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Published byRandell Gilbert Modified over 9 years ago
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Moon Phases & Eclipses What patterns, motions, and events do we notice in the sky? What theories can we create to explain them? How can these theories be tested?
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The next LUNAR eclipse YOU can see… Sunday night, 27 September 2015
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The next TOTAL SOLAR eclipse YOU can see… Monday morning, 21 August 2017
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The next “nearby” TOTAL SOLAR eclipse YOU can see… August 21 2017
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Observations of the Moon Sequence of phases every “moonth” We always see the same “face”
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Observations of the Moon Occasionally turns dark gray & even red! Can seem bigger next to the horizon!
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Phases repeat ~30 days A “moonth” of time Tied to religious calendars around the globe Ramadan Chinese New Year Easter Rosh Hashanah Gudi Padwa & Vasant Panchami
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Observations of the Moon A sequence of repeated phases over about a “moonth”
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Observations of the Moon IS the phase the same on the same day around the world? Do people in London see the same phase as we do in Hayward?
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Observations of the Moon IS the phase the same on the same day around the world? Most people would say…… NO! They are wrong! Compare times For Earth to rotate: hours For the Moon to move & change phase: days
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Observations of the Moon Do people in both hemispheres see the same view? Does an observer at Chabot see the same thing as someone in Santiago, Chile? Most people would say…… er…YES? They are wrong!
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Phases are “reversed” in Southern Hemisphere! Same side of moon is still lit by the sun Observation from “down under” reverses view.
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Seeing the moon from different places on Earth!
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Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere
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The Moon Illusion!
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What theories can we develop? WHY does the moon seem larger? Because it IS larger? Because it is an illusion We see horizon different than zenith? We don’t have a “reference” for Moon when it’s higher in the sky? How can you TEST these hypotheses?
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The Moon Illusion! The Moon DOES vary in distance….
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The Moon Illusion! ….but not over a few hours!
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The Moon Illusion! Perhaps… we don’t see the sky as symmetric – the horizon is farther away than the sky above us?
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Solar Eclipses Occur at NEW moon phase While partial, a “bite” out of the Sun Last 1+ hours IF total… Sky goes dark for a few minutes See planets and stars near the sun See Sun’s corona and chromosphere
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Shadow of the moon covers small oval on Earth
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Corona Chromosphere
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Annual Solar Eclipse Time-lapse series of photos -What time of day? -How long did this take? Hint: Northern Hemisphere!
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Lunar Eclipses Occur at FULL moon phase The Moon looks full, but dim The Earth’s curved shadow falls across the moon Last 2+ hours IF total… Moon can look red for an hour
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At the start of a lunar eclipse, you can see the Earth’s Shape through its shadow…
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Lunar Eclipse Time-Lapse Note the curved shadow of the Earth across the moon.
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Predicting Eclipses Eclipse “seasons” About twice a year Always at least (2) eclipses One of each (lunar + solar) About 2 weeks apart Pattern repeats about 18 years for location and type
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Eclipse “Seasons”
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The next LUNAR eclipse YOU can see… Sunday night, 27 September 2015
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Sunday night, 27 September 2015 Moon rises with partial eclipse already started Total beings 7:11 PM Max Eclipse 7:47 Total Ends 8:23 Partial Ends 9:27 Then… just a full moon!
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A really “nearby” TOTAL SOLAR eclipse YOU might see… August 12 2045 Chabot College
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