A Collision with the Moon

MS-ESS1-1. - Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.

Learning Targets

Simulate an impact between an object and Moon's surface.

Success Criteria

I can model what happens when different objects strike the Moon's surface.
I can collect data including written data and diagrams.
I can infer comparisons between my observations and the existence of craters on the Moon.

Questions to Ponder...

What do you know about the history of Moon observation?
What do you know about telescopes? What do they do? How do they work?
What do you know about Galileo?

A Brief History of The Telescope

The telescope was first patented in 1608, but over the last 400 years it has increased in complexity to a great extent.

The Telescope

The telescope has undergone an enormous transformation since it was first developed in the 17th Century. Some of the greatest minds from Galileo Galilei to Sir Isaac Newton to the great Edwin Hubble would all contribute, over time, to the development of some of the most advanced scientific pieces of equipment ever devised by man.Dutch eyeglass maker Hans Lippershey (or Lipperhey) is widely credited as the first person to patent a telescope in 1608. His device, called a kijker ("looker"), was, according to Hans, able to magnify an image up to three times.

It consisted of a concave eyepiece that was aligned with another convex objective lens. According to legend, he conceived of the idea when seeing two children holding up two lenses that appeared to make a distant weather vane appear closer.

Galileo Galilei

Galileo Galilei was an Italian physicist and astronomer. He was born in Pisa on February 15, 1564. Galileo's father, Vincenzo Galilei, was a well-known musician. Vincenzo decided that his son should become a doctor.

In 1581, Galileo was sent to the University of Pisa to study medicine. While a student at the university, Galileo discovered that he had a talent for mathematics. He was able to persuade his father to allow him to leave the university to become a tutor in mathematics. He later became a professor of mathematics.

In 1609, Galileo heard about the invention of the spyglass, a device which made distant objects appear closer. Galileo used his mathematics knowledge and technical skills to improve upon the spyglass and build a telescope. Later that same year, he became the first person to look at the Moon through a telescope and make his first astronomy discovery. He found that the Moon was not smooth, but mountainous and pitted - just like the Earth! He subsequently used his newly invented telescope to discover four of the moons circling Jupiter, to study Saturn, to observe the phases of Venus, and to study sunspots on the Sun.

Portrait of Galileo

Observing the Moon

Make your own observations of the surface of the moon.
- What do you notice about the sizes and shapes of the craters on the Moon?
- Think about the previous lab about objects colliding. Based on that experience how do you explain the surface features of the Moon?

Parts of an Impact Crater

Observe the impact crater diagram and identify the different parts.
Look at your diagrams from the previous lab. Can you label the parts of your diagram using this new vocabulary?
As you discuss craters use the terms as you describe what you see.

Impact Crater Diagram

How is this image from the Collision With the Moon lab similar to or different from actual images that you see of the Moon?

Lab - Design and Experiment

Introduction

Your team will investigate a factor on which to run an experiment.
As you complete each of the procedures call on the teacher to review your work and ideas.

Materials

plastic tub filled with flour
cocoa powder
ruler
meter stick
object to drop into the flour
safety glasses

Procedures

Begin by asking a Question that you will answer by doing this experiment.
- Your question must be something that can be answered by completing an experiment.
- consider the following examples:
  - To what extent does the mass of an object affect the size of the crater it creates?
  - To what extent does the speed of an object affect the size of the crater it creates?
Develop a Hypothesis.
- What do you think is the answer to the question you asked?
- A hypothesis should be written like the following: "I think __________. I think this because ___________________."
Identify the Variables.
- Which variable will you manipulate or change in your experiment? This is called the Independent Variable.
- What conditions and procedures will you keep the same each time? These are called the Controls or Controlled Variable.
- What characteristics will you be observing or measuring? These are called the Dependent Variables.
Design the Procedures.
- Write detailed instructions to complete your experiment.
- Include...
  - what you will throw or drop at the tub
  - how they will be thrown or dropped
  - how you will measure the results
  - how many trials
  - how you will collect the data

Back to the whole class...

Share your plan with the rest of the class.
Be open to questions or suggestions to improve your experiment.

Back to Astronomy

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