Earth's Patterns
What causes day and hight on Earth?
The rotation of the Earth on its axis.
What is a solar eclipse?
When the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the sun's light.
What is a full moon?
A phase where the entire face of the moon is illuminated by the sun.
What is a constellation?
A group of stars that form a recognizable pattern in the sky (shape or object).
What are the four seasons?
Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
How does the length of shadows change throughtout the day?
Shadows are shorter when the sun is directly overhead and longer in the morning and evening.
What is a lunar eclipse?
When the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, causing the Earth's shadow to fall on the moon.
How long does it take for the moon to complete one full cycle of phases?
about 29.5 days or 1 month
How many officially named constellations are there?
88
Why is it summer in the Northern Hemisphere when it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere?
The Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, receiving more direct sunlight.
Why do we see different constellations throughout the year?
As the Earth orbits the sun, our perspective changes, revealing different constellations.
What must happen for a solar eclipse to occur?
The moon must be in the new moon phase and directly between the Earth and the sun.
What is the phase called when the moon appears as a thin crescent and continues to grow?
Waxing Crescent
How do constellations appear to move in the night sky?
They move across the sky due to the rotation of the Earth.
How does the Earth's tilt affect the intensity of sunlight?
Areas tilted toward the sun receive more direct sunlight and are warmer.
What observable pattern occurs due to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun?
The changing length and direction of shadows.
How do tides occur?
Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on Earth's oceans.
What causes the different phases of the moon?
The relative positions of the Earth, moon, and sun.
Why do we see different constellations in different seasons?
As Earth orbits the sun, different parts of the sky become visible at night.
What happens to day length during summer?
Days are longer during summer because the sun takes a longer, higher path across the sky.
Explain how the tilt of the Earth's axis affects the seasons.
The tilt causes different parts of Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight, leading to different seasons.
Describe the relationship between the positions of the Earth, sun, and moon during an eclipse.
In a solar eclipse, the moon is between the Earth and sun; in a lunar eclipse, the Earth is between the sun and the moon.
Explain how the moon's phases affect tides on Earth.
The moon's gravitational pull creates higher tides during full and new moons.
Who are the scientists that study constellations?
What two tools do these scientist use to study constellations?
Astronomers
Telescopes, Star chart/ map
The longest day occurs on the ____________.
summer solstice (June 21)