Anatomy of a Comet

http://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/exploring-the-planets/online/comets/comet_anatomy.html

Comet Photo

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/figures/PIA11228_fig1.jpg

Meteoroid Impact Connections p 128

Manicouagan Cretor – Can be seen from space

Charlevoix

Hudson Bay

Aurora borealis (Northern Lights)

Occurs at the North and South Poles.

They look like ribbons of light in the sky.

Occurs in the thermosphere in the sublayer ionosphere.

It DOES NOT occur in the exosphere because the particles are too far apart.

They are called Aurora australis at the South Pole.

Aurora borealis – from space

Northern Lights – from earth

Aurora Borealis Videos

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MI3YDGgtN4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r1aDnfzWu4

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju7bpeOPGZo

Phases of the Moon

Why does the moon have different phases?

• One half of the moon is always illuminated (lit by the sun) and the other half of the moon is always in darkness.

• The moon orbits counterclockwise around the earth.

• The part of the moon that we see (the illuminated side, the dark side or the proportion of both) depends on the moon’s orientation within its orbit, in relation to the earth and the sun.

Waxing – The moon is approaching a full moon and the illuminated side of the moon is getting bigger.

Waning – The moon is approaching a new moon and the illuminated side of the moon is getting smaller.

Phases of the Moon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI2tP8dpwNA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz01pTvuMa0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aFGNGEcDOk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhokvJZFURg

Universal Gravitation• Gravitation is a force of mutual attraction

between bodies (objects).

• The earth pulls you to the ground with a strong attractive force (gravity) but, with a weaker attractive force, you also pull the earth to you.

• The earth pulls the moon towards itself and the moon pulls the earth towards itself. The force with which the earth pulls the moon is stronger so the moon orbits around the earth.

• The sun pulls the earth towards itself and the earth pulls the sun towards itself. The sun’s gravitational pull is stronger so the earth orbits around the sun

Solar System – Sizes, Distances, Composition p 357

http://ronyerby.com/ss/Outer.htmlhttp://ronyerby.com/ss/Inner.html

Characteristics of Light

Light is a form of radiant energy.

Light travels in a straight line.

Light bounces off surfaces.

Diffuse reflection – when light bounces of irregular surfaces. We see the object.

Specular reflection – when light bounces off smooth surfaces. We see an image (ex: mirror, or a still lake.

Assignment

Explain each of the following phenomena using the properties of light:

Cycles of day and night, seasons, phases of the moon, eclipses

Solar System Project

• You will make a 3 D Model of the solar system.

• You will include all of the planets, the sun and the moon.

• The planets will be color coded according to their substance composition.

• You will make the planets TO SCALE according to their diameter.

• You will make the distances TO SCALE as well.

• You may have to use two different scales.

• You may use any materials you want.