Lunar Phase Simulator: Classroom Demonstration Guidelines for Understanding Moon Phases, Study notes of Geometry

Download Lunar Phase Simulator: Classroom Demonstration Guidelines for Understanding Moon Phases and more Study notes Geometry in PDF only on Docsity! NAAP –Lunar Phase Simulator – Classroom Demonstration Guidelines 1/4 Classroom Demonstration Guidelines (Lunar Phase Simulator) The following sequence of directions are steps an instructor might choose to follow in demonstrating the Lunar Phase Simulator in a classroom situation. We provide these suggestions with appropriate questions (shown in bold italics) to pose to the class as an aid in promoting interactivity. We encourage instructors to adapt these suggestions to their particular educational goals and the needs of their class. These guidelines assume that students are familiar with the basic vocabulary related to phases and focus on the underlying concepts. Animation Demonstration Directions Interactive Questions Hide the Moon Phase panel and the Horizon Diagram panel, the phase of the Moon is new. Grab the Moon and drag it slowly around the Earth. Use the Diagram Options, show lunar landmark to highlight the rotation-revolution relationship of the moon. Return the Moon to the new position. Move the Moon to the full position. Move the Moon to the 3rd quarter position (toward the top of the screen). Show the Moon Phase panel. What percentage of the entire Earth is illuminated at any instant? (50%). What percentage of the entire Moon is illuminated at any instant? (50%). Is the percentage of illumination changing as the Moon revolves around the Earth? (No it is always 50%) When any observer on the daylight side of the Earth looks at the Moon, how much illumination can they see? (0%, the dark side of the Moon is facing the Earth.) When any observer on the nighttime side of the Earth looks at the Moon, how much illumination can they see? (100%, the dark side of the Moon is facing away from the Earth.) Thus, since 50% of the Moon is always illuminated, lunar phases are due to the changing geometry – the fact that the angle between the Sun and the Moon as seen from the Earth is changing. What would the Moon look like from the Earth in this phase? (50% of the visible surface of the Moon is illuminated – light on NAAP –Lunar Phase Simulator – Classroom Demonstration Guidelines 2/4 Hide the Moon Phase panel. Drag the Moon to the waxing gibbous position (lower-right of the screen). Show the Moon Phase panel. the left half and dark on the right – for a northern hemisphere observer.) We can use the phase panel to check our answer. What would the Moon look like from the Earth in this phase? (Most of the Moon is illuminated on the right hand side and a small amount on the left is dark.) We can check our answer in the phase panel. The important point is that we use the phase panel as a check for our geometric reasoning and not a replacement. Use the Moon Phase panel to select the waxing crescent. In the Diagram Options panel, check show angle. Uncheck show angle. Use the Moon Phase panel menu to select the waning gibbous. Check show angle to check your answer – then uncheck show angle. What angular separation would an observer see between the Sun and Moon? (45°) We can use the applet to display the angle. What angular separation would an observer see between the Sun and Moon at this phase? (135°) Thinking about phases as the angle between the Sun and the Moon will be very helpful when we look at phases in a horizon diagram representation. Hide the Moon Phase panel. In the Diagram Options panel, check show time tickmarks. Show the Horizon Diagram panel. Click start animation to demonstrate this. Click pause animation when finished. Drag the observer to the Sunrise position. Note how the direction of incident Sunlight determines the timezones on the Earth. We are looking down at the Earth from the North Celestial Pole. How will the observer move due to the Earth’s rotation as time advances? (Rotation will carry an observer on the Earth counterclockwise since our viewpoint is the NCP -- from Sunrise, through noon, to Sunset, etc.) How will the Moon move? (counterclockwise as well)