1. Earth’s Moon

2. Discovery
First recorded observation of the moon goes back 32,000 years.
By 6400 BC, Egyptians had developed a lunar calendar: 12 months, 30 days

3. Sun’s behavior eventually took precedence, but while the moon has been the object of detailed scientific study – it also played an important roles in the spiritual and ritual affairs of many cultures. Ex. Greek, Roman, Mexican
Almost every culture created myths to incorporate the existence and appearance of the moon.
Read p54,56,57

4. Myths
A way for cultures to explain and understand phenomena associated with the moon’s appearance.
RB p17. (*128)

5. Rona In the Moon
RB p55.
Myths – RB – p55-58.

6. Modern lunar science began when Galileo assembled a crude, but useful telescope.
Today, the Hubble Space Telescope in near Earth orbit (1990) observes the moon without limitations imposed by land/air: light pollution, atmospheric distortion, temperature fluctuations, and vibrations.
Video Clip: HubbleScope

7. At a glance:
Moon’s period of revolution is exactly the same as its period of rotation – that is, it takes 30 days for the moon to rotate once through the day/night cycle on its axis while orbiting about the earth in 30 days.
The moon’s appearance changes over the 30 day period: new, first quarter, full and third quarter.

8. Phases
Phase Handout
Puzzle
Game
Lunar calendar

9. Moon’s Topography
Craters: round structures of various sizes with various details
Maria: (mare – singular) – large dark gray or black areas that are fairly smooth. Mare means ocean in Latin.
Highlands: light-colored areas with lots of rough mountains and craters.
Rays: the white lines that extend in all directions from some craters.
Rilles: structures that look like canyons or stream courses.

10. Moon’s Craters
Impact is one of the major processes that shape and change the surfaces of planets and satellites.
Craters of various sizes result when meteoroids of various size and speed hit the moon’s surface.
Craters can be characterized by size and physical properties:
Simple
Complex
Terraced
Ringed (or basin)
Flooded

11. Crater Map Where do you see the greatest concentration of craters?
Where are the three largest craters?
Where is the lowest concentration of craters?
Which craters have the most rays?
Do all craters look the same?
Which craters look like they might be really old, and which ones look new?

12. Resource Book Moon craters p18-26 Earth craters p27-29
Mars craters p30-31

13. Any chunk of matter whizzing through space is a potential impacting body:
Asteroids: large, rocky body
Comets: large clumps of ice and dust
Meteoroids: smaller pieces of “stuff”:
- meteorite: portion of the meteoroid that survives intact after impact with another body
- meteor: meteoroid passing through Earth’s atmosphere

14. Activities: Read p59-62 Homework: Read p63-66 Homework: Read p67-68

15. CD ROM: Open the Craters Binder:
- go to Formation chapter
- open the page called Simple and Complex craters, read the text
- go the page called Crater Formation Animation and play the 3 simulation several times, try doing it frame by frame to study the action
- explore links to examples of other craters
- discuss the questions posed on the image pages

16. Mare Formation
If time, go to the Craters binder and tour the Mare Formation Animation.
Asteroid video.

17. Landing on the Moon Video Clip: One Giant Leap
Moon exploration involves robotic probes and manned spacecraft.
Controversy over the surface of the moon – could it support a lunar landing.
Read p74-77.
Watch: For All Mankind video.

18. Space Exploration Binder
Open the Moon chapter
Navigate through the Before Apollo section.