Phases of the

Moon
J. C. Sprott

Department of Physics
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53706

Presented to the
Green County Science
Teachers’ Workshop
on February 25, 2000
 Science
Literacy
■ Over 200 studies document
scientific illiteracy.
■ Scientific illiteracy hurts
Nation and individuals.
■ Teachers are uncomfortable
teaching science.
■ Science has fallen out of
favor.
■ We have a public-relations
problem.
What causes the
seasons?

Earth Sun
How many times
does the earth
rotate about its
axis in a year?

365.242 + 1 = 366.242

Sun
Earth
As seen from the
North Pole, which
direction does the
earth rotate?
Counter-clockwise

Sun
Earth
How do we know
the earth is
rotating?
■ Foucault Pendulum (1851)

■ Coriolis Effect

◆ Wind Patterns

◆ Projectile Deflection
How do we know
the earth orbits
the sun?
■ Annual Parallax of the Stars
(1837) - nearby stars appear to
move
■ Aberration of Starlight (1727) -
change in apparent direction of
stars, cf: raindrops
 What causes the
Sun phases of the
moon?

Earth
Moon
When you
observe a
crescent moon
in the evening,
do the tips point
left or right?

Facing South sun

West
Sun Can a full moon
rise at midnight?
No!

New
Moon Half
Moon

Earth
Full
Moon
 How can you tell
Moon
Sun the moon is close
and the sun is far?
Half
Sun
Moon

Earth
On the scale of
the earth as a
10” globe, how
far is the moon,
sun, etc.?
Moon: 25 feet
Sun: 1.9 miles
Pluto: 73 miles
Alpha Centauri: 500,000 miles
Space Shuttle: 0.25 inch
Sun What causes an
eclipse?
Solar
Eclipse

Earth
Lunar
Eclipse
Why do we always
see the same face
of the moon?

Earth
Moon
Sun What causes the
tides?
Moon

Earth

Moon
Where is the
center-of-mass of
the earth+moon?
Moon
R = 0.75R e

Earth
Where is the
center-of-mass of
the sun+earth?
Earth
R = 0.0006R s

Sun
What does the
orbit of the moon
around the sun
look like?
Moon

Sun