Volume 1 Issue 1
Mad
iso
n C
app
s &
Nat
han
Du
tto
n
{20
12
}
Wh
at’
s u
p S
cie
nce
?!
Volume 1 Issue 1
From Earth
to Moon Did the Moon really
come from the Earth??
2
Contents
From Earth to Moon ................................... 3
Moon’s Composition .................................. 4
Size & Distance from the Earth ................... 4
Phases of the Moon .................................... 5
Orbit of the Moon ...................................... 7
The Moon Effects the Earth?! ..................... 8
Missions to the Moon ............................... 11
3
From Earth to Moon
There are several theories that
are a possible explanation for how the
moon was formed.
The Fission Theory: This theory proposes that the Moon was once part of the Earth and somehow separated from the Earth early in the history of the solar system. The present Pacific Ocean basin is the most popular site for the part of the Earth from which the Moon came. This theory was thought possible since the Moon's composition resembles that of the Earth's mantle and a rapidly spinning Earth could have cast off the Moon from its outer layers. However, the present-day Earth-Moon system should contain "fossil evidence" of this rapid spin and it does not. Also, this hypothesis does not have a natural explanation for the extra baking the lunar material has received.
The Capture Theory: This theory proposes that the Moon was formed somewhere else in the solar system, and was later captured by the gravitational field of the Earth. The Moon's different chemical composition could be explained if it formed elsewhere in the solar system, however, capture into the Moon's present orbit is very improbable. Something would have to slow it down by just the right amount at just the right time, and scientists are reluctant to believe in such "fine tuning". Also, this hypothesis does not have a natural explanation for the extra baking the lunar material has received.
The Condensation Theory: This theory proposes that the Moon and the Earth condensed individually from the nebula that formed the solar system, with the Moon formed in orbit around the Earth. However, if the Moon formed in the vicinity of the Earth it should have nearly the same composition. Specifically, it should possess a significant iron core, and it does not. Also, this hypothesis does not have a natural explanation for the extra
4
baking the lunar material has received.
Moon’s
Composition
The moon's composition has been of great interest to scientists. With the collection of moon soil and moon rocks by astronauts, many questions have been able to be answered. Moon soil contains no fossils of plants or animals, but when this soil is placed on earth plants, they seem to grow better. Moon rocks are composed of minerals including aluminum, calcium, magnesium, oxygen, silicon, and titanium. Some gases are also trapped in these rocks, such as hydrogen and helium. These gases are said to have reached the moon by solar wind.
The moon's outer crust seems to
be solid and hardy but not much is
known about its inner material.
When Apollo 13 sent part of the
Saturn rocket crashing on to the
moon, the result was seismic
vibrations which lasted for four
hours. These vibrations were not
expected by the scientists
Size & Distance
from the Earth
The average distance between Earth and Moon is approximately 30 times Earth's diameter. (see Figure 1 Below)
The Moon's diameter is 3,474 km,
just over a quarter that of the Earth.
Figure 1
5
Phases of the
Moon
The Moon orbit Earth at an average
distance of 382,400 kilometers. The
lunar month is the 29.53 days it takes
to go from one new moon to the
next. During the lunar month, the
Moon goes through all its phases.
You can see the phases drawn in the
image below. Just like the Earth, half
of the Moon is lit by the Sun while
the other half is in darkness. The
phases we see result from the angle
the Moon makes with the Sun as
viewed from Earth. The diagram
below on the right is one you
typically see in books. Don't let it
confuse you. The images of the
Moon show what you see the Moon
look like from Earth when it is at
given points in its orbit. It does not
show which side of the Moon is lit by
the Sun. The side lit by the Sun is
always the side that is pointed
toward the Sun, as seen in the
Diagram below on left.
6
Have a pet that pee’s and barks all the time? Well send them to the moon!!
Problem Solved!!!
7
Orbit of the
Moon
The Moon appears to move completely around the celestial sphere once in about 27.3 days as observed from the Earth. This is called a sidereal month, and reflects the corresponding orbital period of 27.3 days The moon takes 29.5 days to return to the same point on the celestial sphere as referenced to the Sun because of the motion of the Earth around the Sun; this is called a synodic month (Lunar phases as observed from the Earth are correlated with the synodic month).
There are effects that cause small fluctuations around this value that we will not discuss. Since the Moon must move Eastward among the constellations enough to go completely around the sky (360 degrees) in 27.3 days, it must move Eastward by 13.2 degrees each day
(in contrast, remember that the Sun only appears to move Eastward by about 1 degree per day). Thus, with respect to the background constellations the Moon will be about 13.2 degrees further East each day. Since the celestial sphere appears to turn 1 degree about every 4 minutes, the Moon crosses our celestial meridian about 13.2 x 4
= 52.8 minutes later each day.
8
The Moon
Effects the
Earth?!
The most obvious effect that the Moon has on Earth is to produce tides (see figure 1).
Tides don't just lift boats and uncover clam flats; they have caused profound changes to our world.
Figure 1
Watching the tides roll away.
These pictures show low
(right) and high (left) tides at
Bar Harbor, Maine. The tides
are one of the most important
ways that the Moon affects
life on Earth. They are the
result of the fact that the
Moon's gravitational pull does
not affect all parts of Earth
equally: The lunar gravity
exerts a stronger pull on the
parts of Earth that are closer
to the Moon. This tugs the
oceans ever so slightly toward
the Moon. The effect is small -
- it lifts the surface of the
ocean by less than 1 meter --
but enough to create a wave
that travels around the globe
as Earth rotates. As this wave
enters shallow coastal waters,
it increases in size. Photos
courtesy of John Neff,
University of Iowa.
Tides occur because the gravitational force between two bodies decreases with distance. Gravitation is the universal force of attraction between all matter. It holds astronomical bodies together
9
and attracts different bodies
toward each other. Because gravity tugs on nearby things more strongly than on distant things, the oceans closest to the Moon feel the greatest attraction to the Moon. Being fluid, these nearby oceans move upward in response to the Moon's pull, until there is a balance between the
upward force from the Moon and the downward force from Earth. The high tide on the far side of the Earth occurs because these most distant oceans feel the least attraction to the Moon. In essence, they are left behind as the Moon pulls the other parts of Earth toward itself
with greater force.
10
MOON CHEESE! Order yours today!!! Limited
Supplies! Next shipment will not be for another year, first
come first serve!!
11
Missions to the
Moon
1959
Luna 1 - Jan 2, 1959 - Flyby
Pioneer 4 - Mar 3, 1959 - Flyby
Luna 2 - Sep 12, 1959 - Impact
Luna 3 - Oct 4, 1959 - Probe
1960
1961
Ranger 1 - Aug 23, 1961 - Attempted
Test Flight
Ranger 2 - Nov 18, 1961 - Attempted
Test Flight
1962
Ranger 3 - Jan 26, 1962 - Attempted
Impact
Ranger 4 - Apr 23, 1962 - Impact
Ranger 5 - Oct 18, 1962 - Attempted
Impact
1963
Luna 4 - Apr 2, 1963 - Flyby
1964
Ranger 6 - Jan 30, 1964 - Impact
Ranger 7 - Jul 28, 1964 - Impact
1965
Ranger 8 - Feb 17, 1965 - Impact
Ranger 9 - Mar 21, 1965 - Impact
Luna 5 - May 9, 1965 - Impact
Luna 6 - Jun 8, 1965 - Attempted Lander
Zond 3 - Jul 18, 1965 - Flyby
Luna 7 - Oct 4, 1965 - Impact
Luna 8 - Dec 3, 1965 - Impact
1966
Luna 9 - Jan 31, 1966 - Lander
Luna 10 - Mar 31, 1966 - Orbiter
Surveyor 1 - May 30, 1966 - Lander
Lunar Orbiter 1 - Aug 10, 1966 - Orbiter
Luna 11 - Aug 24, 1966 - Orbiter
Surveyor 2 - Sep 20, 1966 - Attempted
Lander
Luna 12 - Oct 22, 1966 - Orbiter
Lunar Orbiter 2 - Nov 6, 1966 - Orbiter
Luna 13 - Dec 21, 1966 - Lander
1967
Lunar Orbiter 3 - Feb 4, 1967 - Orbiter
Surveyor 3 - Apr 17, 1967 - Lander
Lunar Orbiter 4 - May 8, 1967 - Orbiter
Surveyor 4 - Jul 14, 1967 - Attempted
Lander
Explorer 35 (IMP-E) - Jul 19, 1967 -
Orbiter
Lunar Orbiter 5 - Aug 1, 1967 - Orbiter
Surveyor 5 - Sep 8, 1967 - Lander
Surveyor 6 - Nov 7, 1967 - Lander
1968
Surveyor 7 - Jan 7, 1968 - Lander
Luna 14 - Apr 7, 1968 - Orbiter
Zond 5 - Sep 15, 1968 - Return Probe
12
Zond 6 - Nov 10, 1968 - Return Probe
Apollo 8 - Dec 21, 1968 - Crewed Orbiter
1969
Apollo 10 - May 18, 1969 - Orbiter
Luna 15 - Jul 13, 1969 - Orbiter
Apollo 11 - Jul 16, 1969 - Crewed
Landing
Zond 7 - Aug 7, 1969 - Return Probe
Apollo 12 - Nov 14, 1969 - Crewed
Landing
1970
Apollo 13 - Apr 11, 1970 - Crewed
Landing (aborted)
Luna 16 - Sep 12, 1970 - Sample Return
Zond 8 - Oct 20, 1970 - Return Probe
Luna 17 - Nov 10, 1970 - Rover
1971
Apollo 14 - Jan 31, 1971 - Crewed
Landing
Apollo 15 - Jul 26, 1971 - Crewed
Landing
Luna 18 - Sep 2, 1971 - Impact
Luna 19 - Sep 28, 1971 - Orbiter
1972
Luna 20 - Feb 14, 1972 - Sample Return
Apollo 16 - Apr 16, 1972 - Crewed
Landing
Apollo 17 - Dec 7, 1972 - Crewed
Landing
1973
Luna 21 - Jan 8, 1973 - Rover
Explorer 49 (RAE-B) - Jun 10, 1973 -
Orbiter
1974
Luna 22 - Jun 2, 1974 - Orbiter
Luna 23 - Oct 28, 1974 - Lander
1975
1976
Luna 24 - Aug 14, 1976 - Sample Return
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
Hiten - Jan 24, 1990 - Flyby and Orbiter
1991
1992
1993
1994
Clementine - Jan 25, 1994 - Orbiter
1995
1996
13
1997
AsiaSat 3/HGS-1 - Dec 24, 1997 - Lunar
Flyby
1998
Lunar Prospector - Jan 7, 1998 - Orbiter
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
SMART 1 - Sep 27, 2003 - Lunar Orbiter
2004
2005
2006
2007
Kaguya (SELENE) - Sep 14, 2007 - Lunar
Orbiter
Chang'e 1 - Oct 24, 2007 - Lunar Orbiter
2008
Chandrayaan-1 - Oct 22, 2008 - Lunar
Orbiter
2009
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter - June 17,
2009 - Lunar Orbiter
LCROSS - June 17, 2009 - Lunar Orbiter
and Impactor
2010
Chang'e 2 - Oct 1, 2010 - Lunar Orbiter
2011
Gravity Recovery And Interior
Laboratory (GRAIL) - Sep 10, 2011 - Lunar
Orbiter
2012
2013
Lunar Atmosphere and Dust
Environment Explorer (LADEE) - Mar, 2013 -
Lunar Orbiter