Author: Maddie VanBeek
Think of all the different sizes, shapes, and colors you have seen represented just by looking at the moon. Just like trees change with the seasons, our moon kind of has its own little seasons! The moon takes about one month to rotate around Earth. Does it look the same every night? No! It undergoes a transformation! As the moon rotates, light is reflected more or less, depending on where the moon is positioned in relation to Earth and the sun.
When the moon is illuminated by the sun fully and the Earth is not blocking it, we see a full moon. This is when the moon looks like a perfect bright circle. When the moon is hiding behind the Earth and is hidden from the sun, we see a new moon. The moon is dark and difficult to see. In between the new moon and full moon, we see crescent moons, quarter moons, and gibbous moons. Waxing means the moon is getting larger and moving towards a full moon, and waning means the moon is getting smaller and moving towards a new moon.
Think of all the different sizes, shapes, and colors you have seen represented just by looking at the moon. Just like trees change with the seasons, our moon kind of has its own little seasons! The moon takes about one month to rotate around Earth. Does it look the same every night? No! It undergoes a transformation! As the moon rotates, light is reflected more or less, depending on where the moon is positioned in relation to Earth and the sun.
When the moon is illuminated by the sun fully and the Earth is not blocking it, we see a full moon. This is when the moon looks like a perfect bright circle. When the moon is hiding behind the Earth and is hidden from the sun, we see a new moon. The moon is dark and difficult to see. In between the new moon and full moon, we see crescent moons, quarter moons, and gibbous moons. Waxing means the moon is getting larger and moving towards a full moon, and waning means the moon is getting smaller and moving towards a new moon.
Both of these Moon Phase raps will stick in your head and help you remember the moon phases!
Thanks, Flocabulary!
Thanks, Flocabulary!
If you liked “Moon Phases,” check out Mr. Lee’s Moon Phases Rap for some more “out of this world” science raps!
Now that you know the phases of the moon, let’s further discuss eclipses.
Lunar eclipses occur when the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned in that order. Thus, lunar eclipses only occur during a full moon. The Earth blocks the moon from the sun’s light, and the Earth’s shadow, or umbra, is cast upon the moon. This shadow gives the moon a reddish glow.
Lunar eclipses occur when the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned in that order. Thus, lunar eclipses only occur during a full moon. The Earth blocks the moon from the sun’s light, and the Earth’s shadow, or umbra, is cast upon the moon. This shadow gives the moon a reddish glow.
There are different types of lunar eclipses, including penumbral, partial, and total lunar eclipses.
In a partial eclipse, only a portion of the moon is shadowed by the Earth’s umbra, or shadow.
In a partial eclipse, only a portion of the moon is shadowed by the Earth’s umbra, or shadow.
In a penumbral eclipse, only the outer part of the Earth’s shadow covers the moon, so the result is very subtle compared to the total or partial lunar eclipses. Below is an example of a penumbral eclipse (at the left)n as compared to the full moon one hour before eclipse (at right). At best, the moon just looks slightly shaded during a penumbral eclipse.
Finally, there is the total lunar eclipse. This gives the moon a reddish tinge and has been nicknamed a “blood moon.” The image below was taken on April 15, 2014 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Solar eclipses occur when the sun, moon and Earth are aligned, in that order. Solar eclipses can only occur during a New Moon. The moon blocks a portion of the sun’s light, so the Earth sees something like this:
On October 23rd, 2014 there was a partial solar eclipse. This means that the sun and moon were slightly out of line, so the moon only obscured part of the sun’s light. Solar eclipses are much rarer than lunar eclipses.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the sun and moon are exactly in line, and only a faint ring of light is visible around the moon’s shadow. The picture below is of a solar eclipse that occurred on July 22, 2009. This was the longest solar eclipse of the 21st century -- it lasted 6 minutes and 39 seconds!
An annular solar eclipse is similar to a total eclipse in that it occurs when the sun and moon are exactly aligned, but the size of the moon appears smaller than it does in a total eclipse, so a brighter ring of light is visible around the moon.
Why don’t lunar and solar eclipses occur with every Full and New Moon?
If the Earth and the moon orbited in the same plane, there WOULD be a lunar eclipse with every Full Moon and a solar eclipse with every New Moon. Because the Earth’s and moon’s orbits are off by about five degrees and the nodes move thirty degrees clockwise each month, the moon only aligns with the nodes (thus creating eclipses) about four to seven times every year.
Activity 1
Experience the phases of the moon!
You will need:
You will do:
1.Puncture the styrofoam ball with the popsicle stick.
2.The styrofoam ball represents the moon, you represent the Earth, and the clamp light represents the sun.
3.Clamp the light onto a wall or area taller than you, and turn the clamp light on.
4.Turn the room lights off.
5.Grasp the stick so that the styrofoam ball is held upright. Hold it out at arm’s length.
6.Start facing the clamp light. What do you see? The side of the ball facing you should be completely dark. Is this a new moon or a full moon?
7.Rotate counterclockwise. What happens to your “moon?”
8.Continue rotating and observe how the light/shadows change on your “moon.”
9.When you are facing directly away from the flashlight, what do you see? The side of the moon facing you should be completely illuminated. Is this a new moon or a full moon?
10. Rotate around one more time and identify points that you see a waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent, and new moon.
Activity 2
Simulating Eclipses
You will need:
You will do:
1.Set the toilet paper roll on the table so that it is standing upright.
2.Set the tennis ball on top of the toilet paper roll (picture a scoop of ice cream on a cone).
3.Cut a piece of string (6 inches or so) and tape one end to the marble.
4.Set the flashlight on the table, facing the tennis ball.
5.Turn the flashlight on.
6.Position the marble so that it is directly in front of the tennis ball and in alignment with the flashlight. The order should be marble, tennis ball, flashlight. What kind of eclipse is this? Lunar or solar? Does the light reach the marble?
7.Position the marble so that it is directly in between the tennis ball and the flashlight. The order should be tennis ball, marble, flashlight. What do you see? What kind of eclipse is this? Lunar or solar? What would you see from Earth?
Image and video credits, in order of appearance
Andonee, 2015. Diagram of Moon Phases. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moon_Phase_Diagram_for_Simple_English_Wikipedia.GIF File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Flocabulary, 2014. Moon Phases. Uploaded from YouTube on 7/10/2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBc8QHSsFgE
Mr. Lee Science Rap, 2011. Phases of the Moon Rap. Uploaded from YouTube on 7/10/2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79M2lSVZiY4&index=1&list=UU2DwkfiWSqRXxZ685AiFdGQ
Sagredo, 2008. Geometry of a Lunar Eclipse. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geometry_of_a_Lunar_Eclipse.svg File released into the Public Domain.
Trouvelot, 1874. Partial Eclipse of the Moon. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trouvelot_-_Partial_eclipse_of_the_moon_-_1874.jpg Image is over 100 years old, and is in the Public Domain.
Tomruen, 2014. Lunar eclipse April 15 2014 Minneapolis Tomruen2. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lunar_eclipse_April_15_2014_Minneapolis_Tomruen2.jpg. File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Sagredo, 2008, Geometry of a Total Solar Eclipse. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geometry_of_a_Total_Solar_Eclipse.svg. File released into the Public Domain.
Clark, David. View of Solar Eclipse and Building in Silhouette. Uploaded from PublicDomainPictures.net on 7/10/16. http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=148467&picture=solar-eclipse. File released into the Public Domain.
Nirjhar, Lutfar R., 2009. Solar eclipse 22 July 2009 taken by Lutfar Rahman Nirjhar from Bangladesh. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solar_eclipse_22_July_2009_taken_by_Lutfar_Rahman_Nirjhar_from_Bangladesh.jpg File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
Baird, Kevin; 2012. Annular eclipse “ring of fire”. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annular_eclipse_%22ring_of_fire%22.jpg File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
If the Earth and the moon orbited in the same plane, there WOULD be a lunar eclipse with every Full Moon and a solar eclipse with every New Moon. Because the Earth’s and moon’s orbits are off by about five degrees and the nodes move thirty degrees clockwise each month, the moon only aligns with the nodes (thus creating eclipses) about four to seven times every year.
Activity 1
Experience the phases of the moon!
You will need:
- A styrofoam ball
- A popsicle stick
- Clamp light
You will do:
1.Puncture the styrofoam ball with the popsicle stick.
2.The styrofoam ball represents the moon, you represent the Earth, and the clamp light represents the sun.
3.Clamp the light onto a wall or area taller than you, and turn the clamp light on.
4.Turn the room lights off.
5.Grasp the stick so that the styrofoam ball is held upright. Hold it out at arm’s length.
6.Start facing the clamp light. What do you see? The side of the ball facing you should be completely dark. Is this a new moon or a full moon?
7.Rotate counterclockwise. What happens to your “moon?”
8.Continue rotating and observe how the light/shadows change on your “moon.”
9.When you are facing directly away from the flashlight, what do you see? The side of the moon facing you should be completely illuminated. Is this a new moon or a full moon?
10. Rotate around one more time and identify points that you see a waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent, and new moon.
Activity 2
Simulating Eclipses
You will need:
- Tennis ball (represents the Earth)
- Toilet paper roll
- Marble (represents the moon)
- Flashlight (represents the sun)
- String
- Tape
- Scissors
You will do:
1.Set the toilet paper roll on the table so that it is standing upright.
2.Set the tennis ball on top of the toilet paper roll (picture a scoop of ice cream on a cone).
3.Cut a piece of string (6 inches or so) and tape one end to the marble.
4.Set the flashlight on the table, facing the tennis ball.
5.Turn the flashlight on.
6.Position the marble so that it is directly in front of the tennis ball and in alignment with the flashlight. The order should be marble, tennis ball, flashlight. What kind of eclipse is this? Lunar or solar? Does the light reach the marble?
7.Position the marble so that it is directly in between the tennis ball and the flashlight. The order should be tennis ball, marble, flashlight. What do you see? What kind of eclipse is this? Lunar or solar? What would you see from Earth?
Image and video credits, in order of appearance
Andonee, 2015. Diagram of Moon Phases. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moon_Phase_Diagram_for_Simple_English_Wikipedia.GIF File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Flocabulary, 2014. Moon Phases. Uploaded from YouTube on 7/10/2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBc8QHSsFgE
Mr. Lee Science Rap, 2011. Phases of the Moon Rap. Uploaded from YouTube on 7/10/2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79M2lSVZiY4&index=1&list=UU2DwkfiWSqRXxZ685AiFdGQ
Sagredo, 2008. Geometry of a Lunar Eclipse. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geometry_of_a_Lunar_Eclipse.svg File released into the Public Domain.
Trouvelot, 1874. Partial Eclipse of the Moon. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trouvelot_-_Partial_eclipse_of_the_moon_-_1874.jpg Image is over 100 years old, and is in the Public Domain.
Tomruen, 2014. Lunar eclipse April 15 2014 Minneapolis Tomruen2. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lunar_eclipse_April_15_2014_Minneapolis_Tomruen2.jpg. File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Sagredo, 2008, Geometry of a Total Solar Eclipse. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geometry_of_a_Total_Solar_Eclipse.svg. File released into the Public Domain.
Clark, David. View of Solar Eclipse and Building in Silhouette. Uploaded from PublicDomainPictures.net on 7/10/16. http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=148467&picture=solar-eclipse. File released into the Public Domain.
Nirjhar, Lutfar R., 2009. Solar eclipse 22 July 2009 taken by Lutfar Rahman Nirjhar from Bangladesh. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solar_eclipse_22_July_2009_taken_by_Lutfar_Rahman_Nirjhar_from_Bangladesh.jpg File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
Baird, Kevin; 2012. Annular eclipse “ring of fire”. Uploaded from the Wikimedia Commons on 7/10/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annular_eclipse_%22ring_of_fire%22.jpg File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
