The document defines key terms related to Earth's rotation, revolution, axis, seasons, phases of the moon, eclipses, and explains how the tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons. It discusses how the length of days and temperature vary throughout the year depending on which hemisphere is tilted toward/away from the Sun. Illustrations and links are provided to further explain concepts like moon phases, seasons, and the effect of Earth's tilted axis.

1. Space Cycles Moon Phases Seasons

14. Illustrate the 8 major phases of the moon

15. Illustrate the 8 major phases of the moon

16. What is a crescent moon ?

17. What is a crescent moon ? Less than half of the lighted side of the moon is visible. Waxing Crescent Waning Crescent

18. What is a gibbous moon ?

19. What is a gibbous moon ? Waxing Gibbous Waning Gibbous More than half of the lighted side of the moon is visible.

20. What is a quarter moon ?

21. What is a quarter moon ?? 1 st Quarter (waxing) 3 rd Quarter (waning) One half of the lighted side of the moon is visible.

22. Why can't you see a new moon?

23. Why can't you see a new moon? The lighted half of the Moon is facing the Sun, not Earth

24. Explain how a lunar eclipse occurs.

25. Explain how a lunar eclipse occurs. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align as the Moon moves into Earth's shadow.

26. Explain how a solar eclipse occurs.

27. Explain how a solar eclipse occurs. A solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align as Earth moves into the Moon's shadow.

28. Why does a solar eclipse last for only a few minutes in any one location?

29. Why does a solar eclipse last for only a few minutes in any one location? Because Earth rotates, it will take only a few minutes to move out of the Moon's shadow.

30. Try a Moon Phase Activity: http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/moon_phases/

31. Review Moon Phases Here: http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/science/core/6th/SCIBER6/MOON/HTML/INTRO.HTM

32. Take the Moon Challenge: http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/moon/moon_challenge/moon_challenge.html

33. What is the shape of the Earth’s orbit?

34. What is the shape of the Earth’s orbit? The Earth travels around the Sun in an almost perfect circle. It is only slightly oval.

35. Why is the shape of the Earth’s orbit Important?

36. Why is the shape of the Earth’s orbit Important? The shape of the orbit doesn't change how far away we are from the Sun by much .

37. How is the Earth’s axis tilted?

38. How is the Earth’s axis tilted? The earth's axis is tilted about 23.45 degrees, so the Earth is never straight up and down compared to the Sun.

39. Read more about the Earth’s tilt: http://inkido.indiana.edu/a100/celestialsphere4.html

40. What is the effect of the Earth’s tilt on the length of a day?

41. What is the effect of the Earth’s tilt on the length of a day? Part of the year, the Earth's Northern Hemisphere is tilted mostly toward the Sun, six months later, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted mostly away from the Sun.

42. What is the effect of the Earth’s tilt on the length of a day? The same is true for the Southern Hemisphere, at opposite times of year – Part of the year, the Earth's Southern Hemisphere is tilted mostly toward the Sun, six months later, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted mostly away from the Sun.

43. What is the effect of the Earth’s tilt on the length of a day? During the months of Northern Hemisphere summer, (June, July, August) the North Pole will get sunlight twenty-four hours a day. The Sun can be seen through most of the autumn, passing below the horizon at the autumnal equinox .

44. What is the effect of the Earth’s tilt on the length of a day? As winter arrives at the North Pole, the Sun will not be visible for about six months, because that part of the Earth is tilted away from the Sun

45. What is the effect of the Earth’s tilt on the length of a day? The same thing happens at the South Pole at opposite times of the year.

46. What is the effect of the Earth’s tilt on the length of a day? As one gets closer to the Equator, this change in daylight hours is not as noticeable.

47. What is the effect of the Earth’s tilt on the length of a day? Closer to the equator, days will get longer during the summer and shorter during the winter; the nearer to the equator, however, the less difference there will be.

48. What is the effect of the Earth’s tilt on the length of a day? At the equator, there is almost no difference between the length of day all through the year.

49. What does the length of day have to do with seasons?

50. What does the length of day have to do with seasons? The length of time sunlight (ENERGY) falls on a particular location has a great deal to do with the seasonal changes in temperature.

51. How does the tilt affect temperature?

52. How does the tilt affect temperature? Changes from season to season are caused by the average daytime temperature. http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980211f.html

53. How does the tilt affect temperature? Temperature depends on the amount of heating that the earth receives from the sun in a single day throughout the year, and this depends on how many hours the sun is out. http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980211f.html

54. How does the tilt affect temperature? In the Northern Hemisphere summer, the northern part of the Earth is tilted towards the sun, allowing more of the sun’s energy to heat the Northern Hemisphere. The Northern Hemisphere get more hours of sunlight a day in the summer.

55. How does the tilt affect temperature? On the other hand, during the Northern Hemisphere winter, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, which lowers the amount of the sun’s energy warming the Northern Hemisphere.

56. How does the tilt affect temperature? During the Summer, the Northern Hemisphere receives the sun's rays coming straight through the atmosphere. During Winter, the pole is pointed away from the Sun, so the light comes in at an angle.

57. Read another explanation: http://weathersavvy.com/Seasons2.html

58. Study the seasons here http://www.diduknow.info/sun/san2.html

59. Explain why the tilt of the Earth causes seasons.

60. Explain why the tilt of the Earth causes seasons. Around June 21st, the summer solstice , the Earth is tilted so that the Sun is positioned directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.5 degrees north latitude. This puts the northern hemisphere in a more direct path of the Sun's energy because it “tilts" away from the Sun. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/astro/season.htm

61. Explain why the tilt of the Earth causes seasons. What this means is less sunlight gets spread out before reaching the ground because it has less distance to travel through the atmosphere. In addition, the high sun angle produces long days. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/astro/season.htm

62. Explain why the tilt of the Earth causes seasons. The opposite is true in the southern hemisphere, where the low sun angle produces short days. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/astro/season.htm

63. Explain why the tilt of the Earth causes seasons. Also, a large amount of the Sun's energy is spread out before reaching the ground because the energy has to travel through more of the atmosphere. So around June 21st, the southern hemisphere is having its winter solstice because it “tilts" away from the Sun. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/astro/season.htm

64. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/astro/season.htm

65. http://education.arm.gov/lessons/images/seasons.gif

66. When do the Sun's rays directly hit the Tropic of Cancer?

67. When do the Sun's rays directly hit the Tropic of Cancer? They directly hit the Tropic of Cancer during the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere (June 21 or 22).

68. Review Seasons Here: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Seasons.shtml

69. More information on seasons: http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/science/core/6th/SCIBER6/SEASONS/HTML/INTRO.HTM