Sun, Earth & Moon

Focus:
What cycles occur on Earth due to the
interactions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon?
Introduction to Astronomy - YouTube
 Objectives for this Unit
(textbook p. 18)

 Analyze scale properties within the Sun-Earth-Moon

system.
 Develop and use a model of the Sun-Earth-Moon
system to describe the cyclic patterns caused by the
Earth and Moon orbits as well as the rotations of
these bodies.
 Relate patterns in the motion of the Earth and the
Moon with the Gregorian calendar.
 Calculate time in terms of distance traveled around
the Sun and revolutions of the Moon.
 Why does the sun and moon seem
to be moving each day and night?
• Rotation • Earth spins on it’s axis.

• Axis • The imaginary line that

passes through the
Earth’s center and the
North and South poles
 What causes day and night?
• Earth’s rotation on its
axis from East to West
(counterclockwise).

• Sunrises in the East

• Sunsets in the West

• 24 hours = 1 rotation

http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion1/animations/seasons_ecli
ptic.html
 Simulation

http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion1/animations/sea
sons_ecliptic.html
 What causes a year?
• Revolution • The movement of one object
around another object.

• Earth travelling around the sun

counterclockwise.

• 1 revolution = 365.25 days = 1 year

• Orbit • Earth’s path as it revolves around

the sun.

• Elliptical (ellipse)
• Not quite a circle- flattened circle or
oval shape
 What causes a year?
• Revolution • The movement of one object
around another object.

• Earth travelling around the sun

counterclockwise.

• 1 revolution = 365.25 days = 1 year

• Orbit • Earth’s path as it revolves around

the sun.

• Elliptical (ellipse)
• Not quite a circle- flattened circle or
oval shape
 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
• Why does the sun and • They seem to move
moon seem to move each day because Earth
each day? is rotating on its axis.

• What is one full rotation • One full rotation is

called? called a day.

• What is one complete • One full revolution is

revolution called? called a year.
What causes the cycle of seasons on Earth?
(textbook Lesson 3.3: p. 47-50)

• The tilt of the Earth’s

axis as it revolves
around the sun.
What causes the cycle of seasons on Earth?
(textbook Lesson 3.3: p. 47-50)

Sunlight Hits Earth • At the equator, sunlight

hits Earth's surface
directly.

• At the poles, sunlight

hits at an angle.
What is a solstice?
(textbook Lesson 3.3: p. 47-50)

• Tilt toward the sun or

away from the sun
• The noon sun is directly
at 23.5 degrees latitude

• Summer solstice- June

21-longest day of year
• Winter solstice -
December 21-shortest
day of year
 What is Equinox?
(textbook Lesson 3.3: p. 47-50)
• Means "equal day and
Equinox night"
• The noon day sun is
directly overhead at the
equator.
• Occurs two days a year.
• Vernal or spring equinox
- March 21
• Autumnal equinox -
September 23
• 12 hrs of daylight and
12 hrs of darkness
Phases, Eclipse, and Tides
 Phases, Eclipse, and Tides
Lesson Essential Questions
• Lesson 4.1-4.2: Why do patterns in Moon’s
appearance occur?

• Lesson 4.3-4.4: What causes tides?

• Lesson 5: What causes solar and lunar eclipses?

• Where did the moon come from?

What causes the phases of the moon?
(textbook p. 12-16)

• Depends on how
much of the sunlit
side of the moon
faces Earth.
 Phases, Eclipse, and Tides
• Phases • The different shapes of
the moon you see from
Earth.

Simulation:
http://astro.unl.edu/classa
ction/animations/lunarcyc
les/lunarapplet.html
 Phases, Eclipse, and Tides
• How many days does it • 27. 3 days to revolve
take for the moon to around Earth
revolve around the
Earth? • A “day” and a “year”
on the moon are the
same length.
• Always see the same
side of the moon
 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
• Since the moon does • Light from the sun
not produce light, how reflects off the moon,
can you see it? allowing it to be seen
from Earth.
 What is the difference between a solar
eclipse and a lunar eclipse? (textbook p. 17-22)

• Eclipse • occurs when the sun,

moon and Earth are in a
line and the moon’s
shadow hits Earth or
Earth’s shadow hits the
moon.
 Phases, Eclipse, and Tides
• Two types of Eclipses • Solar = Latin “sun”
• Lunar = Latin “moon”

http://highered.mheducation.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::800::600::/sites/dl/free/007248262
1/78778/Eclipses_Nav.swf::Eclipse+Interactive
 Phases, Eclipse, and Tides
• Lunar Eclipse • Occurs at a full moon
when Earth is directly
between the moon and
the sun, blocking
sunlight from reaching
the moon.
 Phases, Eclipse, and Tides
• Occurs when the
• Solar Eclipse moon passes between
Earth and the sun.

• Blocking the sunlight

from reaching Earth.

• The moon’s shadow

hits Earth. It is a new
moon in which the
moon blocks your
view of the sun.
 Umbra vs. Penumbra
Umbra is cone shaped and is the
darkest part of the shadow.

Penumbra is less dark than the

umbra.
 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
Why do lunar eclipses • Occurs at a full moon
occur only during full when Earth is directly
moons? between the moon and
the sun.

• The moon is between

Why do solar eclipses the Earth and the sun at
occur only during new new moon phase
moons? exactly in line blocking
the view of the sun.
 What causes the tides?
(textbook Lesson 4.3: p. 66-77)
• Occur because of the
• Tides
differences in how
much the moon pulls on
different parts of the
Earth.

• rise and fall in a regular

cycle.
• 2 high tides and 2 low
tides every 24 hours

http://astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/lunarcycles/tidesim.html
http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/moontides/
 What causes tides?
• What is Gravity? • The force that pulls the
moon and Earth (including
the water on the surface)
toward each other.

• The force between two

objects depends on the
masses of the objects and
the distance between them.

• Ex: The ocean tides are

affected by the gravitational
pull of the moon.
Phases, Eclipse, and Tides
Earth’s Moon
LEQ: Where did the moon come from?
• The Moon’s Structure • There isn’t any air.
• Temperatures range from
100 degrees C to -170
degrees C.
• Gravity is only about 1/6
as strong as Earth’s.
• ¼ the diameter in
comparison to our Earth.

http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/gravity-and-orbits
 Earth’s Moon
• Features on the moon • Craters: pits caused by
include: the impacts of
meteoroids.
• Highlands: mountains
and rims of craters
• Maria: Latin for “seas” -
dark flat areas that
were flooded with
molten material billions
of years ago
 Where did the moon come from?
• A Mars sized object
The Moon’s Origin struck Earth~ 4.5 billion
• The Giant Impact years old when the
Theory Earth was young and
hot.
• Material from Earth
breaks off and is thrown
into orbit around Earth
• Material combined to
form the moon and cools
down.
 The Space Race
• The idea of exploring • Much of what scientists
the moon started with have learned about the
JFK in 1961. moon came from the
• 1969 to 1972 detailed study of the
– Surveyor moon rocks gathered
– Apollo 11: landing “eagle from astronauts.
on the moon”