Earth’s Moon
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
• 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
Myths
• A way for cultures to explain and
understand phenomena associated with
the moon’s appearance.
• RB p17. (*128)
Rona In the Moon
• RB p55.
• Myths – RB – p55-58.
• 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
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.
Phases
• Phase Handout
• Puzzle
• Game
• Lunar calendar
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.
Moon’s Craters
• Impact is one of the • Craters can be
major processes that characterized by size
shape and change and physical
the surfaces of properties:
planets and satellites. • Simple
• Craters of various • Complex
sizes result when • Terraced
meteoroids of various
size and speed hit the • Ringed (or basin)
moon’s surface. • Flooded
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?
Resource Book
• Moon craters p18-26
• Earth craters p27-29
• Mars craters p30-31
• 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
Activities:
• Read p59-62
• Homework: Read p63-66
• Homework: Read p67-68
• Homework: Read p69-70
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
Mare Formation
• If time, go to the Craters binder and tour
the Mare Formation Animation.
• Asteroid video.
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.
• www.PANORAMAS.DK/FULLSCREEN3/F29.HT
ML
• Read p74-77.
• Watch: For All Mankind video.
Space Exploration Binder
• Open the Moon chapter
• Navigate through the Before Apollo
section.
• http://www.acme.com/jef/science_songs/