The Earth, Sun and Moon

Gravity

  • Glue of the universe
  • If two things are placed next to each other they will be attracted to each other
  • The larger an object is the more gravitational attraction it has

The Earth, Sun and Moon

  • Our planet is constantly moving in an almost circular path around the sun
  • It takes a year for the earth to make one revolution => 365.25 days
  • The moon is satellite of the earth => 27.3 days

Days

  • At any one time only half of the earth is facing the sun
  • When facing the sun we have day
  • When facing away from the sun we have night
  • The earth takes 24 hours to rotate on it’s axis
    • The axis is an imaginary line through the earth that goes from south pole to north pole
    • The axis is tilted => 23.5 degrees

Phases of the moon

  • The moon orbits the earth every 27.3 days
  • The moon also rotates on it’s axis every 27.3 days
  • This m
  • eans the same side of the moon is also facing the earth

There are 8 phases of the moon

  • Day 1: New moon
  • Day 2-6: Waxing crescent
  • Day 7: First quarter
  • Day 8-13: Waxing gibbous
  • Day 14: Full moon
  • Day 15-20: Waning gibbous
  • Day 21: Third quarter
  • Day 22-26: Waning crescent
  • Day 27: New moon and cycle repeated

Eclipses

Solar eclipse

  • Moon comes between earth and sun
  • Can only happen if the earth passes through the shadow of the moon

Lunar eclipse

  • Earth comes between sun and moon
  • Only during a full moon
  • Moon has to go through the earth’s shadow