lab04
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Durham Technical Community College *
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AST 151
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Feb 20, 2024
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docx
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5
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Name: Date: Lab 04 – Background Material
Introduction to Moon Phases
Q1. Is there a dark side of the Moon? (This is a “yes/no” question, but you must explain your reasoning.)
Answer
: No, the far side of the moon that is referred to as the "dark side" of the moon. The far side receives light half the time and not at all the other half.
Q2. How many days does it take the Moon to complete one cycle of phases?
Answer
: Twenty-nine and a half days
Q3. If you see a full moon today, what phase would you see one week later?
Answer
: The phase I would see would be the last quarter.
Q4. If you see a full moon today, what phase would you see one month later?
Answer
: You would see another full moon. Q5. Some words in astronomy have similar meanings in everyday usage. Match the following definitions to the words below by typing/copying the definition next to the word.
convex or rounded
increasing in size, quantity, or intensity
decreasing in magnitude or importance
Answers
:
o
waning = Decreasing in magnitude or importance.
o
gibbous = Convex or rounded.
o
waxing = Increasing in size, quantity, or intensity. Q6. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow. How often does this actually occur?
Answer
: This occurs two to four times a year.
Q7. The figure below shows sketches of the moon’s appearance over a four-week period. Identify the phases and put them in the correct order (enter your answers cells of the table below the figure). One phase is labeled for you.
Figure 1
Answers
:
Picture
Order
Phase
Picture
Order
Phase
A
3
Waning crescent D
4
First quarter
B
1
waning gibbous
E
5
Waxing gibbous
C
6
Full moon
F
2
Last quarter
Time of Day
Use the interactive diagram at the bottom of the page to determine the direction of the Earth’s rotation when viewed from above the North Pole. [Hint: rotate the observer – the stick figure – to the noontime position, then sunset position, then midnight position, and finally back to the sunrise position.]
Q8. When viewed from above the North Pole, does the Earth rotate clockwise or counterclockwise?
Answer
: The Earth rotates clockwise.
Rising and Setting
Q9. When the moon crosses the western side of the horizon plane, is it rising or setting?
Answer
: The moon is setting.
Q10. When the moon crosses the eastern side of the horizon plane, is it rising or setting?
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