Explore the Moon with GRAIL MoonKAM

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33 Ellen Ochoa Astronaut Neil deGrasse Tyson Planetarium Director 3 Joy Crisp Geologist and Project Scientist Andrew Revkin Environmental Reporter

4 Photo / Donna Coveney Maria Zuber MIT Planetary Scientist Let’s find out more about what Maria is working on right now.

In 2012 NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission will place two spacecraft in a low-altitude orbit around the Moon to measure its gravity in unprecedented detail.

GRAIL Science Objectives Determine the structure of the lunar interior, from crust to core Advance understanding of the thermal evolution of the Moon

GRAIL is the first NASA planetary mission with instruments fully dedicated to education and outreach GRAIL MoonKAM will allow classrooms to request pictures of the lunar surface from cameras on the twin satellites Up to 4 per cameras spacecraft Students target and select images You can be part of this mission!

8 What can I do with a picture? 1. Measure the width of the picture. 2. Measure the width of this crater. 3. Measure the width of this crater.

9 Now that you’ve mastered some of the skills of a scientist, let’s learn more terminology to study the moon!

10 What is the Moon? A natural satellite One of more than 96 moons in our Solar System The only moon of the planet Earth

11 Earth and Moon

12 3,468 km (2,155 miles) in diameter (about ¼ the size of Earth) How BIG is it?

Using two objects to represent the Earth and moon, let’s estimate how far away the moon is from the Earth. An approximate judgment or calculation.

Using diameter: 240,000 miles/8,000 miles = 30 Earths 385,000 km/13,000 km = 29.6

Using circumference: 240,000 miles/25,000 miles = 9 ½ 384,500 km/40,000 km = 9 ½

16 About 384,000 km (240,000 miles) from Earth 360,000 km 406,000 km 224,000 miles 252,000 miles Orbits (revolves around) Earth every 27.3 days Elliptical orbit (not a perfect circle)

17 The imaginery line between the illuminated part of the moon, and the dark side is called the TERMINATOR. The edge where the moon meets the sky is called the LIMB.

18 Craters - BlueLowlands - Green Apollo Sites - RedMountain Ranges - Black

19 The Moon’s Surface No atmosphere Extreme temperatures –Daytime = 130  C (265°F) –Nighttime = -190  C (-310  F)

20 E KKKKKK Originally thought to be “seas” by early astronomers Darkest parts of lunar landscape Filled by lava after crash of huge meteorites on lunar surface 3-4 billion years ago Mostly basalt rock Lunar Features - Maria

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22 Mountains up to 7500 m (25,000 ft) tall Rilles (trenchlike valleys) Cover about 85% of the surface Lunar Features - Highlands

23 Mountains and Valleys

24 Lunar Features - Craters Up to 2500 km (1,553 miles) across Most formed by meteorite impact on the Moon Some formed by volcanic action inside the Moon More on the far side of the moon

Crater Lake, Oregon Barringer Crater, Arizona Mars

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29 Name these features. craters maria

30 Do you think this is a picture of the near side or far side of the moon? Far side

31 About how far away is the moon? A. 24 miles B. 240 miles C. 24, 000 miles D. 240,000 miles

32 Which feature of our moon did early astronomers think were “seas?” A. craters B. maria C. rays D. mountains

33 About how big is the moon compared to the Earth? A. 1/8th B. 1/4th C. 1/3rd D. 1/2

34 Which of these statements is TRUE? A.Side A is the TERMINATOR and Side B is the far edge. B.Side A is the LIMB and Side B is the TERMINATOR. C.Side A is the INSIDE edge and Side B is the OUTSIDE edge. D. Side A is the TERMINATOR and Side B is the LIMB. A

35 How can you learn more about the moon? A.Read more about it! B.Become an astronomer! C.Be part of the GRAIL/MoonKAM mission! D.All of the above!

36 E To find out more about GRAIL MoonKAM visit: