Earth – Moon – Apollo Notes
Earth - The largest terrestrial planet. Land continuously changing. Water covers 70 - 75 %
The Earth is tilted on its axis at 23 ½ degrees. Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn
Movement of the Earth
Rotation – The Earth rotates on its axis in a counter clockwise direction at a speed of
1000 mph (1600 kmh). This causes day and night (24 hrs.)
Revolution – The Earth travels around the sun in an oval shaped path (Elliptical Orbit) year, 365 ¼
days. Leap year
Perihelion – closest point to sun. Jan 3rd (147,000,000 miles away)
Aphelion – farthest point from sun. July 4th (152,000,000 miles away)
The movement of the Earth around the sun and the tilt of the Earth on its axis causes seasons.
Seasons (Mr. Sol, draw a diagram)
The sun’s rays are more direct and stronger in summer. More daylight. North pole points toward sun.
Summer solstice – 1st day of summer Winter Solstice – 1st day of winter
June 21 or 22 Dec. 21
15 hrs. daylight 9 hrs. daylight
9 hrs. darkness 15 hrs. darkness
Autumnal Equinox – 1st day of fall Vernal Equinox – 1st day of spring
Sept 22 or 23 March 21 or 22
12 hrs. daylight 12 hrs. daylight
12 hrs. darkness 12 hrs. darkness
Eclipse – when one object passes into the shadow of another.
Lunar – when the moon passes into the shadow of the Earth.
Solar – when the Earth passes into the shadow of the moon.
(Mr. Sol draw a diagram)
Umbra – inner part of the shadow. Does not allow any light to pass through
Penumbra – outer part of the shadow. Allows partial light to pass through.
Moon
¼ the diameter of Earth
1/6 the gravity of Earth
Moon has quakes (3000 per year)
Same age as Earth (4.5 billion)
Moon has no atmosphere, weather or water
Moon is hotter (134 C) and colder (-170 C) than Earth
Gravity – force of attraction. Based on mass. Higher mass, higher gravity
Features of the Moon
Highlands – lunar mountains, light areas reflect light
Maria – “Sea of Tranquility” Low area on moon. Dark
Rilles – Deep channels like dried river beds
Craters – Bowl shaped depressions. 4 billion years ago
Tycho & Copernicus – largest craterson moon. no atmosphere to burn up meteors
Movement of the Moon
Elliptical orbit – tilted 5 degrees
Perigee – closest to Earth
Apogee – farthest from Earth
Revolves around Earth in a counter clockwise motion
The moon revolves around the Earth every 29 ½ days
The same side of the moon always faces the Earth
Origins of the Moon
Captured
Same Cloud
Asteroid
Phases of the Moon
The moon shines because it reflects the light of the sun. The moon does not produce its own light
The phase of the moon is dependent upon the position of the moon in
relationship to the Earth and sun
Phases of the Moon
New Moon Waxing Crescent First Quarter Waxing Gibbous
Full Moon Waning Gibbous Third Quarter Waning Crescent
The moon rises 50 minutes later every day. The moon sometime rises in the daytime
Sputnik – 1957, first artificial satellite in space. Russia
Explorer I – first U.S. satellite in space
Yuri Gagarin – First human in space. Russian cosmonaut. 1961
NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Project Mercury – Step one of U.S. space program. Orbit piloted space craft around Earth
Alan Shepard – First American citizen in space.
John Glenn – First U.S. Citizen to orbit Earth.
Project Gemini – Step two in our space program. Space connection. Gather info. and land on the
moon.
Apollo Project – Third and final step in the space program. Send a man to the moon.
Apollo Missions – 17 missions
Apollo 11 first to take a man to the moon
Apollo 13 did not land on moon
Apollo 17 last mission to the moon Dec. 1972
Apollo 1 - Gus Grisom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee died during a test on the landing pad.
Jan. 27, 1967.
Buz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Mike Collins
July 20, 1969. The day man first walked on the moon.
Jack Schmitt – One of the last men on the moon. (Apollo 17)
12 men have walked on the moon.
3 golf balls on the moon