(1a) Where in the sky and when does the full Moon rise?

The full moon rises opposite the Sun - to the East at sunset.

(b) Where in the night sky is the full Moon at mid-night?

The full moon is opposite the Sun. So, at mid-night the full moon is at the meridian - high in the sky.

(c) When does a full moon set?

The full moon rises as the Sun sets - in the morning.

(d) Where in the sky is a waxing moon in the evening?

Waxing means that it is getting bigger. So, the moon is past new, heading for first quarter. This means that it is relatively close to the Sun, so in the south west sky as the Sun is setting in the West.

(e) When can you see the moon at mid-day?

To see the moon at mid-day the Moon must be either before first quarter or after 3rd quarter - that is, not far from new.

(2) Why is it not possible to see the Moon when it is exactly new Moon?

Because it is too close to the Sun and the Sun is bright. It is NOT necessarily right in front of the Sun (that would be an eclipse) because the Moon's orbit varies above the below the ecliptic by as much as 5 degrees.

(3) One day you see the Moon directly overhead at sunset. What phase is the Moon?

If the Moon is overhead (crossing the meridian) at sunset, then the Moon is about 90 degrees away from the Sun - so, it is half illuminated (half dark). The Moon rises later each day and moves towards the East day by day. This means that if we see the moon over head at sunset it was new days ago. So, the Moon is at first quarter.

(4) Where will the Moon be at sunset a week later?

In a week the Moon moves about a 1/2 of the way through its cycle. So if the Moon was overhead at sunset one day, a week later it will be on the eastern horizon, opposite the Sun.

(Huh? What happened to (5)?!)

(6) What phase will it be a week later?

Full Moon.

(7) Why are you more likely to see lunar eclipses much more frequently than solar eclipses?

The shadow of the Earth on the Moon is larger than the shadow of the Moon on the Earth - so there are many more lunar eclipses than solar eclipses. Furthermore, you can see a lunar eclipse from pretty much any where on the himisphere facing the Moon at the time. To see a solar eclipse, you need to be in the place on the Earth which is in the Moons shadow. This is a very small region.

(8) What does the Earth's shadow look like on the Moon? What does the Moon's shadow look like on the Earth? Compare the sizes of the shadows.

The Earth is nearly 4 times the size of the Moon. The separation between Earth and Moon is small compared with the distance to the Sun, so that, to first approximation, the Earth's shadow on the Moon is 4 times the size of the Moon's shadow on the Earth. This means that the Moon's shadow on the Earth looks like a small, round dark patch. The shadow of the Earth is about 4 times the size of the Sun so that when the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow the curve of the edge of the shadow is less than the curvature of the Moon and it takes quite a while (~hour) for the Moon to move through the shadow.

(9) The distance to the Sun (Dsun) is 390 times greater than the distance to the Moon (Dmoon). What is the value of Dsun/Dmoon?

Dsun/Dmoon = 390.

(10) How many times bigger is the diameter of the Sun (dsun) than the diameter of the Moon (dmoon)?

dsun/dmoon = Dsun/Dmoon = 390. So the Sun's diameter is 390 times the diameter of the Moon.

(11) The Moon's orbit is not exactly circular--sometimes the Moon is a little closer to or farther from the Earth than the "just right" distance to fit exactly over the Sun. Figures 3.16 & 3.17 in the text may help.

(a) What does a solar eclipse look like when the Moon is closer to the Earth?

When the Moon is closer to the Earth it appears BIGGER than the sun - so a solar eclipse lasts longer and we see less of the solar corona.Ê

(b) What does a solar eclipse look like then the Moon is farther from the Earth?Ê

When the Moon is farther from the Sun, it appears SMALLER so that it does not quite cover up all of the Sun - there is a circle of Sunlight around the Moon - this is called an annular eclipse.

(c) What would an eclipse look like if the Moon was exactly twice the normal distance? Drawing a diagram will probably help.

If the Moon were twice the normal distance then it would appear to beÊ half the size - so the diameter of the Moon would appear to only reach half way across the Sun.

(d) What would an eclipse look like if the Moon was exactly twice the normal distance? Drawing a diagram will probably help.

Duh - I presume that means HALF the normal distance. Then it would be TWICE as big - that would make a long eclipse.