Exploring Solar and Lunar Eclipses

The video explores why solar and lunar eclipses do not occur every month despite the moon's 28-day cycle. It explains that the moon's orbit is tilted at a 5-degree angle to the Earth's orbit around the sun, causing the moon to often be above or below the Earth's orbital plane. This tilt prevents the moon from blocking the sun or falling into Earth's shadow every cycle. The video also describes the mechanics of solar and lunar eclipses, including the concepts of umbra and penumbra. Finally, it highlights the vast scale and distance of the sun compared to the Earth and moon.

What is the position of the moon during a new moon?

• Between the Earth and the Sun

• On the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun

• Above the Earth

• Below the Earth

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Why doesn't the moon block out the Sun every time there is a new moon?

• The Earth blocks the moon

• The Sun is too far away

• The moon's orbit is at a 5-degree angle to the Earth's orbit

• The moon is too small

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

What is the angle between the moon's orbit and the Earth's orbit?

• 5 degrees

• 15 degrees

• 10 degrees

• 20 degrees

What is the term for the moon's complete shadow during a solar eclipse?

• Ecliptic

• Umbra

• Antumbra

• Penumbra

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

What is the term for the moon's partial shadow during a solar eclipse?

• Penumbra

• Umbra

• Antumbra

• Ecliptic

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Why don't we see a lunar eclipse every full moon?

• The moon is too far from the Earth

• The moon is too small

• The Earth's shadow misses the moon due to the 5-degree angle

• The Sun is too bright

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

What can you determine by looking at the moon at night?

• The distance to the Sun

• The direction of the Sun

• The size of the Earth

• The speed of the moon

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

How far is the moon from the Earth?

• 1 million miles

• 400,000 miles

• 240,000 miles

• 93 million miles

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

How much larger is the distance to the Sun compared to the distance to the moon?

• 300 times

• 200 times

• 400 times

• 100 times

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

What would be the size of the Sun if the Earth and moon were scaled down?

• A basketball

• A beach ball

• A tennis ball

• A golf ball

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3