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Showing posts with the label NASA

The Supermoon, Blood Moon, Blue Moon, and Harvest Moon are all natural phenomena.

  What are the various types of full moons? A full moon occurs when the side of the Moon that faces Earth is completely illuminated by the Sun. There are several types of unusual full moons, including blood moons, supermoons, blue moons, and harvest moons, among others. When you look up at the night sky, you may notice that the Moon appears to change every night. This is because our Moon has many different phases and types. A full moon occurs when the side of the Moon that faces Earth is completely illuminated by the Sun. But did you know that not all full moons have the same appearance? The Moon may appear to glow red at times. The Moon may appear larger than usual in our night sky at times. The Moon does not change color or size. Its appearance changes are usually caused by its position in relation to the Sun and Earth. Here are some examples of those unusual full moons: The Blood Moon The red glow of a "blood moon" gives it one meaning. A total lunar eclipse oc...

Moon: The Whole Story

Only one moon orbits Earth; it is a stony, cratered body that is about one-quarter the size of Earth and is located on average 238,855 miles distant. The Moon travels a 27-day orbit around our planet and is typically visible with the unaided eye. Probably one of the first images that come to mind when you think of the night sky is the Moon "glowing" in the shadows. The Moon has always had a special position in both our daily lives and our imaginations. Being interested is nothing to be shocked about. Most nights, it is possible to see the Moon, the only naturally occurring satellite of Earth. What makes the Moonglow? The Moon doesn't emit any light of its own. It only acts as a reflector of sunlight. Why does it seem like the Moon is changing shape? When viewed from Earth, the Moon may appear to change shape every night, going from a tiny sliver to a half moon to a full moon and back again. Actually, from Earth, we can see different areas of the Moon being l...

terrestrial planet

  What exactly is a terrestrial planet? Terrestrial, or rocky, planets include Earth, Mars, Mercury, and Venus in our solar system. Terrestrial planets are those outsides of our solar system that range in size from half to twice the radius of Earth, and some may be even smaller. Super-Earths are exoplanets that are twice as big as Earth and larger. Earth-sized and smaller terrestrial planets are rocky worlds made of rock, silicate, water, and/or carbon. It requires more research to discover whether some of these worlds contain atmospheres, oceans, or other indications of habitability. Super-Earths are larger terrestrial exoplanets that are at least twice as massive as Earth. Learn about some planets that are on Earth. TRAPPIST-1 e                                     TRAPPIST-1 d Terrestrial planets typica...