Go to the Following URL and Answer the Questions Based on the Animation

Name:______Period:______

Lunar Phases

Go to the following URL and answer the questions based on the animation.

http://tinyurl.com/norton-moon

1. What were the first calendars based upon?

2. What is “synchronous rotation”?

3. What causes the phases of the moon?

Click on each position of the Moon to see which phase would be visible from Earth. Start with the moon phase at the lower left (position 1 in the following diagram). Use this information to answer the following questions

4. Why is the new moon hard to see?

5. What is a waxing moon? What is a waning moon?

6. What is a gibbous moon?

7. Why is there no shadow apparent on a full moon?

8. How do the two gibbous moons compare to each other? Which part is in shadow?

9. Label the phases shown below and shade the moon to show the unlit hemisphere (position 1 has been done as an example): 10. In the following table, record the phase and shade the Moon as it appears from Earth for each of the eight positions in the diagram above. (Again, the first has been done as an example.) Position 1 Position 2 Position 3 Position 4 waxing crescent

Position 5 Position 6 Position 7 Position 8

11. How much of the moon is illuminated at any given time? Why is this different than what is visible from Earth?

Click on the arrow to advance to the next section. Use the next section to answer the following questions:

12. What is the difference between the Moon’s orbit and the ecliptic?

13. When do eclipses take place?

14. Why are there not eclipses every month?

15. What is a solar eclipse? Describe the appearance?

16. What is a lunar eclipse? How does the moon appear during a lunar eclipse?

17. Why is the moon visible during a lunar eclipse? Name:______Period:______

Lunar Orbit

Go to the following URL and answer the questions based on the interactive.

http://tinyurl.com/Lunar-orbit 1. Click on the “Introduction” tab and read the introduction. When you finish, click on the “Interactive” tab. 2. Observe the animation for one complete orbit of the moon. Note the direction of the sun. 3. How many days does it take the moon to make a complete orbit?

4. Click on the “Pause Time” checkbox. Drag the hour hand of the clock to midnight (hint: the sky will be dark). Click on the first day of the calendar. What is the phase of the moon? Where is the moon with relation to the person standing on the Earth?

5. Now click on the 8th day of the calendar (leave the time at midnight for now). What is the phase of the Moon? Where is the moon with relation to the observer?

6. Drag the hour hand ahead for 24 hours (remember to go clockwise). When would the Moon appear to rise and set? (note that the time to rise is when it would appear on the horizon, not when it shows up in the sky of the interactive).

7. Now click on the 15th day of the calendar. What is the phase of the Moon? Where is the Moon at midnight?

8. Drag the hour hand backwards and forwards and observe when the Moon rises and sets. With relation to the Sun, when does the Moon rise when it is full? With relation to the Sun, when does the Moon set when it is full?

9. Now click on the 22nd day of the calendar. What is the phase of the Moon? Where is the Moon at midnight?

10. Drag the hour hand backwards and forwards and observe when the Moon rises and sets. With relation to the Sun, when does the Moon rise when it is in the Third Quarter? With relation to the Sun, when does the Moon set when it is in the Third Quarter?

11. Drag the hour hand forwards until the day reaches the 28th day of the calendar. Observe the time when the Moon rises and sets. What kind of pattern do you notice?

12. Suppose that you go outside at midnight and see the Moon low in the western sky. Is it rising or setting? If you go out the next night at midnight, where would expect to see the moon?

13. Suppose the Moon is in the new phase. When would you expect to see it cross your meridian?

Go to the following URL: http://kalender-365.de/lunar-calendar.php?yy=2010

1. If we want to meet after school to observe the Moon, what days this month will be good for that? (hint: when will it be in the waxing crescent?)