SEASONS AND MOON PHASES

​SEASONS

By Carlton Williams

SOLSTICE

WHEN THE EARTH'S ROTATION AXIS IS TILTED TOWARD OR AWAY FROM THE SUN

1. FIRST DAY OF SUMMER IS CALLED THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

2. THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER IS CALLED THE WINTER SOLSTICE

EQUINOX

WHEN THE EARTH'S ROTATION AXIS IS NEITHER TILTED TOWARD OR AWAY FROM THE SUN

1. FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN IS CALLED AUTUMNAL EQUINOX

2. THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING IS CALLED VERNAL EQUINOX

1. WINTER BEGINS IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

2. ​SUMMER BEGINS IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

​

​DECEMBER SOLSTICE

1. SUMMER BEGINS IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

2. ​WINTER BEGINS IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

​

​JUNE SOLSTICE

1. AUTUMN BEGINS IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

2. ​SPRING BEGINS IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

​

​SEPTEMBER EQUINOX

1. SPRING BEGINS IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

2. AUTUMN BEGINS IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

​MARCH EQUINOX

THE MOON

​THE MOON

1. MASS....... 1.2% OF EARTH

2. DIAMETER...... 27% OF EARTH'S DIAMETER

3. DISTANCE FROM EARTH..... 384,400 KM FROM EARTH

4. ROTATION TIME..... 27.3 DAYS

5. REVOLUTION TIME..... 27.3 DAYS

MOON PHASES

• LIT PART OF THE MOON THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM EARTH

​WAXING PHASES

MORE OF THE MOON'S NEAR SIDE IS LIT EACH NIGHT

LIGHT CAN BE SEEN ON THE WESTERN SIDE

​

​WEEK 1: FIRST QUARTER

MOONS NEAR SIDE IS COMPLETELY LIT

​

​WEEK 2: FULL MOON

​WANING PHASES

LESS OF THE MOON'S NEAR SIDE IS LIT EACH NIGHT

THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE MOON IS LIT

​

​WEEK 3: THIRD QUARTER

WHEN THE NEAR SIDE OF THE MOON IS COMPLETELY DARK

​

​WEEK 4: NEW MOON

WHEN THE MOON'S SHADOW APPEARS ON THE EARTH'S SURFACE

​

SOLAR ECLIPSE

WHEN THE MOON MOVES INTO THE EARTH'S SHADOW

​

LUNAR ECLIPSE

OCEAN TIDES

​TIDAL FORCE

THE FORCE OF GRAVITY ON EARTH, FROM THE MOON, THAT CAUSES THE RISE AND FALL OF OCEAN TIDES

​OCEAN TIDE

DAILY RISE AND FALL OF THE OCEANS WATER LEVEL

HIGH TIDE

OCEANS WATER IS AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL

MOON'S POSITION

• THE MOON'S GRAVITY IS STRONGER ON THE SIDE OF EARTH THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE MOON.

• MOON'S GRAVITATIONAL FORCE DECREASES AS THE DISTANCE FROM EARTH INCREASES.

EARTH' ROTATION

• TWO (2) HIGH TIDES EVERY 24 HOURS

• TAKES 24 HOURS AND 50 MINUTES FOR EARTH TO MAKE A COMPLETE ROTATION

LOW TIDE

• WATER LEVEL IT AT ITS LOWEST POSITION

• HAPPENS TWO (2) TIMES A DAY

TIDAL RANGE

• DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW TIDES

• LOW TIDES HAPPEN 6 HOURS AND 12.5 MINUTES AFTER A HIGH TIDE

SPRING TIDE

• LARGEST TIDAL RANGE (STRAIGHT LINE)

• HAPPENS TWICE A MONTH, 15 DAYS APART

• HAPPENS DURING A FULL MOON AND NEW MOON

​SPRING TIDE

​NEAP TIDE

• LOWEST TIDAL RANGE (RIGHT ANGLE)

• HAPPENS TWICE A MONTH, 14 DAYS APART

• HAPPENS DURING THIRD QUARTER AND FIRST QUARTER

​NEAP TIDE