Motions Of The Moon Flashcards
What determines moon phases?
The relative position of the Moon, Sun, and Earth.
What is happening geometrically in Moon Phases?
As the Moon orbits the Earth, the Sun lights up different parts of the Moon, changing the Moon’s geometry.
Moonlight
Sun’s light reflected off lunar surface
Eclipses
When a celestial object passes between another celestial object and its light source.
In terms of Sun, Moon, and Earth, they must be aligned.
What is a Solar Eclipse?
Practice: Draw this diagram.
When the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting the Moon’s shadow on Earth.
What is a lunar eclipse?
Practice: Draw this Diagram.
Earth positions itself between the Sun and Moon, casting its shadow across the Moon’s surface.
Nodes
Intersection point of a celestial body’s orbit plane with ecliptic plane.
When do Eclipses occur?
Only at the Lunar Nodes.
Ecliptic Plane
The apparent path of the Sun’s motion on the celestial sphere as seen from Earth.
