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The Solar System 2

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14 views3 pages

The Solar System 2

Uploaded by

sapphireclarke9
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Natural and Artificial Satellites

The moon is a natural satellite that orbits the Earth. The moon appears to be the largest
object in the sky because it is the closest to the Earth. The moon reflects light from the sun.
Improvements to Science and Technology have led to the introduction of artificial satellites
into space via rockets.
The following are uses of satellites:
 To monitor weather on Earth
 To improve wireless communication connectivity
 For global positioning systems (GPS)
 To observe rare or unusual occurrences in space
 For military surveillance
Geostationary satellites are a type of artificial satellite which are launched at a higher orbit
above the Earth and then travel in the same direction in which the Earth spins. These
satellites travel from East to West along the equator at the same speed the Earth spins.
Because of this, geostationary satellites appear to be stationary above the Earth. This type of
satellite is commonly used for communication purposes.
Draw Table 15.1 Pg 371 Text + Add Column with Number of Moons (Very Important –
shows Size of Planets, Distance from the Sun, Order of the Planets in the Solar System
and Number of Moons)
Day and Night:
We experience changes from daylight to darkness or from day to night during the time Earth
takes to rotate on its axis. This happens because of the fact that Earth also rotates on its axis
while it orbits the sun. The side of the Earth that experiences daylight is the side that faces the
sun while a shadow is cast on the other side which causes that side to experience night.
As the earth spins on the axis, the side exposed to sunlight constantly changes causing a shift
from daylight to darkness over the course of one complete rotation which usually takes 24
hours.
Countries or landmasses on the poles do not experience this change within a day because of
the fact that Earth is tilted on its axis by 23 degrees. Because of this, the Sun only rises and
sets once a year at the poles meaning that they have six months of daylight and six months of
darkness.
Eclipses:
An eclipse occurs when bodies in space like the Sun, Moon and Earth align. An eclipse
usually results in a shadow being cast on the Earth or the Moon as one blocks the sunlight
from reaching the other.
There are two types of eclipse:
1. Solar eclipse (eclipse of the sun): occurs when the moon comes between the sun and
the Earth resulting in a shadow of the moon being cast onto the surface of the
Earth. (Refer to diagram 15.9 Pg. 373 of the Textbook.)
2. Lunar eclipse: Occurs when the Earth moves between the sun and the moon,
casting a shadow onto the surface of the moon. A lunar eclipse can only occur
during a full moon because the moon and the Sun are aligned during that phase.
(Refer to diagram 15.10 Pg. 373 of the Textbook)
Phases of the Moon:
The moon travels around the Earth in an anticlockwise direction. It makes one complete
orbit in about 28 days (a lunar month). The moon does not produce light but rather
reflects light from the sun. At different times of the month, different parts of the moon are
exposed to light from the sun. So the moon appears to be different shapes during the
month. The following are the four phases of the moon:
1. New moon: occurs when the sun is shining on the side of the moon that is facing
away from the Earth. We cannot see the moon from the Earth during this phase.
2. First quarter: occurs when the sun is shining on the right side of the moon as seen
from Earth. When we look at the moon, we see the right side lit up resembling a
backward C.
3. Full moon: occurs when the sun is shining on the side of the moon that is facing
towards the Earth. When we look at the moon it is a large, brightly lit circle.
4. Last quarter: occurs when the sun is on the left side of the moon. When we look at
the moon, we see the left side lit up resembling a C.

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