RECENT NEWS EVENTS:
NASA's Spitzer Telescope witnesses Asteroid Smashup
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted an eruption of dust around a young star, possibly the result of a smashup between large asteroids. This type of collision can eventually lead to the formation of planets.
Scientists had been regularly tracking the star, called NGC 2547-ID8, when it surged with a huge amount of fresh dust between August 2012 and January 2013. (taken from http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/august/nasas-spitzer-telescope-witnesses-asteroid-smashup/#.VATMH_mSySo)
ONLINE SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
These websites provide information which may be useful when teaching / studying Earth and Space Sciences.
NASA Website
This link provides access to the NASA website. They have some fantastic pages for teachers and students. They also have a kids club which provides students with fun and exciting tools to play with.
Skoool Website
This website provide access to a number of useful teaching resources including online simulations with small tests upon completion. It covers a range of topics including science. The day and night simulation below is an example.
Annenberg Learner
Exploring topics that range from soil to the solar system, Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science provides participants the opportunity to increase their science content knowledge and develop new understandings of how this content connects to K - 6 classrooms.
DAY AND NIGHT SIMULATION:
This simulation clearly shows how night and day occur and the Earth's rotation around the sun.
COMPARE SOLAR AND LUNAR ECLIPSES:
Lunar Eclipse Compared To Solar EclipseA "lunar eclipse" and a "solar eclipse" refer to events involving three celestial bodies: the Sun ("solar"), the moon ("lunar"), and the Earth. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun, and the Earth's shadow obscures the moon or a portion of it. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking all or a portion of the Sun.
An eclipse can be total, partial, or annular. A total solar eclipse is when the moon blocks out the Sun entirely, a partial eclipse is when it blocks out a portion of the Sun, and an annular eclipse is when the moon is at its furthest point in orbit. It will not cover the Sun completely that's when you can see a thin ring of light emerging from the outside rim of the moon.
How are a lunar eclipse and solar eclipse different?
A lunar eclipse occurs at night and a solar eclipse occurs during the day. There are only certain times when either of them can occur. A lunar eclipse can only occur when the moon is directly opposite the Sun in the sky — a full moon. Even though there is a full moon each month, obviously a lunar eclipse does not occur on a monthly basis because the Sun isn't exactly in line with the Earth and the moon. The moon's orbit is actually tilted 5 degrees more than that of the Earth; otherwise, we would see a lunar eclipse each month.
We can see lunar eclipses more readily than solar eclipses, and it has to do with proximity. The Moon is much closer to the Earth (well over 300 times closer than the Sun!), so the Earth has a much greater chance of blocking sunlight to the Moon, compared to the Moon blocking light from the Sun. Also, a lunar eclipse can be seen from a greater portion of the Earth. Solar eclipses, on the other hand, are more rare and when they do happen can only be seen by a very narrow segment of people on Earth, for a short period of time.
It is quite safe to watch a lunar eclipse with the naked eye, while watching a solar eclipse without eyewear protection can seriously damage your eyesight. You can use a telescope to get a clearer view of the moon during an eclipse and really see what is happening.
A solar eclipse has always had a more profound effect on humans than a lunar eclipse. This is probably because of the importance of the Sun to all life on Earth. In ancient China, a solar eclipse was thought to be the dragon coming to eat the Sun. The effect that an eclipse has on all life on Earth is of particular interest to scientists. They eagerly await a solar eclipse because it helps them to gather more knowledge about the Sun and its position with respect to Earth.
(Information taken from http://www.moonconnection.com/lunar_vs_solar.phtml)
Solar Eclipse
NASA's Spitzer Telescope witnesses Asteroid Smashup
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted an eruption of dust around a young star, possibly the result of a smashup between large asteroids. This type of collision can eventually lead to the formation of planets.
Scientists had been regularly tracking the star, called NGC 2547-ID8, when it surged with a huge amount of fresh dust between August 2012 and January 2013. (taken from http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/august/nasas-spitzer-telescope-witnesses-asteroid-smashup/#.VATMH_mSySo)
ONLINE SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
These websites provide information which may be useful when teaching / studying Earth and Space Sciences.
NASA Website
This link provides access to the NASA website. They have some fantastic pages for teachers and students. They also have a kids club which provides students with fun and exciting tools to play with.
Skoool Website
This website provide access to a number of useful teaching resources including online simulations with small tests upon completion. It covers a range of topics including science. The day and night simulation below is an example.
Annenberg Learner
Exploring topics that range from soil to the solar system, Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science provides participants the opportunity to increase their science content knowledge and develop new understandings of how this content connects to K - 6 classrooms.
DAY AND NIGHT SIMULATION:
This simulation clearly shows how night and day occur and the Earth's rotation around the sun.
COMPARE SOLAR AND LUNAR ECLIPSES:
Lunar Eclipse Compared To Solar EclipseA "lunar eclipse" and a "solar eclipse" refer to events involving three celestial bodies: the Sun ("solar"), the moon ("lunar"), and the Earth. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun, and the Earth's shadow obscures the moon or a portion of it. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking all or a portion of the Sun.
An eclipse can be total, partial, or annular. A total solar eclipse is when the moon blocks out the Sun entirely, a partial eclipse is when it blocks out a portion of the Sun, and an annular eclipse is when the moon is at its furthest point in orbit. It will not cover the Sun completely that's when you can see a thin ring of light emerging from the outside rim of the moon.
How are a lunar eclipse and solar eclipse different?
A lunar eclipse occurs at night and a solar eclipse occurs during the day. There are only certain times when either of them can occur. A lunar eclipse can only occur when the moon is directly opposite the Sun in the sky — a full moon. Even though there is a full moon each month, obviously a lunar eclipse does not occur on a monthly basis because the Sun isn't exactly in line with the Earth and the moon. The moon's orbit is actually tilted 5 degrees more than that of the Earth; otherwise, we would see a lunar eclipse each month.
We can see lunar eclipses more readily than solar eclipses, and it has to do with proximity. The Moon is much closer to the Earth (well over 300 times closer than the Sun!), so the Earth has a much greater chance of blocking sunlight to the Moon, compared to the Moon blocking light from the Sun. Also, a lunar eclipse can be seen from a greater portion of the Earth. Solar eclipses, on the other hand, are more rare and when they do happen can only be seen by a very narrow segment of people on Earth, for a short period of time.
It is quite safe to watch a lunar eclipse with the naked eye, while watching a solar eclipse without eyewear protection can seriously damage your eyesight. You can use a telescope to get a clearer view of the moon during an eclipse and really see what is happening.
A solar eclipse has always had a more profound effect on humans than a lunar eclipse. This is probably because of the importance of the Sun to all life on Earth. In ancient China, a solar eclipse was thought to be the dragon coming to eat the Sun. The effect that an eclipse has on all life on Earth is of particular interest to scientists. They eagerly await a solar eclipse because it helps them to gather more knowledge about the Sun and its position with respect to Earth.
(Information taken from http://www.moonconnection.com/lunar_vs_solar.phtml)
Solar Eclipse
Lunar Eclipse