Moon Project

[crecymaethor]

I am taking a Beginner Astronomy course at my college and I'm having a bit of trouble working out the answers for some of the questions in the project about the moon.<br /><br />The project was to note the position in the sky and the phase for 10 days out of the three weeks we were given. Well, I did it, but it's still hard for me to wrap my mind around because the moon moves around the earth while we're moving around the sun. I did a sun project earlier, but I know it is different because the sun isn't moving. <br /><br />Anyway, these are the questions I need some help on.<br /><br />1. The farther the Moon is from the Sun in the sky, the ______________ the phase of the moon.<br />(I don't have a clue. When I was doing the assignment, I wasn't thinking about the Moon's position from the sun compared to the phrase.)<br /><br />2. Two students are having a disagreement.<br />Student 1 says "I think the moon moves around the Earth to the east. From night to night I see the Moon farther to the east at the same time of day."<br />Student 2 says "I think the Moon moves around the Earth to the west. I've watched it follow the Sun across the sky to the west. Therefore, the Moon is moving to the west. "<br /><br />(For this question I was confused because I know the moon moves across the sky from east to west, but I also know that it moves across the ecliptic to the east so I didn't know what the difference was from student 1 and student 2.)<br /><br />Thank you very much for your help. I know that once I receive a little explanation, I'll be able to understand how to answer the questions. <br />

 

[drwayne]

In general, you may have some reluctance to help you with homework.<br /><br />The purpose of homework in not in fact to get the answers. The purpose is to understand the process (facts and thought) that get you to the answer. If someone "explains" them to you, you make the process pointless.<br /><br />The best way to get help, rather than a one liner about whaat you don't get, is to state what you *do* get - the principles that you think you understand that have a bearing on the question. Questions of the form<br /><br />OK, I know that ...<br /><br />provide a basis for asking the question in a way that people can help you.<br /><br />Wayne<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[billslugg]

CrecyMaethor<br />I would suggest that you get a grapefruit for the sun, an orange for the Earth and a lemon for the moon. Lay them out on the ground, draw circles with chalk for the orbits. Get your orbital directions right. Make arrows. Draw your position on the orange with a marker. Blacken the side of each fruit that is in darkness. Ignore the taunts of passersby. Replicate your 10 days of data. Start moving things around until you can see what is going on. The answers will come. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[drwayne]

For example, in the first question, you can tell us what you know about the phases of the moon. What causes them? How do you see the moon? What does it mean to have a "full" moon? What does it mean to have a "new" moon?<br /><br />Now, if you find yourself saying someething like - "I don't understand anything of what you just asked" - then you need to stop, and look at your book again. Of, you might want to avail yourself of a resource like this one:<br /><br />http://www.astrosociety.org/education/publications/tnl/12/12.html<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[crecymaethor]

Well, I know that the moon's phases are caused by its own shadow- not the earth (that would be an lunar eclipse). The moon rotates around the Earth. The New moon happens when the moon is completely within it's own shadow. So to be in it's shadow, the light from the sun must be reaching the far side of the moon. so would that mean that when the moon is closer to the Sun in the sky, it the darker to phase of the moon. Or, according to the statement, The farther the Moon is from the sky, the brighter it is. I would think that the farther away from the sun, the angle between the Earth and the Moon would cause the Moon's near side to be brighter. <br /><br />I don't know. My thinking could be backwards or off. I want to do well in this class, so I want to understand it.<br /><br />As for the second question, I was able to figure it out. The students' reasoning may seem correct, but the Moon's motion from east to west only looks that way because of the Earth's rotation. <br /><br />So now I'm just trying to reason out the first question so I can finish my assignment. I've already finished everything but this question. <br /><br />Is there something important I'm leaving out in my reasoning?

 

[crecymaethor]

Ah! I've looked at the sight you've listed. That has helped a lot. I'm glad to know that what I wrote before actually made sense. Wonderful. Thanks to both of you for your help.

 

[R1]

and here is a link to a video:<br /><br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aFGNGEcDOk&feature=related<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>