Module 3 Submission Area for Lab 2 - Moon Phases
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School
Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis *
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Course
100
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
4
Uploaded by JusticeHippopotamus12050
Name: Brittney Twigg
Lab:
Moon Phases
Objective:
Determine the relationship between the positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun over
several observations.
Pre-Lab Questions:
1.
What do you expect will happen to the Moon’s appearance over your
observation
period?
During the observation period, I expect the Moon to undergo changes in its
appearance as it transitions through different phases, such as waxing or waning. This
transformation is a result of the varying positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun,
influencing the amount of illuminated lunar surface visible from Earth
.
2.
How does the location of the Earth, Moon, and Sun at any given time relate to the phase
of the Moon seen?
The phase of the moon is influenced by the positions of the Earth,
Moon, and Sun, and their locations also determine the shadows cast, creating variations
in the shadow patterns
.
Sketch
Date/Time
Location
Notes
Date: 10/30/2023
Time: 9:05
Circle one:
am
pm
Your location (city,
state): Loogootee, IN
Moon location in
Sky:
Moon over horizon,
East-northeast
Features: 96% of the
Moon's visible disk
illuminated
Other Notes:
Clear sky at night
Date: 11/1/2023
Time: 9:15
Circle one:
am
pm
# Days Since
Previous
Observation: 2
Your location (city,
state): Loogootee, IN
Moon location in
Sky:
Moon under horizon,
East-northeast
Features: 83% of the
Moon's visible disk
illuminated
Other Notes:
Clear sky at night
Phase: Waning
Gibbous
Phase: Waning
Gibbous
Sketch
Date/Time
Location
Notes
Date: 11/2/2023
Time: 9:05
Circle one:
am
pm
# Days Since
Previous
Observation: 1
Your location (city,
state): Loogootee, IN
Moon location in
Sky:
Moon under horizon
Northeast
Features: 75% of the
Moon's visible disk
illuminated
Other Notes:
Clear sky at night
Date: 11/6/2023
Time: 9:30
Circle one:
am
pm
# Days Since
Previous
Observation: 4
Your location (city,
state): Loogootee, IN
Moon location in
Sky:
Moon under horizon
Northeast
Features: 37% of the
Moon's visible disk
illuminated
Other Notes:
Clear sky at night
Date: 11/7/2023
Time: 9:00
Circle one:
am
pm
# Days Since
Previous
Observation: 1
Your location (city,
state): Loogootee, IN
Moon location in
Sky:
Moon under horizon
North-northeast
Features: 29% of the
Moon's visible disk
illuminated
Other Notes:
Clear sky at night
Questions
1.
What was the total length of your observations (i.e., how many days between the first and
last observations
)?
I began my observations on October 30
th
, 2023 and ended my
observations on November 7
th
, 2023. In total, there were 8 days between the beginning
and the end of the observation period.
2.
Over the total time of your observations, describe how the appearance of the Moon
changed (be specific).
During my observations, I noticed a gradual decrease in the
brightness of the moon's illumination. Additionally, the moon revealed less of its surface
as the observation continued.
Phase: Waning
Gibbous
Phase: Waning
Crescent
Phase: Waning
Crescent
3.
With references to your observation notes and the diagram you completed, explain how
the location of the Moon relative to Earth and the Sun are related to what you observed.
The timing of my ability to observe the moon in the sky was influenced by the relative
positions of the Moon, Earth, and the Sun. These positions also played a role in altering
the illumination of the moon.
4.
5.
Were any changes in the features (such as the dark and light patches, sometimes referred
to as the “man on the Moon”)
on the Moon noted?
Explain your observation, referring
to the Moon’s orbit and rotation.
As the observation period advanced, the Moon
gradually became more challenging to discern. Its visibility diminished as it cast a
growing shadow on itself, influencing the progression of its phases. During my
observation, I managed to witness two out of the eight lunar phases.
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For each observation of the Moon that you make, mark the location of the Moon relative to the Sun and Earth (as looking down on the North
Pole) by making a large dot on the outer circle in the appropriate location.
Label the dot with the date of the observation. (The outer circle
represents the Moon’s orbit around the Earth.)
Phase Diagram
Sun
10-30-2023
11-1-2023
11-2-2023
11-6-2023
11-7-2023