Earth and Moon

Rotation and Revolution

Seasons on Earth Two reasons the Earth has seasons: 23.5 degree tilt Revolution around sun

Third Rock from the Sun 70% water Water in all three states (solid, liquid, and gas) Supports Life Oxygen rich atmosphere

How Old is the Earth? The Earth is thought to be 4.55 billion years old

The Surface of Earth Geologically Active with a surface that is constantly changing Weathering and erosion Plate tectonics

Atmosphere of Earth Oxygen rich Blocks out most of the sun’s damaging rays The atmosphere deflects millions of tiny and not so tiny meteors every day that otherwise would have hit the earth and us.

Our Moon

Surface of the Moon Maria(seas of lava Highlands Craters(caused by collisions from Asteroids)

Characteristics of our Moon Gravity is only one-sixth as strong as Earth’s Extreme temperatures can range from 100oC to -170oC No air or liquid water It has solid, rocky ground

How Big is the Moon? ¼ the diameter of the Earth (that’s 4 moons across the middle of the Earth)

Where is the Moon? The moon revolves around the Earth in a month Approximately 385,000 kilometers from the Earth

How old is the Moon? About the same age as the Earth(4.5 billion years old

Phases of the Moon Caused by its position relative to the Earth and the sun.

Phases of the moon

Apollo Moon Missions 1963-1972 Apollo 11, 12, 14, 16, 17 landed humans on the surface of the moon The six missions that landed on the moon returned a wealth of data and 400 kg of lunar samples. Experiments included soil mechanics, meteoroids, seismic, heat flow, lunar ranging, magnetic fields, and solar wind experiments.

Apollo Moon Landings Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the moon. moon landing.asx

The Sun Average size yellow star 110 times the diameter of the Earth Approximely 4.6 billion years old

Where is the sun? Center of the solar system 93 million miles from the Earth

The Surface of the Sun The photosphere 60,000 degrees F on the surface The sunlight that reaches Earth comes from the photosphere

Life on the sun Made of Hydrogen and Helium gases The temperature are too hot to support life(27,000,000 degrees F) Since it is made of gas there is nothing solid to live on

Features of the Sun Prominence Loops of gases that link different parts of sunspot regions

Features of the Sun Sunspots Areas of gas on the sun that are cooler than the gases around them Sunspot cycle of 10-11 years

Features of the Sun Solar Flares An explosion of Hydrogen gas from The sun’s surface That occurs when Loops in sunspot Regions connect Causes magnetic storms Increases solar wind

Life Cycle of the Sun

Historical Contributions in Earth-moon-sun Earth-Centered Models Aristotle (384-322 BC) -Greek philosopher and scientist -Believed in an earth-centered universe -Thought the heavens moved naturally and endlessly in a complex circular motion

Ptolemy (100-170 AD) Astronomer and mathematician Believed the earth was stationary and was the center of the universe Tried to solve the problem of retrograde movement of Mars marsmovie.gif

Sun-Centered Models Copernicus (1473-1543) Believed in a sun-centered universe (Heliocentric) Earth orbits the sun in a circular motion Did not publish his theory until his death because of the Catholic Church

Galileo (1546-1642) Built a telescope and discovered mountains and craters on the moon Observed the phases of Venus Observed Sun Spots Discovered Jupiter’s moon (4 largest) Upheld Copernicus’s sun-centered theory Place under house arrest for life by the Catholic Church due to his beliefs