The Moon

1. The Moon With Special Guest: Astro the Astronaut Mr. Valle’s Guide to Click to explore.

2. Meet Astro Greetings boys and girls! My name is Astro the Astronaut. I have known Mr. Valle since he first began exploring the moon when he was in 3rd grade. Now, he asked if I would meet you!

3. Meet Astro Of course, I said yes. My favorite thing to do in this whole universe is to teach people about my favorite place. Can you guess what my favorite place is?

4. Meet Astro If you guessed the moon, you’re right! The moon is much more than a mysterious ball in space. In fact, we know a lot about the moon. Why don’t you tell me what you would like to know first.

5. Explore and Discover! Moon Overview Please click one of the buttons to begin exploring. Moon Features Moon Phases Moon Exploration Moon Quiz

6. Earth’s satellite The moon is Earth’s nearest neighbor. Don’t let that fact fool you though. It is still pretty far away. If you were driving in a car going 55 mph, it would take you 6 months to get there!

7. Earth’s satellite In addition to being a neighbor, the moon is Earth’s satellite. A satellite is an object that revolves (moves around) a planet. The moon continuously circles around the Earth.

8. Earth’s satellite The moon circles around the Earth because of a force called gravity. Gravity is the force of attraction between two objects of mass. Earth has a lot of mass. The moon has mass too.

9. Earth’s satellite The Earth is much bigger (has more mass) than the moon. In fact, if Earth was hollow, over 50 moons could fit inside it. Since Earth is bigger, it pulls the moon around it.

10. Earth’s satellite If the moon was bigger than Earth, then Earth would orbit around the moon. This, of course, is not the case.

11. Earth’s satellite Remember, the bigger the object, the more it pulls. I know this can be tough stuff. If this seems a bit confusing, make sure to ask questions in class.

12. Earth’s satellite This concludes the overview portion of this presentation. Please continue exploring on the next page.

13. Explore and Discover! Moon Overview Moon Features Please select a button to continue exploring. Moon Phases Moon Exploration Moon Quiz

14. Moon features First, let me explain that the moon is NOT made of cheese. I’ve been to the moon many times. It looks like a grey dusty desert. It also has many interesting features.

15. Moon features The moon has many large dark spots. These spots are actually very smooth areas that have been filled with hardened lava.

16. Moon features Each of these lave-filled areas is called a mare. The plural form of mare is maria.

17. Moon features There are also thousands of big dents in the moon. These were caused from huge chunks of rock that crashed into the moon with great force.

18. Moon features We call these dents in the moon craters. Craters can be as small as 3 centimeters or as big as 150 miles!

19. Moon features In addition to maria and craters, the moon has rays. Rays are light colored streaks going out from craters.

20. Moon features When craters were formed from crashing rocks, splashes of matter poured out. These created the rays.

21. Moon features Someday, you might visit the moon and see all this for yourself! For now, keep on learning!

22. Explore and Discover! Moon Overview Congratulations. You have finished this portion of the presentation. Please select a button to continue exploring. Moon Features Moon Phases Moon Exploration Moon Quiz

23. Moon phases I’m certain you’ve noticed that the moon doesn’t always look the same from Earth. Some people think the moon changes shape. This is not true.

24. Moon phases In fact, the moon remains the same shape at all times. What changes is the placement of the moon in relation to Earth and the sun.

25. Moon phases Every month, the moon goes through a series of phases. These phases repeat themselves over and over throughout the year..

26. Moon phases The following slides will explain why the moon seems to change shape in each of its different stages.

27. Moon phases • One half of the moon is always lit. • The lit half is the one that faces the sun.

28. Phase 1: new moon • We start with a new moon. This is when the moon is between Earth and the sun.

29. Phase 1: new moon • When there is a new moon, the sun lights up the side that faces away from Earth.

30. Phase 1: new moon • Since the lit part of the moon faces away from Earth, we do not see a moon at night.

31. Phase 2: First quarter • As we approach a first quarter moon, we see more and more of the moon’s lit half.

32. Phase 2: First quarter • Eventually, we see half of the moon in the sky. At this point, we have reached phase 2.

33. Phase 3: Full Moon • Eventually, the moon lines up so that Earth sits exactly in the middle of it and the sun.

34. Phase 3: Full Moon • In this phase, we see the entire part of the lit moon. This is a full moon.

35. Phase 4: last quarter • After a full moon, we gradually see less and less of the moon again.

36. Phase 4: last quarter • When the moon looks like it is half a circle again, it is the last quarter phase.

37. AROUND AND AROUND • After a full moon, we gradually see less and less of the moon again.

38. AROUND AND AROUND • Soon it will be between the sun and Earth again. We are back to the new moon phase.

39. Explore and Discover! Moon Overview Congratulations. You have finished this portion of the presentation. Please select a button to continue exploring. Moon Features Moon Phases Moon Exploration Moon Quiz

40. Moon exploration People have been studying the moon and space for ages. The fancy name we have for the study of objects in space is astronomy.

41. Moon exploration A man by the name of Galileo began modern astronomy when he invented the first telescope. This was nearly 500 years ago.

42. Moon exploration Another way we explore space is by using satellites. These satellites gather important information from space and send it back to Earth.

43. Moon exploration Sputnik is the name of the first satellite ever sent into space. This was done by the Soviet Union in 1957.

44. Moon exploration Recently, we have also been studying space by actually going there! This is known as space travel.

45. Moon exploration In 1961, Alan Shepard become the first American to enter space. Since then, America has been part of many special space missions.

46. Moon exploration One very special space travel program was called the Apollo Project. Its purpose was to land people on the moon. The goal of this project was accomplished in 1969.

47. Moon exploration In 1969, Apollo 11 brought the first astronauts (space explorers) to the moon. The first two people to set foot on the moon were Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin.

48. Moon exploration Nobody has set foot on the moon since 1972. We still spend a lot of time studying it, however. In fact there are plans to someday return to the moon and place a telescope there.

49. Moon exploration Maybe someday you will become the next person to walk on the moon! Explore and discover! That’s my motto.

50. Explore and Discover! Moon Overview Congratulations. You have finished this portion of the presentation. Please select a button to continue exploring. Moon Features Moon Phases Moon Exploration Moon Quiz