Moon Phases Homework

Astronomy Ranking Task: Phases of the Moon Exercise #1 Description: The figure below shows a “top view” of the Sun, Earth, and five different positions (A - E) of the Moon during one orbit of Earth. Note that the distances shown for the Sun to Earth and for Earth to the Moon are not drawn to scale. Ranking Instructions: Rank (from greatest to least) the amount of the Moon’s entire surface that is illuminated by sunlight for the five positions (A-E) shown. Ranking Order: Greatest 1 ____ 2 ____ 3 ____ 4 ____ 5 ____ Least Or, the amount of the entire surface of the Moon illuminated by sunlight is the same at all the positions. _X___ (indicate with check mark). Carefully explain your reasoning for ranking this way: One half of the moon is always illuminated, no matter what position it is in, because one half of the moon is always receiving sunlight. What changes is what part of the illuminated half of the moon is visible from earth. Astronomy Ranking Task: Phases of the Moon Exercise #2 Description: The figure below shows a “top view” of the Sun, Earth and six different positions (A - F) of the Moon during one orbit of Earth. Note that the distances shown for the Sun to Earth and for Earth to the Moon are not drawn to scale. Ranking Instructions: Rank (from greatest to least) the amount of the Moon’s illuminated surface that is visible from Earth at each of the six positions (A – F) shown. Ranking Order: Greatest 1 A 2 F 3 B=E 5 C 6 D Least Or, the amount of the Moon’s illuminated surface visible from Earth is the same in all positions. _____ (indicate with check mark). Carefully explain your reasoning for ranking this way: A is full moon, 100% illuminated from Earth. F is a waning gibbous phase, 99% < illuminated < 50%. B and E are both quarter phases, so they are 50% illuminated. C is a thin crescent with only a sliver illuminated and D is the New moon with no illumination. Astronomy Ranking Task: Phases of the Moon Exercise #3 Description: Shown below are five different phases of the Moon (A – E) as seen by an observer in the Northern Hemisphere. A B C D E Ranking Instructions: Beginning with the waxing gibbous phase of the Moon, rank the moon phases shown below in the order that the observer would see them over the next four weeks. Ranking Order: Beginning with the waxing gibbous phase D 1 B 2 E 3 A 4 C 5 Last phase seen. Or, all of these phases would be visible at the same time. _____ (indicate with check mark). Carefully explain your reasoning for ranking this way: Beginning with the waxing gibbous phase, the first image is D (waning gibbous) then B (last quarter), E (waning crescent) … then through new moon to A (waxing crescent and then C (first quarter moon). Astronomy Ranking Task: Phases of the Moon Exercise #4 Description: In each figure below the Moon is shown in a particular phase along with the position in the sky that the Moon would have at one time during the day (or night). The dark area on each moon figure shows the unlit portion of the Moon visible from Earth at that time. Assume that sunset occurs at 6 pm and that sunrise occurs at 6 am, and the observer is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Ranking Instructions: Use the time each Moon phase (A – F) would appear as shown to rank the figures (from earliest to latest), starting from sunrise (6 am). Ranking Order: Earliest (about 6 am) 1 F 2 B=E 4 A 5 C 6 D Latest Or, the time of day or night are the same for all the phases shown. ________ (indicate with check mark). Carefully explain your reasoning for ranking this way: Starting at sunrise the first sketch would be F because it is the third quarter and the Sun is on Eastern horizon, 6am; then B because it is a New moon with the Sun on Western horizon, 6pm and E because it is first quarter with the Sun on western horizon, 6pm. A, is a full moon high on meridian, so the Sun is at the midnight position; C is a waxing gibbous and last is D. Astronomy Ranking Task: Phases of the Moon Exercise #5 Description: In each figure below (A – F) the Moon is shown in a particular phase along with the position in the sky that the Moon would have at one time during the day (or night). The dark areas on each moon figure show the unlit portions of the Moon visible from Earth at that time. Assume that sunset occurs at 6 pm and that sunrise occurs at 6 am. Ranking Instructions: Use the time each Moon phase (A – F) would appear as shown to rank the figures (from earliest to latest), starting from sunrise (6 am). Ranking Order: Earliest (about 6 am) 1 A 2 E 3 C 4 F 5 D 6 B Latest Or, the time of day or night are the same for all the phases shown. _____ (indicate with check mark). Carefully explain your reasoning for ranking this way: A is at 6am because it is at third quarter at the meridian. E is at about 2 pm, C at 5pm, F at 9 pm, D at 1 am, and B at 4 am.