University:
Bradley University
Course:
AST 300 | Astronomy: Our Glimpse of the Cosmos
Academic year:

2024
Views:

47

Pages:

1
Author:

Angelica Rose

SOLAR ECLIPSES – ASSIGNMENT 2- (pages 357-358 in Science Worktext) Directions- Read and answer the following questions Shadows- the Umbra and the Penumbra A shadow forms when one object blocks the light that another object emits. Look at a shadow on the ground on a sunny day. The edges of the shadow are not as dark as the rest of the shadow. Light from the Sun casts shadows with two parts. The UMBRA is the central, darker part of the shadow where light is totally blocked. The PENUMBRA is the lighter part of a shadow where light is partly blocked. SOLAR ECLIPSES The Sun shines on the Moon and the Moon casts a shadow into space. Sometimes the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. When Earth, the Moon and the Sun are lined up, the Moon casts a shadow on Earth’s surface. When the Moon’s shadow appears on Earth’s surface, a SOLAR ECLIPSE is occurring. The type of eclipse you see depends on whether you are in the path of the umbra or the penumbra. You can only see a total solar eclipse if you are within the Moon’s umbra (the darker, inner part). If you are outside the umbra and penumbra, you cannot see the eclipse at all. If you are in the Moon’s penumbra (the lighter, outer part) you will see a partial solar eclipse. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon appears to completely cover the Sun. The sky becomes dark and you can see stars. A total solar eclipse lasts about 7 minutes. During a partial solar eclipse the Moon never completely covers the Sun. Solar eclipses occur only during the new moon phase of the lunar cycle. Only when the Moon is in a line between the Sun and Earth do solar eclipses occur. QUESTIONS: 1. What is the umbra? 2. What is the penumbra? 3. When is a solar eclipse occurring? *Check out the diagram of a solar eclipse on page 358 in your Science Worktext