Dec. 13 – The Sun, Earth and Moon

Learning Goals: Understand the parts of the sun.  Understand the motion of the Earth and Moon.

Success Criteria: You can describe the parts of the sun.  You can describe the motion of the Earth and Moon and use it to explain the seasons, length of day, eclipses, and the tides.

Handout: The Motion of Earth and the Moon

Yesterday someone asked what would happen if two galaxies collided into each other.  Here's a video of what would happen.  This is a simulation that was calculated by computers.

We started by sketching our own pictures of the sun.  here's an image showing all the layers.

We also discussed sunspots, solar flares and solar prominence.

Sunspots!

Solar flares.

 Then we talked about how the magnetic field protects us from harmful particles that come from the sun.  The particles are pushed towards the North or South poles and when they hit the atmosphere, we see it as the Aurora Borealis (northern lights) or Aurora Australis (southern lights).

Then we talked about which direction the Earth rotates:

It rotates this way!

Looking down from the North Pole, the earth rotates counter-clockwise.  It also moves in a counter-clockwise motion around the sun.

We then discussed Heliocentric (sun at centre) and Geocentric (earth at centre) views of the solar system.  Today we know that Copernicus and Galileo are correct and the Earth indeed goes around the sun.

We discussed how the tilt of the Earth causes the seasons:

And how this tilt is constantly changing.

Then we looked at phases of the moon:

... eclipses ...

and tides...

Quite a lot for one days work!

Homework: Study for the Ecology Unit Test on Monday!