Transcript Celestial Motions and Celestial Sphere

Celestial Motions
And
Celestial Sphere
Phases of the Moon depend on:
Where the moon is in its orbit around the Earth
New Moon rises and sets with the Sun
Full Moon rises at sunset and sets at sunrise
First Quarter phase rises at noon and sets at midnight
Last Quarter phase rises at midnight and sets at noon
Waxing crescent phase sets just after sunset; it is out most
of the day and you don’t see it. It is in the direction of the
Sun but a little to the left of it
Waning crescent phase rises just before sunrise; it is out
most of the day and you don’t see it. It is in the direction of
the Sun but a little to the right of it
ZENITH – the point in the sky on the the celestial
sphere that id directly overhead.
ALTITUDE – the angular distance above the
horizon
AZIMUTH – directional bearing around the
horizon measured in degrees from north
(0 degrees)
MERIDIAN – a great circle passing through the
celestial north and south poles and through the
zenith of any location on Earth
ecliptic – apparent line path through the 12
constellations of the zodiac that the Sun
seems to take in one Earth year. Also
representing the “edge” of the plane of the
Earth’s orbit.
Constellations of the zodiac – the 12 patterns
recognized by several ancient civilizations as
the background for the Sun, the Moon and the
planets.
The Moon is 400 times smaller than the Sun; it is also 400
times closer to us than the Sun. Because of this, every so
often the Moon “covers up” all or part of the Sun (about
once every 18 months. Only a narrow path on Earth gets to
witness the full totality when it seems like nigh time. This
can only happen when the Moon is in its New Moon phase