Distance from the Sun 1 Astronomical Unit = 149, 597, 871 kilometers

Average Distance from the Earth to the Moon: 221,567 miles

Average Distance from the Earth to the Sun: 93,020,000 miles (149, 597, 871km )(1 AU)

DID YOU KNOW THE MOON CAUSES TIDES????

What are tides? Tides are periodic rise and fall of large bodies of water. Tides are caused by the gravitational interaction between the Earth and the Moon. The gravitational attraction of the moon causes the oceans to bulge out in the direction of the moon. Another bulge occurs on the opposite side, since the Earth is also being pulled toward the moon (and away from the water on the far side). Since the Earth is rotating while this is happening, two tides occur each day.

Spring Tides SPRING TIDES Spring tides are especially strong tides (they do not have anything to do with the season Spring). They occur when the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon are in a line. The gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun both contribute to the tides. Spring tides occur during the full moon and the new moon.

NEAP TIDES Neap tides are especially weak tides. They occur when the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun are perpendicular to one another (with respect to the Earth). Neap tides occur during quarter moons.

EARTH’S SEASONS

What causes Earth’s seasons? The Earth's axis of rotation is tilted in relation to the ecliptic plane, an imaginary surface through Earth's orbit around the sun. This means the northern and southern hemispheres will sometimes point toward or away from the sun depending on the time of year, varying the amount of light they receive and causing the seasons.

Tilt of the Earth’s axis towards or away from the sun creates the seasons When the north pole tilts toward the sun, it gets more radiation – more warmth during the summer SUMMER (Northern Hemisphere) North Pole Equator Earth When the north pole tilts toward the sun, the south pole tilts away So when it’s summer in the north, it’s winter in the south WINTER (Southern Hemisphere)

Tilt of the Earth’s axis towards or away from the sun creates the seasons WINTER (Northern Hemisphere) When the north pole tilts away from the sun, it gets less radiation – So it’s colder during the winter North Pole Equator Earth South Pole When the north pole tilts away from the sun, the south pole tilts toward it… When it’s winter in the north, it’s summer in the south SUMMER (Southern Hemisphere)

Does the Moon have seasons? The tilt of Earth's axis is about 23.5 degrees, but the tilt of the moon's axis is only about 1.5 degrees. As such, the moon virtually has no seasons. This means that some areas are always lit by sunlight, and other places are perpetually draped in shadow. Videos

What is a Solstice? At two points throughout the year, the tilt of the Earth’s axis reaches its maximum angle compared to the Sun, and begins to move back the other direction. This usually happens around June 21st and December 21st. These days are known as solstices. On these solstices, the rays of the Sun shine directly on one of the two Tropics. During the June Solstice the rays of the Sun shine directly on the Tropic of Cancer. During the December Solstice the Sun’s rays shine on the Tropic of Capricorn.

Solstice June 21st December 21st

What is an Equinox As the Earth moves around its orbit, it reaches two points during the year where the tilt of its axis causes it to be straight relative to the Sun. These days are known as equinoxes. During these equinoxes the rays of the Sun shine directly on the equator. This happens on approximately March 20th and September 22nd.

Equinox March 20th and September 22nd Worksheet

Vocabulary to know! Ellipse- A closed, symmetric curve shaped like an oval. Earth’s shape is nearly circular! Tilt- to cause to lean, incline, slope, or slant.

Clementine’s Contributions Clementine's four cameras took more than 2 million pictures of the moon. A laser device measured the height and depth of mountains, craters, and other features. Radar signals that Clementine bounced off the moon provided evidence of a large deposit of frozen water. The ice appeared to be inside craters at the south pole. Another kind of information collected by the Clementine Spacecraft indicates what kinds of minerals make up moon rocks. Clementine Space Craft got its name after the song, "Oh my darling Clementine." The song has a line ' Thou art lost and gone forever' - a reference to its one-way journey with no return.

Phases of the Moon

Lunar vs. Solar Eclipse A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun, and the Earth's shadow obscures the moon or a portion of it. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking all or a portion of the Sun.

Terms to know…. Umbra-The completely dark portion of the shadow cast by the earth, moon, or other body during an eclipse. Penumbra-A partial shadow, as in an eclipse, between regions of complete shadow and complete illumination.

Lunar Eclipse

Lunar Eclipse A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly behind the Earth into its umbra (shadow). This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle.

Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun. This can happen only at the new moon phase.

Lunar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse

Why doesn’t a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse occur every month? Solar and lunar eclipses don't occur every month because the plane of the Moon's orbit around the Earth is not aligned with the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. The Moon's path is tilted when compared to the plane of Earth's orbit, so the Moon is not in a direct line with the Sun and Earth. In a solar eclipse, the Moon must be directly between the Sun and the Earth. Similarly, in a lunar eclipse (slightly more frequent), the shadow of the Earth has to fall on the Moon. Videos

Can you remember…. What is a neap tide? What is a spring tide? What is an Equinox? What is a Solstice? What is a lunar eclipse? What is a solar eclipse? What does AU stand for?

Comet- A celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and when near the sun, a “tail” of gas and dust points away from the sun. Meteoroid- A meteoroid is a small rock or particle of debris in our solar system. They range in size from dust to around 10 meters in diameter (larger objects are usually referred to as asteroids). Meteor- A meteoroid that burns up as it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere is known as a meteor. If you’ve ever looked up at the sky at night and seen a streak of light or ‘shooting star’ what you are actually seeing is a meteor. Meteorite- A meteoroid that survives falling through the Earth’s atmosphere and colliding with the Earth’s surface is known as a meteorite. Asteroid- A small rocky body orbiting the Sun. Large numbers of these, ranging in size from nearly 600 miles (1,000 km) across to dust particles, are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Comets Object made of ice, gas, and dust that travels through space. “solar system leftovers” possibly formed at the same time as the sun & planets (4.5 billion years ago) Travel across the sky SLOWLY. Example: Halley’s Comet Travels towards the sun every 75-79 years… said to return in 2062. Reflects Sunlight Where do they come from? Oort Cloud (vast collection of ice/dust) outside Pluto More than a light year away from the sun (15 tril km)

Comets

Meteoroid Smaller than asteroids Rocky – made of metal or stone Orbit sun, outside Earth’s atmosphere Believed to come from the Asteroid belt

Meteors We call them shooting stars They are meteoroids that enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up (streaks of light) The streak of light produced by a burning metor Meteor shower – meteors coming from the same place Meteor storm – many meteors

Meteor

Meteorite A meteor that strikes Earth’s surface. Can land on other places, like the moon Composed of iron, nickel, stone Large meteorites have produced craters when they hit Earth. (SW Africa, Canada, Arizona, Russia) Video

Meteorite

Asteroids Rocky, cratered bodies that orbit the sun Smaller than planets but larger than meteoroids Reflects Sunlight

Meteor Shower April 21st-22nd!!!!! The Lyrid meteor shower should give sky watchers in darkened parts of the world a decent show late Sunday night (April 21) and early Monday morning (April 22), but the glare from a nearly full moon will probably impede the view for many stargazers. "Moonlight will interfere with this year's display, but away from city lights, you might see up to 20 meteors per hour."

What is the difference between comets and meteors? What is the difference between a meteor, meteorite, and meteoroid? What is an asteroid?

HOMEWORK! Meteors Known as shooting stars Most found in the asteroid belt Object made of ice, gas, and dust Asteroids Comets

Stars

What is a Star? A star is a huge sphere of very hot glowing gas. When stars are grouped together we call them constellations. The Big Dipper is a constellation that we see often.

The Sun The Sun is the only star in our solar system. All eight planets, comets, and an asteroid belt, revolve around the Sun. The Sun is a yellow, medium sized star.

Classyfiying Stars Stars are classified according to their temperature and brightness. Hot stars are blue or white. Cooler stars are red or orange.

H.R Diagram

Classifying Stars Cont…. A young star is called a dwarf star They can be colored red, yellow, or white. Our sun is a yellow dwarf. Older stars are called Super giants. -They can be colored red or blue.

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Life Cycle of a Star Our Sun is an average star. The chart below shows the lifecycle of our sun over billions of years.

How are Stars formed Stars are formed from giant clouds of dust and gas. Then, from gravity, the cloud collapses into a rotating gaseous ball. Once the new star gets hot enough it will begin to create energy from a process called nuclear fission. This created energy allows the star to glowfor billions of years.

The Eagle Nebula

Death of Stars A star dies when it runs out of gases to burn. The Star will first expand into a red, supergiant.

Death of Stars Cont… Then the star will collapse and explode. This takes billions of years. The size of the star determines how long it’s life is. The bigger the star the shorter the life.

When Stars Explode… The Crab Nebula This is what happens when a star explodes. The Crab Nebula is a result of a Supernova that was seen in 1054 AD.(Image captured by Hubble Telescope).