weaker neap tides occur when the Sun/Moon are perpendicular to each other during the 1^st/3^rd quarter moon phases.

Tides Review Videos

Review Video

Animation

Tides Activity

Tides Online Activity With Interactive Lab

Cumulative Review Video

This Song Offers Review For Week 3-5 Blog Posts.

Eclipses – Week 4 Post

The Sun is 400X larger than the Moon, it is also 400X farther away from Earth than the moon. For this reason, the Moon/Sun appear to be the same size in the sky.

 Since the Moon and Sun appear to be the same size, the Moon completely covers the Sun during a total solar eclipse, leaving only the corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun visible. Total eclipses last from a few seconds to just over 7 min. They occur once every 2 years somewhere on the Earth. During solar eclipse, astronomers can safely study solar flares. Partial/annular eclipses occur when the Moon does not cover the entire disk of the Sun.

– Solar Eclipse: Results during a new moon, when the Moon, at one of its nodes, is directly between Earth and the Sun.

A total lunar eclipse results when the entire Moon passes through Earth’s shadow. If only parts of the Moon passes through Earth’s shadow, there is a partial lunar eclipse. During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon is barely visible since it is hidden in Earth’s shadow. Sunlight is bent by Earth’s atmosphere onto the Moon. The light is red for the same reason that the sunset is red: the shorter (bluer) wavelengths are scattered away by Earth’s atmosphere, leaving longer (redder) wavelength light to shine on the Moon.

– Lunar Eclipse: Results when Earth is positioned between the Sun and the Moon such that Earth casts its shadow on the surface of the Moon; the Moon must be at a node. 

Review Videos

Solar Eclipse Review

Lunar Eclipse Review

Interactive Lab

Try this Interactive Lab to “create” your own eclipse. Along with the lab, there are review questions on the web link you can try out 😉 .

Clinton’s Astronomy Blog Promo Video

The Moon – Week 3 Post

The Phases of the Moon

The Moon revolves around Earth every 27.3 days. The Moon also takes 27.3 days to rotate. As a result, the same side of the Moon is always facing us. Like all bodies in the solar system, one side of the Moon is always illuminated by the Sun. However, this bright sight does not always face Earth. As a result, we see different amounts of the lit side at different times. Since the Moon is spherical, the illuminated portion is curved. A simple way to remember the phases of the Moon is to think of the lit side increasing from right to left across the surface of the Moon during the waxing phases and the dark side increasing from right to left during the waning phases.

Phases of the Moon

Instructions

How to read diagram: The diagram lists the phases of the Moon. However: Where does the diagram start? What’s the Moon’s first phase? Which way do we read the diagram?

Well, first, start at New Moon, then, read the diagram going clockwise starting with the “lower part.” So, the next phase of the Moon would be waxing crescent, then first quarter, and so forth.

Note: Last Quarter is also sometimes referred to as Third Quarter.

Review

If you would like to see the lunar cycle in action, here is a video: Animation of the Moon

If you need review, here is a video to help you do that: Lunar Cycle Video Review (Note that the video talks a little about eclipses. I will talk about eclipses in my next blog post 😉 )

Check out this interactive lab!

Check Your Understanding

Check your understanding with this Lunar Cycle Game

The Big Splash Theory – Week 2 Post

The Big Splash Theory is the current theory that explains the formation of the Moon. This theory states that approximately 4.5 billion years ago, the Moon was formed as a result of an object approximately the size of Mars colliding with Earth, causing less dense portions to be blasted into space. The clash created high temperatures and pressures, which in turn caused denser materials (like Iron) to become part of the Earth’s core. The less dense materials were blasted into space adding to the material orbiting the Earth. These less dense portions gravitated toward each other, creating the Moon. Evidence supporting the Big Splash Theory came from rock and soil samples taken during the Apollo landings on the Moon. 

CLICK THE LINK FOR A VIDEO OF THE FORMATION OF THE MOON!!!!!

Visual Representation of The Big Splash Theory