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Patterns in the
SkyMotions
of Earth
21st CENTURY ASTRONOMY
FOURTH EDITION
Kay | Palen | Smith | Blumenthal
Our focus:
Earths daily rotation.
Earths annual orbit.
The Moons monthly
orbit.
Consequences of the
relationship/alignment
of Earth, the Moon,
and the Sun (phases
of the Moon,
eclipses).
2013 W.W. Norton
& Company, Inc.
, Inc.
Celestial sphere:
projection of Earths
axes and equator onto
space.
A useful fiction.
Points on the sphere
correspond to directions,
not distances.
Earths Axis
Earths Axis
Changing'Al*tude'of'the'Sun'
The'Analemma'
Precession
The Moon!
What causes moon phases?!
Why do we only see one side of the Moon?!
How are tides generated?!
How do eclipses work?!
How'Big'is'the'Moon?'
1/4th the diameter of Earth
1/50 the volume of Earth
1/81st the mass of Earth
1/6th the gravity of Earth
How'Far'is'the'Moon'From'Earth?'
Average distance ~ 235,000 miles (385,000 km)
How'Far'is'the'Moon'From'Earth?'
Far'Side'of'the'Moon''Not'the'Dark'Side'
Does'the'Moon'Rotate?''What'
happens'if'it'doesnt?''
Does'the'Moon'Rotate?''G'What'if'it'
rotates'but'at'the'wrong'rate?'
Does'the'Moon'Rotate?''What'
happens'if'it'rotates'at'just'the'right'
rate?'
Lunar'Libra*on''Allows'us'to'see'up'to'59%'of'the'
lunar'surface'from'Earth'(but'only'50%'at'any'give'*me)'
Solar Eclipses
Total'Solar'Eclipse'
Annular'Solar'Eclipses''Annular'solar'
eclipse'shadow'from'the'ISS'
Solar'Eclipses'from'Space'
Par*al'Solar'Eclipse'
Annular'Solar'Eclipse'
Lunar'Eclipses'
Penumbral'Lunar'Eclipse'
Total'Lunar'Eclipse'
Total'Lunar'Eclipse'from'the'Moon'
Eclipses'on'Other'Planets'