Last modified: 2018-07-07
Abstract
At the end of January 2018, the spectacular phenomena of astronomy that some people call super moon, blue moon, and blood moon happened on the night of January 31st or the early morning of February 1st [1-2]. These phenomena are consequences of a total lunar eclipse. It occurs when the moon is in its closest position to the earth (perigee). In Indonesia, these three terms of moon become a controversy [2]. A super moon is happened where the moon is in ‘perigee’ position to the earth, blue moon indicating it is the second full moon in a month, and the blood moon is signifying the moon radiates blood red. The first full moon of January happened on the night of January 1st or the early morning of January 2nd, according to our location [1]. It was noted that the study about moon has been considered by some authors, i.e. [3-9].
To response this phenomena, as physics researchers we captured the perception of public or citizen about the phenomena. Pre-service physics teachers (PSTs) as a group are appropriate to explain these phenomena. They have already learnt about concepts of astronomy, including eclipse since primary school, indeed, through earth science course in the university. Specifically for PSTs, they will teach students scientific phenomena like solar eclipse and lunar eclipse to their students.
To be more focused, this study has two research questions: (1) To what extent do the Indonesian PSTs’ existing knowledge and reasoning of the lunar eclipse phenomena? (2) To what extent do the Indonesian PSTs’ existing knowledge and reasoning of the super moon, blue moon, and blood moon?
A qualitative research method was considered in helping the researcher to better comprehend the process of constructing meaning. The study involved of an interview and a written questionnaire. There eight teen participants in this study which forms the focus of this report. The participants were referred by pseudonyms with popular Indonesian nickname. The PSTs’ reasoning were categorized into 4 levels: dissatisfied (naïve), intelligible, plausible, and fruitful.
The findings indicated that PSTs have some reasoning about lunar eclipse, however, they unfamiliar with the super moon, blue moon, and blood moon. It means their reasoning reached at the level of plausible and fruitful according to the first research question and at the level of ‘dissatisfied’ and ‘intelligible’ for the second research question. Considering the first research question, the following are example of scientific quotations (fruitful level) which performed by them:
“The lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the moon’s cross section is covered by the shadow of the earth. It happens when the earth is between the sun and the moon in the same straightâ€. [July]
“I know about lunar eclipse phenomenon that states if the solar, the earth, and the lunar are taken place at one straight line. Because it happens, it can cause the lunar doesn’t have light sometimesâ€. [Rani]
Meanwhile, regarding the second research question, the following are the example of quotation by PSTs,
“Super blue blood moon is one of the phenomena that happen to the lunar phase. I believe it and really believe it will happen...†[Rani]
“Super moon happens when moon seems bigger than usually, I believe that super moon is existed because I ever see the real condition of the moon is in the biggest conditionâ€. [Sita]
On the other hands, the following are the scientific conception created by scientists: “(1) Super moon happened when the moon's perigee - its closest approach to Earth in a single orbit - coincides with a full moon. In this case, the super moon also happens to be the day of the lunar eclipseâ€, “(2) A blue moon is when two full moons happen in the same calendar month; lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes into Earth's shadowâ€, “(3) the term blood moon, there is a light coming into the penumbra area. If a glimpse of the moon is there, it will not make the color of the moon become reddish or the so-called blood moon. Only if the moon passes entirely to the earth's umbra, the moon's color becomes red and the reason is because the light is so dimly litâ€.
Finally, the conclusion can be derived from this study include: pre-service physics teachers performed an enough understanding of the lunar eclipse phenomena with some levels of reasoning from naïve to fruitful. In contrast, their prevailing knowledge and reasoning of the super moon, blue moon, and blood moon in the area of dissatisfied (naïve) to intelligible