LESSON 3 ( 4TH QUARTER)

ECLIPSES

There are two types of eclipses, Lunar and Solar eclipses.

LUNAR ECLIPSE
The lining up of the earth, moon and sun produces a lunar eclipse when the moon passes
into the shadow of the earth. Usually, a lunar eclipse either precedes or follows a solar
eclipse by two weeks. Just as all solar eclipse involve a new moon, all lunar eclipse
involve a full moon. A Lunar eclipse may be partial or total. All observes on the dark side
of the earth see lunar eclipse at the same time. When the moon is fully eclipsed, it is still
visible and reddish.
SOLAR ECLIPSE
The moon comes between the sun and the Earth. Then, it hides briefly from our sight. We call
this an eclipse of the sub. Ancient people feared an eclipse because it was supposed to
show that the Gods were angry, or that there would be flood, wars and other disasters.
A solar eclipse occur when the moon’s shadow falls on the earth. Because of the large side of
the sun, rays of sunlight taper to provide an umbrella and a surrounding penumbra.
An observer in the umbra part of the shadow experiences darkness during the day a total
eclipse, totality. Totality begins when the sun disappears behind the moon and ends when
the sun appears on the other edge of the moon. The average time of totality is 2 to 3
minutes, and a maximum of 7.5 minutes.
DAILY AND ANNUAL MOTION OF THE STARS
It was also observed that the stars appears to be attached to a celestial sphere that rotates
around an axis in one day. This axis intersects the celestial sphere at a point in the northern
sky and is presently close to the northern star, POLARIS. Also, the constellations’ positions i
the night sky vary depending on the tie of the year. The movement of different celestial
bodies can be described as diurnal motion, annual motion, and precession of the
equinoxes.
DIURNAL MOTION
Diurnal motion is the apparent daily revolution of the celestial sphere around the celestial.
Poles as a direct effect of the earth’s rotation on its axis. In other words, it refers to the
apparent movement of stars and other celestial bodies around earth. The circular path that
the celestial bodies take to complete the diurnal motion is call diurnal circle. The apparent
motion of celestial bodies viewed from the earth is east to west. If you observe the night sky,
stars seem to move in a counter-clockwise direction (from east to west) with respect to
Polaris or North Star. Similarly, the apparent daily motion of the sun, which is east and sets
in the west.
Some stars, called circumpolar stars, never seem to go away from the horizon, r never set or
rise. The closer you get to the poles, the larger the circle of circumpolar stars is. On the
other hand, the nearer you get to the equator, the circle of circumpolar stars decreases until
it vanishes at the celestial poles.
ANNUAL MOTION
Annual motion is the apparent yearly movement of the stars as observed from Earth as a
direct effect of the earth’s revolution around the sun. The sun revolves 360 degrees a year
around a path on the celestial sphere called the ECLIPTIC. The sun moves eastward with
respect to the stars in the celestial sphere. It can be observed that the sun’s altitude changes w/
season. Its altitude is at maximum during summer solstice and at minimum during winter
solstice. Also, sunrise and sunset points in the horizon changes with season. The sun rises north
in the summer, and south of east in the winter.
As the sun revolves around the ecliptic, different stars and constellations appear on the
horizon throughout the year. These are known as the constellations of the Zodiac.

PRECESSION OF THE EQUINOXES

As the sun revolves around the ecliptic, it intersects the celestial equation twice during a year
at two points. These points are called the Equinoxes: Vernal and Autumnal. During an
equinox, the length of daytime is almost equal to the length of nighttime. Vernal or spring
equinox happens every March 20 while Autumnal equinox occurs every September 22. The
gravitational force of the sun and the moon on earth causes the cyclic precession or
“wobbling” of the earth’s axis of rotation.
Precession of the equinoxes is the apparent motion of the equinoxes along the ecliptic as
earth ‘wobbles’, and this motion happens about Every 26000 years. At present, Earth’s
North Pole points to Polaris. However, it will eventually point to another star, Vega, because
of precession.

ACTIVITY: To be submitted on TUESDAY (MAY 2, 2023)

Show the Difference between Lunar and Solar eclipse using a Venn diagram. You
write it in a whole sheet of paper. (10 points).