Moon Phases
Eclipses
Tides
Seasons
Grab Bag
100
Which moon phase appears to be less than half illuminated?
Crescent moon
100
What are the two types of eclipses?
Solar and Lunar
100
What is high tide?
The maximum height above average sea level.
100
What is Earth's period of revolution?
365 days
100
What is tidal range?
The difference between high tide and low tide.
200
Which moon phase appears to be more than half way illuminated?
Gibbous moon
200
Which eclipse can only occur during a full moon?
Lunar eclipse
200
How many low tides do we experience in a day?
2
200
If it is winter in the Northern hemisphere, what season is it in the Southern hemisphere?
Summer
200
Why don't we get eclipses every month?
The Moon's orbit is tilted 5 degrees from Earth's orbit. An eclipse can only occur when the orbits are aligned.
300
Which moon phase is always located between the Sun and the Earth?
New Moon
300
Which eclipse can occur when the Moon is perfectly lined up between the Earth and the Sun?
Solar eclipse
300
What form of tides creates the largest tidal range?
Spring tides
300
Does distance to the Sun affect the seasons?
NO! The tilt of the Earth on its axis is what creates the seasons
300
Why do we only see one side of the moon?
The Moon's rotation and revolution are the same (1 day = 1 year)
400
Put the moon phases in order: waxing gibbous, new moon, third quarter, waning crescent, full moon, waxing crescent, waning gibbous, and first quarter.
new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent
400
During a solar eclipse, the Moon appears to be blocking the Sun and casts shadows on Earth. What are these shadows called?
Umbra and penumbra
400
The Sun-Earth-Moon system is arranged in a 90 degree angle. What type of tide will occur?
Neap tide
400
If the United States is tilted towards the Sun, what season will we be experiencing?
Summer
400
What is a "waxing" moon?
The moon is gradually getting more illuminated from the right side.
500
The Moon is always half illuminated by the Sun. If this is true, why do we see different moon phases?
The moon is rotating at a 5 degree tilt. As it orbits Earth, our perspective allows us to see different "sections" of the moon.
500
Why is a total solar eclipse difficult to see?
The moon and the sun have to be perfectly aligned You must be under the umbral shadow Lasts only a few minutes
500
Which plays a larger role in influencing our tides: the Sun or the Moon? Why?
The moon; while the Sun is larger, the moon is a lot closer to use and has a greater gravitational pull
500
You look at your calendar and notice it is March 20. How many hours of daylight are we going to have that day?
12 hours. March 20 is the vernal equinox, meaning that the sun is shining equally on the equator. Because of that, there will be 12 daylight hours and 12 nighttime hours.
500
The Earth travels on an elliptical orbit and is sometimes closer to the Sun. What is that point called?
Perihelion
M
e
n
u