Week 6: Earth Sun Moon

Week 6 Blog 

1. How do the phases of the moon occur? 

The different positions in the moon's orbit of Earth determine how much of the moon is being illuminated by the Sun.

2. What causes the seasons?
   The seasons are caused by a given hemisphere of Earth’s position relative to the Sun. The closer a hemisphere is to earth, the warmer the hemisphere will be. 

3. What causes a lunar eclipse? 

A lunar eclipse is caused when the moon and sun are aligned with each other relative to earth’s position. Earth moves "in front" of the Sun relative to the moon, and the moon gets completely dark because it’s essentially shading the moon from the sun.

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The big question this week (I think) was "Why do the phases of the moon occur?"

What did you do in lab today?

In lab this week, we started with introductions and then talked about the Solar System. First, we learned about the previous scientific/cultural understanding of the solar system (the geocentric view) and how astronomers discovered that we actually are in a heliocentric solar system (the Sun is the center). The planets are also on the Plane of the Ecliptic, meaning they can all pass in front of each other (albeit millions of miles apart). Pluto isn't on that plane, so it is no longer considered a planet. 

Next, we talked about the Equator and the Tropic Lines (Cancer and Capricorn). Because Earth rotates on an axis/tilt, there are different times when the Sun points directly at all locations on these three different imaginary lines. 

We also did a mini-lab/discussion. We talked about how the earth and moon rotate and why the Moon has phases. We started this discussion at our tables, and then got a more concrete explanation at the end of lab and during the Thursday lecture. 

What did you learn in Thursday’s discussion?

In class on Thursday, I learned more about how to conceptualize the moon's rotation and how the moon phases occur. I felt like Allison explained it in a way that helped me better understand. She used a white board to draw the Sun, Earth, and moon's position relative to each other and by drawing it along with her, I was able to better understand how this all works although I still have a few questions. I was even able to start looking at the moon in the sky the past few nights, name the phase (Full Moon!), and think about where the sun must be during that time.

Pressbook 

1. What did you learn? 

I learned from the Pressbook reading what the lunar and solar eclipses are and how they work. For example, during a solar eclipse, the moon partially or fully blocks out the Sun’s light from the viewer on Earth. Although the Sun is significantly larger than the moon, the moon is much, much closer to us, so from the viewpoint of earth, the moon’s closeenss “cancels  ut” the Sun’s larger size.  

I also learned more about shadows from the reading and the resource video. In the Northern Hemisphere, we are always a little north of the Sun’s position, so our shadows will point North- it’s just a matter of how large the shadow is (during the Summer Solstice, our shadows will be almost nonexistent because the Sun is almost directly on top of us). 

2. What was most helpful? 

The videos were most helpful for me, especially the one made by former students about shadows. I was really able to visualize what happens during the different solstices and equinoxes with the flashlight/imaginary line demonstration. I think they were able to explain it the way they understood it as students who were relatively new to the concept, which helped me understand too. 

3. What do you need more information on? 

I think I could use some more information on how to visualize the Earth’s rotation relative to the Sun and how the Sun shines directly on the tropic/equator lines. I also could use some more information on how the Moon’s rotation, the Earth’s rotation, and their combined orbit around the Sun all works together. I am a little lost as to how the moon remains in its current phase for a few days and how we see it the same way even as we rotate once per day on Earth. 

4. What questions, comments, or concerns do you have? 

My main question is what I talked about in the last question- How do the Moon’s and Earth’s rotations, along with their orbit of the Sun, relate to each other to create the Moon Phases?