SCI-1056 Moon Observation Lab
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School
Front Range Community College *
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Course
1056
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
8
Uploaded by AmbassadorRoseCheetah44
SCI-1056 Moon Observation Lab
Purpose
Make observations to support Learning Objective 5: Describe the effects of gravity on Earth, moons,
other planets, the sun, and galaxies.
Task
●
Observe the Moon at roughly the same time and place each night until you have made 14
successful observations (will take more than 14 days) and record your data in Table 1 on the
following pages
●
On 3 of the observation days, make a detailed observation and sketch the features that you see,
including at least one waxing-phase observation and at least one waning-phase observation
Materials
●
Pencil
●
Compass or other way to determine direction (most smart phones have a compass app)
●
Optional: Binoculars (or telescope)
Introduction
Observation of the Moon over a period of two weeks reveals a considerable amount of information
about lunar cycles and the phases of the Moon. This lab will give you the opportunity to observe for
yourself the changing phases of the moon and to use your observations to evaluate what causes this
phenomenon
Procedure
1.
Choose a location and a time where you can consistently observe the moon each night – your
location should have a view of the majority of the sky.
1.
Time of Observations: 11:30
2.
Location of Observation Denver
2.
For each day you observe (including cloudy days, etc.), complete all fields in Table 1 on the
following pages.
More detail about each field:
1.
Moon phase- Moon phases reflects the relative position of the Earth, Moon, and Sun and are
separated into (shown in Figure 1, with descriptions here).
●
Waxing (the visible lit part of the moon is getting larger each night) versus waning (getting
smaller each night). If you viewed the Earth and Moon from above the North Pole, the moon
would travel counterclockwise around the Earth, waxing for half the orbit, then waning.
●
Then the Moon is described by how much is lit,
●
New Moon (none of the lit portion of the moon is visible)- the Moon is between the Earth and
the Sun
●
Crescent (less than half of the visible moon is lit)
●
Quarter (half of the visible moon is lit – first quarter is a waxing Moon; third quarter is a waning
Moon)-
●
Gibbous (half or more of the visible Moon is lit)
●
Full (the entire portion of the Moon that is visible is lit)- the Earth is between the moon and the
Sun.
Figure 1
- Phases of the moon. Note the figure shows the position of the sun (yellow circle at the top),
earth (larger circle) and moon (smaller circle), and the relative positions of the Earth and moon are
described in the main text. Moon phases are shown at the bottom of the figure, as described in the text.
Credit: “Orion 8”/Wikimedia Commons
2.
The
Altitude
is the number of degrees that the Moon is above the horizon, this value will be 90°
or less. (90°would be straight overhead, at your zenith.) You can use a hand to help you estimate
altitude:
●
The width of your fist is approximately 10 degrees.
●
If you stretch out just your thumb and pinky (keep other fingers closed, “hang 10” sign) as far as
you can, this distance is about 25 degrees. (And two of these is about 5 fists)
●
If you stick your pointer and little fingers straight up, the space between the tips of the two
fingers is about 15 degrees.
●
If you stick your three middle fingers up together, they cover a space (side of pointer to side of
ring finger) of about 5 degrees
3.
The
Azimuth
is the point on the horizon in the direction of the Moon. For this assignment you
may use the compass point for this value, for example, SW, SE, WSW, etc. If you have a smart
phone, it should have a compass app.
3.
If:
1.
the sky is too cloudy to see the moon, simply write “CLOUDY” on that date and observe for
one
additional night
to make up for each night lost.
Note that you are unlikely to have clear skies
every night, and there are already extra spaces in the table, please make 14 cloud-free
observations
(add to the table if needed).
2.
you make some of your observations from a location more than 100 miles from where you
started
, please note the new location in the notes column of the table.
4.
Depending on the Moon-rise and Moon-set times, or cloudy weather, you may need to change
your observation time. For this exercise, some patterns will become more obvious if you observe
at approximately the same time every night.
However, always record the actual time of when
you make your observation.
5.
For three of the dates that you make your observations
, also make a detailed observation and
sketch of the Moon in the spaces below Table 1
(optional: use binoculars or a telescope if
available).
1.
These observations and sketches may be made at a different time than the observations you
make for the table – note the time and date on each observation.
2.
Make these sketch observations several days apart so that you are sketching noticeably different
phases of the Moon.
1.
Your observations should be of different phases of the moon
(waxing crescent, waxing gibbous,
waning gibbous or waning crescent).
2.
You should have at least one waxing-phase observation and at least one waning-phase
observation
3.
In your sketch note some of the specific features including dark and light areas, craters,
mountains, etc.
Be as detailed as you can
.
6.
You may want to take additional notes for yourself: read through part 2 of the lab and take notes
as you need to be able to answer those questions.
Table 1 Observations Of The Moon
Date and
Time
Moon
Phase
Altitude
(0
º
–90
º
)
Approximate
Azimuth
Sketch Shape
(this is a simple
sketch – there is
space for your
detailed
observation on the
following pages)
Notes
(time or
location
change, etc.)
1
9/18
Waxing
Crescent
12.03
121.84
Added photo at
bottom.
11:30
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2
9/19
Waxing
Crescent
1.34
117.57
11:30
3
9/20
Waxing
Crescent
-10.22
113.13
11:30
4
9/21
Waxing
Crescent
-21.39
108.10
11:30
5
9/22
First Quarter-32.56
101.91
11:30
6
9/23
First Quarter-43.51
93.51
11:30
7
9/24
Waxing
Gibbous
-53.68
80.93
11:30
8
9/25
Waxing
Gibbous
-61.76
60.65
11:30
9
9/26
Waxing
Gibbous
-65.11
30.63
11:30
10
9/27
Waxing
Gibbous
-61.65
0.28
11:30
11
9/28
Full Moon
-53.18
339.43
11:30
12
9/29
Full Moon
-42.40
326.28
11:30
13
9/30
Waning
Gibbous
-30.76
317.23
11:30
14
10/1
Waning
Gibbous
-18.96
310.25
11:30
15
10/2
Waning
Gibbous
-7.35
304.26
11:30
16
10/3
Waning
Gibbous
4.19
298.60
11:30
17
10/5
Third
Quarter
25.01
286.41
11:30
18
10/6
Third
quarter
34.51
278.87
11:30
Observation #1:
Add your first detailed sketch and the accompanying information here.
Date: 9/26
Time: 11:30
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Location: Denver
Moon Phase Waxing Gibbous
Observation #2:
Add your second detailed sketch and the accompanying information here.
Date: 9/29
Time: 11:30
Location: Denver
Moon Phase Full moon
Observation #3:
Add your third detailed sketch and the accompanying information here.
Date: 10/3
Time: 11:30
Location: Denver
Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous
Part 2: Post Observation Reflection
After making your moon observations, tell me:
1.
How did the moon’s position in the sky change from night to night during your 14 consecutive
observations?
The moon moved over as it changed cycle.
1.
What does this tell you about the moon’s orbit?
It goes in a circle around the earth as it spins.
2.
How did the moon’s appearance change during your detailed observations?
It got lighter and
darker as the sun and clouds affected it.
1.
Did the features that you noted in at least two observations appear in the same place?
A dent in
the moon.
2.
What differences, if any, did you notice in the same features between different observations?
It
has more dent on one side than the other.
3.
What phases made it more difficult to see the features? Easier? Why?
Full moon made it the
easiest to see the features.
4.
How do your detailed observations of features on the moon support what you have learned
about how the moon rotates?
You can see how the sun hits it and more features become more
or less visible.
3.
What do your observations about the Moon tell you about what causes the Moon phases?
How
the sun reflects on the moon and where you are affects the physical features.
1.
How are these observations consistent with what you have learned in class?
How it affects
them . moon's features and the altitude.
2.
How are your observations of the phase of the moon inconsistent with the idea that the phases
of the moon are caused by Earth’s shadow on the moon? (Hint: consider the position of the Sun
relative to the Earth and Moon during each of your observations).
My observations show the
phase is the same even if the sun shadow is cloudy or something.
4.
What other comments or personal thoughts can you share about the experience?
Measures of Success
●
Lab is complete, with all questions answered
●
14 successful observations are made (and cloudy or other non-observing dates are noted)
●
Sketches are included for 3+ observations (including one waxing and one waning phase), with
the date of the sketch clearly noted
●
Connections are made between observations and class material
●
Lab is submitted to MyCourses as a single pdf document with all pages present and in order