AST101H1 Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Continued
31 Jan 2011
School
Department
Course
Professor
23
AST101H1 Full Course Notes
Verified Note
23 documents
Document Summary
Takes 271/3 days for each circuit through constellations. Lunar phases: the state determined by the portion of the visible face of the moon that is illuminated by sunlight. During full moon, we see half the moon that is lit by sunlight. During new moon we don"t see the moon because the sun isn"t illuminating the part we see at all. Each cycle of phases from one new moon to the next takes apprx. longer than earth"s orbital period b/c o" earth"s motion around sun during time moon is orbiting. Moon"s phase is related to time it rises, reaches highest point in sky, and sets. Phases from new to full are waxing (increasing). Phases from full to new are waning (decreasing. ) First-quarter/third-quarter indicates the times when moon is one-quarter or three quarters finished its monthly cycle. Phase just before and after new moon are called crescent (light sliver). Phase just before and after full moon are called gibbous (dark sliver).
