The Moon

1. Complete this table of facts about the Moon

2. Sketch the Earth and the Moon to show their relative size.

3. Both the Moon and the Sun take up an angle of about 1/2 a degree in the sky. Why is this significant during a solar eclipse?

4. How long does it take the Moon to orbit the Earth?

5. Why do we only ever see one side of the Moon? (explain with a diagram)

6. Explain why we have actually seen about 59% of the Moon's surface from Earth. What is this effect called?

7. Describe one theory as to the origin of the Moon

8. Sketch and name each phase of the Moon.

9. Why does the lunar cycle take 29.5 days, a few days longer than the orbit time?

10. Why doesn't the Moon have an atmosphere?

11. At what time does a waxing crescent moon    a) rise   b) culminate    and    c) set?

12. Why are crescent moons usually only visible near sunrise or sunset?