CAS AS 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Lunar Phase, Solar System, Orbital Period
9 Feb 2018
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The tilt remains about 23. 5 degrees, but earth has a 26,000 year precession cycle that slowly and subtly changes the orientation of earth"s axis. In 15,000 years, the seasons would be flipped. Earth"s only permanent natural satellite that"s one of the largest natural satellites in the. Came into existence roughly 4. 5 billion years ago, not long after earth, when a mars sized body called tehia collided with earth. Moon formed from the debris left over this giant impact. Moon"s gravitational influence produces ocean tides, body tides, and slight lengthening of the day. Moon"s linear distance from earth is increasing at a rate of . 1. 5 inches or 3. 82 cm per year. Lunar phases are a consequence of the moon"s 27. 3 day orbit around earth. Sunlight strikes the entire earth-moon orbit from the same direction. Half of moon is always illuminated by sun and half is dark.
