The Understanding and Awareness of First-Year Undergraduate Physics Students in Astronomical Phenomena: A Response of Penumbral Lunar Eclipses on June 5th, 2020

Abstract

A penumbral lunar eclipse phenomenon occurs when Earth’s outer shadow falls on the Moon’s face. This astronomical phenomenon is easy to miss because sunlight still illuminates most of the Moon. In this research, we want to describe the first-year undergraduate physics students’ understanding and awareness of Penumbral Lunar Eclipses, especially on June 5th, 2020. The study using qualitative research with a questionnaire and an interview. The subject of the course is 100 participants from first-year undergraduate physics students. Physics students’ answers are categorized into four levels, namely Dissatisfaction, Intelligible, Plausibility, and Fruitfulness. From the results, it can be concluded that physics students know with the Dissatisfaction category related to the phenomenon of the penumbra lunar eclipse. Otherwise, for knowledge about the strawberry full moon eclipse, students learn the intelligible and dissatisfaction types. It recommended that physics students increase their understanding of the occurrence of a lunar eclipse by understanding scientific processing skills to reinforce their opinion.