Name______Period _____ Date ______

Moon Model

Lab – PreAp

Lunar Eclipse Solar Eclipse

Introduction:

Lunar phase (or Moon phase) refers to the appearance of the illuminated portion of the Moon as seen by an observer, usually on Earth. The lunar phases vary cyclically as the Moon orbits the Earth, according to the changing relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. One half of the lunar surface is always illuminated by the Sun (except during lunar eclipses), and is hence bright, but the portion of the illuminated hemisphere that is visible to an observer can vary from 100% (full moon) to 0% (new moon). Lunar phases are the result of looking at the illuminated half of the Moon from different viewing geometries; they are not caused by shadows of the Earth on the Moon that occur during a lunar eclipse.

Lunar eclipses rank among the night sky’s most accessible marvels. If the skies are clear, half of the globe can watch the full moon darken and lighten again in a matter of hours, as it passes through the Earth’s shadow. Because its orbit is tilted about 5 degrees from Earth’s plane, it usually passes above or below Earth’s shadow. But at least twice a year the sun, Earth and moon line up so that some part of the Earth’s shadow falls on the moon. When the moon passes through part of the Earth’s shadow, a lunar eclipse occurs. (See the picture above.)

A Solar Eclipse occurs when the moon lines up between the Earth and the Sun so that it blocks out the light from the sun. Typically Solar Eclipses occur at least 2 times per year. They usually last only about 3 minutes and occur in just a small area on the Earth since the moon is not very big in comparison to the Earth or the Sun. (See the picture above.)

Materials:

1 Clamp light /cell phone light 1 large globe 1 small ball (ping pong ball or golf ball)

Procedures:

Part 1: Lunar Phases

1.  On the next page, write a detailed procedure to create a model that reflects the 8 phases of the moon.

2.  Steps must be numbered.

3.  Only one step per line.

4.  Specific enough that Mrs. Conklin can follow each step successfully to complete Data: Part 1.

Part 2: Lunar & Solar Eclipses

1.  Place the lamp, globe, and you in the same relative positions as part 1

2.  Move the small ball in position to make a lunar eclipse (Where a full moon is covered by the shadow of the Earth, blocking the view of the moon. See picture above)

3.  Record observations of how this differs from an ordinary full moons orbit in the data section.

4.  Move the small ball in position to make a solar eclipse over Texas. (The moon blocks the view of the sun).

5.  Record observations of how this differs from an ordinary new moons orbit.

6.  Can you make a shadow big enough on the large ball with the “moon” to block out all the light of the sun for the entire ½ of the Earth facing the sun?

Part 1: Lunar Phases Procedure

Data

Part 1: Lunar Phases

-Each circle must represent what is seen for each location, as viewed from Earth.

-Box the arrow representing the direction the moon is revolving.

1.  Label each of the 8 major phases of the moon in your data section of the lab.

2.  Circle the “moon” phases on the diagram for part 1 blue where a neap tide would occur on Earth.

3.  Circle the “moon” phases on the diagram red where a spring tide would occur on Earth.

Part 2: Lunar & Solar Eclipses

4.  What phase of the moon does a lunar eclipse occur during? ______

4b. Why doesn’t a lunar eclipse always occur during that phase?

4c. What makes the moon “disappear” during an eclipsed moon?

5.  What phase of the moon does a solar eclipse occur during? ______

6.  Which eclipse is visible to more people? ______Why can more people see it?

Analysis Questions:

Name______Period _____ Date ______

7.  Why does the moon APPEAR to change shapes as VIEWED FROM EARTH?

8.  As VIEWED FROM SPACE, when does the moon actually have less than ½ of its surface illuminated by the sun?

______

9.  What is Darth Vader’s favorite phase of the moon? ______Why?

10.  Why does a full moon look circular?

11.  Why does the real moon always have the same side with the same craters of it facing the Earth? (Hint: in book)

12.  How many days does it take the real moon (Luna) to go around the real Earth? ______

13.  Waxing means the:

  1. Lit portion increases or decreases.
  2. Right or left side is lit up.

14.  Waning means the:

  1. Lit portion increases or decreases.
  2. Right or left side is lit up.

15.  At Galveston Beach, Texas, would the tide be closer to high or low tide:

  1. when the moon is directly over France?
  1. when the moon is directly over India?

16.  How would high tide differ if the moon were a New moon compared to a last quarter moon?

17.  Which moon phase(s) would create the highest high tides?

18.  Where would the moon be in the sky if it were high tide? (You can choose more than 1 answer)

  1. Just rising on the beach
  2. Directly over the high tide beach
  3. Just setting on the beach
  4. Over the exact opposite side of the Earth from the beach