1. Moon & Moon Phases

2. The Moon

3. Moon Facts The earth’s only natural satellite
The moon is 2,160 miles in diameter, slightly more than 1/4 the diameter of Earth
Gravity 1/6 of the earth
No meaningful atmosphere, just trace amounts of hydrogen, helium, neon and argon.

4. Moon’s orbit The orbit period around the earth – 27.3 days
The spin period is exactly the same!
This is why we always see the same side of the moon!

6. Near Side
Far Side

7. The formation of the moon
Giant impact hypothesis
An impact of a Mars-sized body collide w/ the proto-Earth and ejected materials to orbit around the earth – the Moon

8. Maria – Moon’s Surface Maria (singular mare, ‘sea’ in Latin)
Highland
Crater
Maria (singular mare, ‘sea’ in Latin)
Dark areas and were thought to be seas
Cover 31% of the near side, but only 2% of the far side
No water but vast pools of solidified lava that flowed into basins formed by comets/meteors colliding

9. Maria – Moon’s Surface Highland
Crater
Highland
Lighter color regions, or called Terrae
Different brightness of the highlands and maria is because they are composed of different rock types

10. Craters Formed when asteroids/comets hit the lunar surface
Half a million craters with diameters larger than 1km
Crater counting – to estimate the age of the lunar surface

11. Moon Phases Why does the moon change phases?
Lunar phases are the result of our eyes seeing the illuminated half of the Moon from different viewing angles.
Due to the Moon’s orbital positions

12. The Moon’s Orbit around the earth

13. Phases of the Moon

14. Complete this Say, Sun rises at 6am and sets at 6pm Moon Phase
Moon Rise Time
New Moon
Sunrise/6am
Waxing Crescent
9am
First Quarter
12pm
Waxing Gibbous
3pm
Full Moon
6pm
Waning Gibbous
9pm
Third Quarter
12am
Waning Crescent
3am