The Earth-Sun-Moon System
Write the underlined words.
Lesson 8
Earth’s Rotation and Revolution
A natural object in space.
EX: Stars, planets, asteroids
2. rotation
The spin of an object around a point or line.
3. axis
An imaginary line around which a rotating object turns.
EX: draw axis lines on the top and bottom of the circle --->
4. orbit
The path that an object follows as it revolves around another object in space.
EX: draw the orbit of the moon around the Earth
5. revolution
The motion of an object around another object in space.
EX: add directional arrows to the orbit
6. orbital plane
The plane in which an object's orbit lies.
EX: Earth is in the same orbital plane as the other planets
7. circumpolar star
A star that is always above the horizon when viewed from a given latitude.
EX: draw Polaris and other circumpolar stars like you see in this picture.
Earth
Sun
Moon
axis of rotation
orbital revolution
Lesson 9
Earth’s Tilted Axis and
Phases of the Moon
1. tropic
The latitudes furthest north and south that receive sunlight at a perpendicular angle
EX: Draw the equator and both tropic lines. Label them.
Equator
Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Capricorn
2. solstice
A time of year when the sun is directly overhead at one of the tropics during noon.
June solstice
December solstice
June Solstice: June ___
__________ day=______ hrs
Distance from the sun
________________________
Sun’s rays
21
Summer
Longest
14
94.5 million miles
December Solstice: Dec ___
Sun’s rays
__________ day=____hrs min
Distance from the sun
______________________
21
Winter
Shortest
9
91.4 million miles
23
Earth Axis
Earth Axis
3. equinox
A time of year when the sun is directly overhead at the equator at noon, when day and night are of equal length.
12 hours
September Equinox: Sept____
March Equinox: March___
Sun’s rays
Sun’s rays
___hrs
Fall
Spring
12
___hrs
12
Earth Axis
Earth Axis
22
20
June Solstice
December Solstice
September Equinox
March Equinox
Lesson 10
Phases of the Moon
Partial Lunar Eclipse 2021
Can be seen if skies are clear
Thursday November 18: � begins at 10:02 pm
Maximum � November 19: 1:02 am
Ends � November 19: 4:03 am
1. lunar phase
The appearance of the lit area of the moon as seen from Earth
EX: Light travels right to left across the moon phases
2. new moon
The lunar phase where the moon is directly between Earth and the sun; the new moon cannot be seen from Earth
3. first quarter moon
the lunar phase where the moon, Earth, and the sun form a perpendicular angle; the moon looks like a semicircle with only the right half visible
4. third quarter moon
the lunar phase where the moon, Earth, and the sun form a perpendicular angle; the moon looks like a semicircle with only the left half visible
5. full moon
the lunar phase where Earth is directly between the sun and the moon; the moon looks like a circle
new
light
right
right
Waning-getting � smaller
Gibbous-more than half a moon but less than full
Crescent-
Waxing- getting bigger
Lesson 11
Eclipses
1. eclipse
An event in which the shadow of one celestial object falls on another celestial object
OBJECT
2. umbra
the darker, central part of a shadow
EX: Label the darker part of the shadow cast by the bowling pin.
OBJECT
Umbra
3. penumbra
the lighter part of a shadow that surrounds the umbra
EX: Label the lighter shadow cast by the bowling pin.
OBJECT
Umbra
Penumbra
4. lunar eclipse
an eclipse that happens when the moon passes through Earth’s shadow
EX: Fill in the blank labels on the picture.
5. solar eclipse
an eclipse that happens when light from the sun is blocked by the moon, and the moon’s shadow falls on Earth
EX: Fill in the blank labels on the picture.