The Earth and its Movements
Topics from Chapter: 7.3, 7.4
Moon Phases -8 in total
Moon Phases
WAXING WANING
When the bright When the bright
part is getting part is getting
BIGGER SMALLER
Phases of the Moon
Waxing Crescent
• A narrow strip of the Moon’s
lighted hemisphere is visible
from the Earth. Shaped like a
crescent. The light is on the
right.
• Visible late afternoon and just
after sunset in the
southwestern sky.
First Quarter
• Half of the lighted
hemisphere is visible from
the earth. Shaped like a
semicircle. The light is on
the right.
• Visible afternoon and
evening, until it sets about
midnight.
Waxing Gibbous
• Three quarters of the
lighted hemisphere is
visible from the Earth.
Shaped like an upended
football. The light is on the
right.
• Visible in the eastern
portion of the sky in the
late afternoon. After
sunset, the moon moves
across the southern part of
the sky and sets sometime
after midnight.
Full moon
• All of the lighted hemisphere
is visible from the Earth. It
makes a full circle in the sky.
• Visible in the eastern portion
of the sky in the late
afternoon. After sunset, the
moon moves across the
southern part of the sky and
sets sometime after midnight.
Waning Gibbous
• Three quarters of the moon’s
lighted hemisphere is visible from
the earth. Shaped like an upended
football. The light is on the left. In
this phase, the moon wanes, or
turns away from the earth.
• Rises after sunset (as much as 5 or
6 hours later). Best seen in the
southwest sky during the morning
after sunrise.
Third quarter
• Half of the moon’s lighted
hemisphere is visible from
earth. Shaped like a
semicircle. The light is on
the left.
• Rises at midnight, sets at
noon, much like the waning
gibbous moon.
Waxing crescent
• A narrow strip of the
moon’s lighted
hemisphere is visible
from earth. Shaped like a
crescent. Light is on the
left.
• Can only be seen in the
early morning.
Neat stuff about moon phases
• The Harvest Moon is the FULL MOON nearest to the AUTUMNAL EQUINOX,
which occurs (in the NORTHERN HEMISPHERE) on or about SEPT. 23 rd . This is
also know as the Elk Moon, Singing Moon, Wine Moon
January – Wolf Moon July – Hay Moon
February – Ice Moon August –
Corn Moon
March – Storm Moon Sept. – HARVEST
MOON
April – Growing Moon Oct. – Hunter’s Moon
May – Hare Moon Nov. Snow
Moon
June – Mead Moon Dec. –
Winter Moon
• When there are 2 full moons in a month the second is called a BLUE MOON
Eclipses
• Eclipses occur when the Earth or moon casts a shadow on the other
• the sun, Earth, & Moon align at these times
Parts of a Shadow Eclipses
Umbra: Darkest part (center)
Penumbra: Lighter part (outside)
Solar Eclipse
Eclipses Solar
• A total solar eclipse occurs under the UMBRA
• Only the corona is seen glowing during a total solar eclipse
• A partial solar eclipse happens in the penumbra.
• A total solar eclipse is visible only on a small area of Earth
• Occur during New Moon
• Occurs every year, only seen in specific areas
Lunar Eclipse
Eclipses lunar
• If the moon is completely in Earths umbra, a total lunar
eclipse occurs.
• Partial Lunar Eclipse: When only part of the Moon moves
into Earth’s umbra, or the moon is totally in the penumbra.
• Total Lunar Eclipses must occur during a full moon!
Lunar Eclipse
• Why don’t we see a lunar eclipse every month?
Answer: The moon’s orbital place is on a 5 degree tilt. The
moon doesn’t always end up in the full shadow (umbra)
