| Feature | What you’ll see | Why it matters for the activity | |---------|-----------------|---------------------------------| | | 3‑D spheres that you can rotate, zoom, and animate. | Visualizing relative positions and shadows. | | Light rays (often shown as yellow arrows) | Emanate from the Sun and intersect the Earth/Moon. | Shows where umbra (total shadow) and penumbra (partial shadow) are created. | | Shadow cones (dark cone behind the eclipsed body) | Umbra = dark central cone; Penumbra = lighter outer cone. | Helps you decide if an observer is in total, partial, or no eclipse. | | Orbit controls | You can set orbital radii, inclinations, and speeds. | Lets you explore why eclipses don’t happen every month. | | Observer point | A small “camera” you can move to any location in space. | Lets you test what a viewer on Earth, on the Moon, or elsewhere would see. | | Time slider / Play‑pause | Advances the simulation step‑by‑step. | Useful for pausing at the moment of greatest eclipse. |
Below is a you can follow for most of the numbered questions that appear in the activity. Adapt the numbers to the exact wording of your worksheet.
: As the simulation plays, the shadow passes across Earth's surface and typically returns after about a week as the Moon completes its orbital cycle, though an eclipse doesn't happen every time due to the orbital tilt. The Role of Orbital Tilt : Question : Why does a solar eclipse not occur every month?
Duration :
: The central, darkest portion of the shadow where the Sun is completely blocked.