The Sun The Sun is at the center of our solar system. It is a gigantic star made up of hot gases called plasma. The Sun’s energy is fueled by nuclear fusion reactions and makes all life possible on Earth. The Earth’s Moon The moon is a dry and airless place. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. Its surface is covered with pockmarks created by the impact of meteorites. The Moon revolves around Earth and also rotates on its own axis. It makes one complete revolution around the Earth every 27.3 days. The Moon is in what scientists call synchronous rotation. This means that the same side of the Moon faces the Earth at all times. Earth’s Seasons The Earth is simultaneously spinning on its axis (rotation) and revolving around the Sun. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, the degree to which various points on the globe are pointing toward or away from the Sun determines the seasons at those points. Photographic images courtesy of NASA. Spring Summer Fall Winter Phases of the Moon The revolution of the moon around the Earth makes it appear to look different to us throughout the month. At times we see the entire moon and at others, only a portion of it, with the rest being in shadow. The different appearances of the moon throughout the month are known as the moon’s phases. When the portion of the moon that is lit by sunlight is getting larger, the moon is said to be waxing. When that portion is getting smaller, it is said to be waning. full waning gibbous first quarter waning crescent new waxing crescent third quarter axis rotation revolution Seasons in the Northern Hemisphere waxing gibbous © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 94-4608 www.newpathlearning.com sunspot solar flare photosphere chromosphere radiation zone convection zone core Sun, Earth, Moon System
© Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 94-4608 www.newpathlearning.com Photographic images courtesy of NASA. Spring Summer Fall Winter Describe the Sun. ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ The Earth’s Moon Describe Earth’s Moon. _______________________________ _______________________________ The Moon makes one complete __________________ around the Earth every 27.3 days. The Moon is in what scientists call _________________ ________________. This means that the same side of the moon faces the Earth at all times. Phases of the Moon The __________________ of the moon around the Earth makes it appear to look different to us throughout the month. At times we see the entire moon and at others, only a portion of it, with the rest being in shadow. The different appearances of the moon throughout the month are known as the ________________________ ____________________________. When the portion of the moon that is lit by sunlight is getting larger, the moon is said to be __________________. When that portion is getting smaller, it is said to be __________________. Earth’s Seasons The Earth is simultaneously ____________________ on its axis (rotation) and ____________________ around the Sun. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, the degree to which various points on the globe are pointing toward or away from the Sun determines the ____________________ at those points. The Sun Key Vocabulary Terms • axis • revolution • chromosphere • rotation • convection zone • seasons • core • solar flare • corona • solar system • phases • sunspot • photosphere • synchronous • plasma • waning • radiation zone • waxing Sun, Earth, Moon System \|xiBAHBDy01794tz]
