... Phases of the Moon is at the top of the list of things that students seriously misunderstand. ... This phase is called "new moon" (like "no moon"). ... Note: although the Moon is closer to the Sun during new and crescent phases, it is still 400 times closer to Earth; i.e., the Sun is VERY far away in reality.) ... When the Moon reaches the position directly opposite the Sun, as viewed from Earth, the half viewed from Earth is fully illuminated (unless the student's head is causing a lunar eclipse). ...

A closer look at the pole star and the neighboring . constellations, especially the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia . ... This lesson plan supplements: "Finding the Pole Star," section #1a: on disk Spolaris.htm , on the web . ... Know the constellations of the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia, and their use in finding the Pole Star. ... Why do you think Alaska chose the pole star and the Big Dipper to be on its flag? ... You will probably never see there the pole star and rarely see the Big Dipper.) ...

... a) As source material for the high-school or college curriculum, especially in physics. astronomy and their history. (b) As a source of supplemental projects by high school students or by undergraduates. (c) As material for independent studies, In particular by motivated students who seek to know more about space . ... Those wishing to look up specific topics are advised to use the index file, accessible from the end of any "Exploration" file. ... files not listed and at other resource material. ...

Cosmic Research, Vol. 42, No. 5, 2004, pp. 435­488. Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 42, No. 5, 2004, pp. 453­508. Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Veselovsky, Panasyuk, Avdyushin, Bazilevskaya, Belov, Bogachev, Bogod, Bogomolov, Bothmer, Boyarchuk, Vashenyuk, Vlasov, Gnezdilov, Gorgutsa, Grechnev, Denisov, Dmitriev, Dryer, Yermolaev, Eroshenko, Zherebtsov, Zhitnik, Zhukov, Zastenker, Zelenyi, Zeldovich, Ivanov-Kholodnyi, Ignat'ev, Ishkov, Kolomiytsev, Krasheninnikov, Kudela,