1. Earth’s Natural Satellite The Moon

2. How was it formed? Impact Theory: This theory suggests that about 4.5 billion years ago an object about the size of Mars hit Earth just after it was formed. Matter from Earth was flung into space and eventually clumped together to form the Moon.

3. Moon Mania AKA:Luna Orbit:384, 400 km from Earth Diameter:3476 km Surface Area: 37 943 000 km 2 Mass:7.35 x 10 22 kg (1/81 Earth’s mass) Volume: 1/50 Earth’s Volume Rotation Period:27.3 days Orbital Period:27.3 days

4. Weather on the Moon There is none because the Moon does not have an atmosphere. Therefore it has no protection from the Sun’s rays or meteorites. It does not retain the Sun’s heat. Temp. Range:- 163 o C to 117 o C, Average Surface Temp is about 1 o C

5. Can you feel its pull? Gravity:1/6 th that of Earth Tides – the pull of the moon’s gravity causes the tides on Earth

6. Come Over to the ‘Dark Side’ The far side of the moon is often called the ‘dark side’ of the moon because we do not see it

7. Moon Phases Synodic Period: 29.5 days

8. New Moon The Moon is _between_ the __Sun_ and __Earth___ therefore the face of the Moon is completely __in shadow__; also, it is _noon_ for the viewer on Earth, so the Moon is not even present in the night sky. (sometimes the new moon in faintly visible in the sky because it is bathed in sunlight reflected off of the Earth – “_Earth shine_”

9. Waxing Crescent A slim, curved slice of the Moon becomes visible as a crescent shape – this is said to be a __waxing_ crescent because the lighted area spreads over a area of the Moon’s surface each day.

10. First Quarter By this point the Moon has traveled __1/4__ of its orbit around the Earth; we see _half_ of the Moon’s face.

11. Waxing Gibbous As the lighted area on the Moon grows _larger_ day-by-day, the Moon is passing through the _waxing gibbous_ phase.

12. Full Moon _14_ days after the new moon, when the __earth__ is between the __moon__ and the _Sun__, we can see the entire “face” of the Moon – (unless the Moon is in Earth’s shadow – a lunar eclipse.)

13. Waning Gibbous The lighted area on the Moon grows _smaller_ each day as the _third_ quarter phase of the Moon is approached.

14. Third Quarter (aka Last Quarter) Only __half__ the Moon is lit now – the opposite half to the first quarter phase.

15. Waning Crescent A slim, curved slice on the __left__ side of the Moon’s face as the ___new___ moon phase is approached.

16. Moon Phases Waxing – means that the bright area of the Moon is getting larger Waning – means that the bright area of the Moon is getting smaller

17. Homework Phases of the Moon – shade in and label Questions: –Is the ‘dark side’ of the moon really dark?