Week 1: Sun, Earth, and the Moon


  1. What did you do in lab today?​

In lab, we were given an earth, moon, and green laser that represented a geometrical plane. We explored what causes the phases of the moon, what causes seasons, and what causes a lunar eclipse. We used the materials given to help us visualize and answer these questions. 

I learned that seasons are based on direct sunlight; not necessarily how close the earth is to the sun but the amount of direct sunlight the earth gets. For example, when the tropic of cancer is hit by direct sunlight, it will be summer. Additionally, I learned that the moon takes about 28 days to make a full orbit around the earth. Lastly, I learned that a lunar eclipse occurs when the earth is directly between the sun and the moon.

  1. What was the big question?​

The big question we were trying to answer is the relationship between the sun, earth, and moon.

  1. What did you learn in Thursday’s discussion?​

 These are my notes and what I learned from Thursday's discussion: 

Heliocentric – the sun as the center of the solar system

Vs

Geocentric – the earth as the center of the solar system 

Copernicus and Galileo

Why do we have seasons?

·       The Northern Hemisphere is closer to the sun in June

Planets

·       Eight total planets

·       To be a planet, you need to be created in the same way

o   Pluto is not in the same geometric plane as the other planets, so it is not considered a planet in our solar system

·       Plane of the Ecliptic – the geometric plane in our solar system

Tropic lines and Equator

·       If the northern hemisphere is facing the sun, it is summer in the northern hemisphere

·       East and West do not effect your shadow

·       If you are north of direct sunlight, your shadow goes north.

·       If you are south of direct sunlight, your shadow goes south.

·       Tropic of cancer- northern most line of direct sunlight

·       Tropic of Capricorn- southern most line of direct sunlight

Orbit

·       The earth’s orbit around the sun is very close to a perfect circle, with the sun in the middle of the circle

Put the following objects in order

·       Clouds, moon, sun, Pluto, stars

Sometimes you only see half the moon. What causes the moon to change its appearance in this way?

·       As the moon orbits, earth

Why is the earth titled 23.5 degrees?

·       A meteor hit the earth and tilted it

Spring and Fall equinox

·       The sun is directly on the equator and everyone in the world gets equal amounts of daylight and night. (12 hours or sunlight and 12 hours without)

·       From these days on, the days are either shorter or longer

“Lines” on the Earth

·       Artic Circle

o   Have time periods of 24 hours of sunlight or 24 hours of darkness

·       Tropic of Cancer

·       Equator

·       Tropic of Capricorn

·       Antarctic Circle

o   Have time periods of 24 hours of sunlight or 24 hours of darkness

Shadows

·       As the sun gets higher and higher, the shadow gets shorter and shorter

Lunar Eclipse

·       The moon is perfectly in line with the sun and moon

·       Opportunity to happen twice a month (on both sides of the orbit)

o   If the moon blocks the sun = solar eclipse

o   If the order is sun, earth, moon = lunar eclipse 

  1. Read the online textbook, chapter 1: https://pressbooks.uiowa.edu/methodsii/chapter/earth/Links to an external site.​
  1. What did you learn?​

 From reading this chapter, I learned more information about the debate of geocentrism and heliocentrism. This was very interesting for me to learn about because, I am Catholic. It was crazy to read about the control and authority that the church had on the world. The church put Galileo who proposed the idea of geocentrism in jail because it went against the teachings of the church. 

Additionally, I learned about some key vocabulary words such as winter and summer solstice and equinox. I had heard these words before, but I was not able to accurately define them until now. The equinox is when the equator is directly in line with the sun. Everywhere on earth receives 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The winter solstice is the day of the year where we receive the least amount of sunlight. The summer solstice is the day of the year where we receive the most amount of sunlight. 

  1. What was most helpful?​

Something that was most helpful were the graphics included in the reading. The graphic that explained the seasons was particularly helpful. Seeing a visual of what the relationship between the earth and sun looks like helps me make more sense of why we have seasons. 

  1. What do you need more information on?​

Something I need more information are shadows. It is hard for me to visualize where a shadow would be based on where the sun is. I think it would be helpful for me to observe my shadow when I am outside at different times throughout the day. 

5. What questions, concerns, and/or comments do you have?

None. 

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