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Lesson 13. Moon

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10 views

Lesson 13. Moon

Uploaded by

mendozajesica.scuolamaria.g10
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SCIENCE

Lesson 13

The Moon
Lesson 13.1

The Lunar Surfaces


Our Moon has been admired for
thousands of years, and because of this is
one of the most familiar astronomical
objects to children of all ages.
What is the Moon?
• A natural satellite
• One of more than 96 moons in our
Solar System
• The only moon of the planet Earth
Location, location, location!

• About 384,000 km
(240,000 miles)
from Earth
• 3,468 km (2,155
miles) in diameter
(about ¼ the size
of Earth)
Major divisions of the
Lunar interior

• Crust - average
thickness of about 70
kilometers
• Mantle
• Core - radius is
between 300 and 425
kilometers
The Moon’s Surface

• No atmosphere
• No liquid water
• Extreme temperatures
• Daytime = 130C (265°F)
• Nighttime = -190C (-310
F)
• 1/6 Earth’s gravity
Lunar Features - Highlands

• Mountains up to 7500 m
(25,000 ft) tall
• Rille (trenchlike valleys)
• Also known as the lunar
terrae, which is Latin for
“land”)
Lunar Features - Craters

• Most formed by meteorite impact on the


Moon
Lunar Features - Maria

• Originally thought to be
“seas” by early
astronomers
• Darkest parts of lunar
landscape
Far Side of the Moon

• First seen by Luna 3


Russian space probe in
1959
• Surface features different
from near side
• More craters
• Very few maria
• Thicker crust
Movements of the Moon
• Revolution – Moon orbits the Earth
every 271/3 days
• The moon rises in the east and sets in
the west
• The moon rises and sets 50 minutes
later each day
• Rotation – Moon turns on its axis
every 27 days
• Same side of Moon always faces
Earth
The Tides

• Tides caused by pull of Moon’s gravity on Earth


• High tide –
• Side facing Moon and side away from Moon
• Every 12 hours, 25 ½ minutes
• Low tide –
• On sides of Earth
Exploring the Moon
• 1950s to 1960s - probes
• Neil Armstrong First
man on the Moon –
July 20, 1969
• Six Apollo missions
(1969-1972)
• 382 kg (842 lbs) rocks
• 12 Americans have
SCIENCE
Lesson 13.2

Phases of the Moon


It’s Just a Phase
• 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”
FOUR MAIN SHAPES
FULL CRESCENT

QUARTER GIBBOUS
new moon
The moon is not visible in the sky.

waxing crescent
The lighted side of the moon slowly becomes
visible.
first quarter
The lighted area appears as half moon.

waxing gibbous
The lighted side is shaped like an egg.
full moon
• The complete lighted side of the moon
is visible in the sky.
• Earth is then somewhere between the
moon and the sun.
Earth during the new moon phase and the full moon phase
waning gibbous
• More than half of the moon is visible.
• The lighted area appears to grow smaller.

last quarter
• Half of the moon is lighted.
waning crescent
• Small portion of the moon is lit but
most of the surface is dark.
Lunar Eclipses

• Moon moves into Earth’s


shadow – this shadow
darkens the Moon
• Umbra
• Penumbra
• About 2-3 per year
• Last up to 4 hours
Solar Eclipses
• Moon moves between
Earth and Sun
• Moon casts a shadow on
part of the Earth
• Total eclipses rare – only
once every 360 years from
one location!

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