5th Class Science Earth, Moon and Sun The Moon

The Moon

Tit bits

The moon’s surface is very, old.

The youngest rocks brought back by the Apollo astronauts are more than three thousand million years old.

ARYABHATTA was the first to tell us that eclipses occur because of the shadows cast by the    earth and the moon

• The branch of science that deals with the study of celestial bodies is called

• The moon is the natural satellite of the earth.

• The moon does not have any light of its However, we are able to see the    moon because it reflects the sunlight.       

• The surface of the moon is covered with craters, mountains and valleys.

The moon circles the earth, which causes the shape of the lit portion to change. We see different parts of the moon while it orbits around the earth. These changing shapes are called phases of the moon.

• There are five major phases of the moon.

·                      

- New moon   

 - Crescent 

                                - Half moon

               - Gibbous  

          - Full moon    

 The moon pulls objects towards itself with less force (gravity) than the earth does. So we would find it very difficult to walk on moon. Unless we are weighed down, we would float.

Stages of waxing phase

New moon  thin crescents Half-moon  Gibbous moon Full moon

Stages of waning phase

Full moon  Gibbous moon  Half-moon  Thin crescents New moon

As the moon has no air or wind, the astronaut’s footprints will remain there forever.

• Artificial satellites are put in orbits around the earth to help in communication, weather forecasts, and to relay television and radio programmers.

• A solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the sun and the earth it blocks the sunlight to an extent. The sun looks as if it has a disc in front of it that creates a shadow.

• A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth comes between the sun and the moon it blocks a lot of sunlight from reaching the moon and creates a shadow.