Lab Assignment 03 - Phases of the Moon
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Rowan-Cabarrus Community College *
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Course
151
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
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Uploaded by GrandAnteaterPerson235
Lab Assignment 03 – Phases of the Moon:
In this lab, you will investigate the phases of the moon. The diagram below shows a view of the
Earth and Moon from above, with the suns rays coming in from the right. This is a useful orientation to
help you understand how the phases occur. There are a few important things to note:
-
Note that one-half of the moon is illuminated at any given time (as seen from above).
-
The phases of the moon we see are a result of the angle of view from Earth as the Moon orbits
around us.
-
Each phase of the moon is visible from Earth at different times of the day.
o
If you were standing on the Earth at the marked locations, your local time of day would
be as indicated (Can you visualize the angle of the sun from that location?)
o
The phase of the moon would reach it’s transit (highest point) directly across from the
corresponding time of day. The rise and set would mark out a 180-degree angle from
that time.
Part 1
:
Complete the table below using this diagram, and possibly a model system to help you get the shadows
correct (lamp + some sort of ball). Draw/shade the phase of the moon, and indicate the rise/transit/set
time for each phase.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Phase:
Full moon
Rise time:
6pm
Transit time:
midnight
Set time:
6am
Phase:
Waning gibbous
Rise time:
9pm
Transit time:
3am
Set time:
9am
Phase:
First Quarter
Rise time:
Noon
Transit time:
6pm
Set time:
Midnight
Phase:
Waxing Crecent
Rise time:
9am
Transit time:
3pm
Set time:
9pm
Phase:
New Moon
Rise time:
6am
Transit time:
Noon
Set time:
6pm
Phase:
Waning crescent
Rise time:
3am
Transit time:
9am
Set time:
3pm
Phase:
Third Quarter
Rise time:
midnight
Transit time:
6am
Set time:
noon
Phase:
Waxing gibbous
Rise time:
3pm
Transit time:
9pm
Set time:
3am
Questions:
1.
In your own words, describe the difference between the “dark Side” of the moon, and the “far
side” of the moon.
The "dark side" of the moon refers to the side that is not currently illuminated by the sun, so it's in
darkness. This side experiences night. On the other hand, the "far side" of the moon is the side that
always faces away from Earth. It gets sunlight just like the near side, but we can't see it from Earth
because the moon is tidally locked, meaning it rotates on its axis at the same rate it orbits Earth. So, we
only ever see one side from our perspective.
2.
How long does it take for the moon to complete one orbit?
The moon takes about 27.3 days to complete one orbit around the Earth. This period is known as
the sidereal month, which is the time it takes for the moon to return to the same position
relative to the stars. However, when we talk about the lunar phases and the time it takes for the
moon to go through a full cycle of phases (new moon to new moon), it takes about 29.5 days.
This longer period is called the synodic month.
3.
How long does it take for the moon to complete one full rotation, and why do we only see one
face of the moon?
The moon completes a full rotation on its own axis in roughly 27.3 days. It's interesting to note
that this is nearly how long it takes the moon to go around the Earth in one orbit.
Tidal locking is the reason we can only see one side of the moon while viewing it from Earth.
When two celestial bodies—in this case, the Earth and the moon—interact gravitationally, the
rotation period of one body becomes synchronized with its orbit around the other. This
phenomenon is known as tidal locking. To put it another way, the moon always faces the same
way toward us because it rotates on its axis at the same speed as it orbits the Earth. The side
facing away from Earth is often referred to as the "far side" or "dark side" of the moon, not
because it's always dark, but because it's hidden from our view.
4.
Based on the answer to question 2, how many degrees does the moon move in the sky every
day? (hint: one full orbit is 360 degrees…)
360 degrees / 27.3 days ≈ 13.22 degrees per day.
So, the moon moves about 13.22 degrees in the sky each day as it orbits the Earth.
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