Moon Phases

By: Tiffany 6D

Definition

Moon phase is different sides/ parts of the moon that is lighted. It can be seen in different

shapes in almost every night. There are 8 different phases, they are: new moon, waxing

crescent, 1st quarter (half moon), waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, 3rd

quarter (half moon) and waning crescent.

Picture of Moon Phase

Causes of Moon PhaseThe moon phase is caused because of the position of the sun, moon and the earth. And even though the same half side of the moon is lit up, we still see the moon in different shape. This is because when the moon orbit around the earth, we see it in a different angle.

How It Happens (Process)

1st

SUN EARTH

MOON

First, the sun shines on both the earth and the moon causing half of the earth and the moon lit up and

the other half dark.

2nd

SUN EARTH

MOON

Even if the moon orbit/ move around the earth, only one half of the moon will

be lit up. This is because

3rd

SUNEARTH

= MOON

But what causes us to see different shapes of the moon is because we see the lighted part of the moon in different angles every time it

orbits earth.

Effects of the Moon Phases to Living Things

The moon phases can effect our daily life especially during the night (when we can see the moon). Those impacts involve:

• Gardening• Surgery• Fishing• Wood-chopping• People’s diet

And these impacts can be classified into two groups which is positive and negative.

Positive Effects

Gardening

• By looking at the moon phase, farmers/ gardeners can predict when it is best to plant their crops/ plants.

• Some crops/plants just need little sunlight when they sprout. So, farmers/ gardeners will know that they’ll need to plant them during the new moon where there is less moon light during the night and when the new moon changes to the 1st quarter moon, there will be more moon light and the plant can grow because when the plants develop, they will need more light.

Fishing

• Some fishermen can predict what type of fish to catch at different time (in the evening) by looking at the amount of light produced by the moon because some fishes are attracted to the light and some don’t so they can go to the surface at different time based on the moonlight.

People’s Diet

• Some people do their diet based on the cycle of the moon phase. There are two main types of moon diet plan;

• Basic: the basic moon diet occurs during the new moon. At this time, people are fasting, they are only allowed to drink water and juice.

• Extended: the extended moon diet occurs during the full moon and it is similar to the basic moon diet.

Negative Effects

Wood-chopping

• Most people might want to chop/ harvest wood during the waning moons and the new moon (as close to the new moon as possible) because during the full/ any waxing moons, the sap from the trees increases and that attracts sap-eating insects which can destroy the tree and people can loose money because of this.

Surgery

• Some patients might want to avoid having surgeries during the full moon. This is because some people believe that if you have surgery during the full moon (more gravity power because the moon’s gravity is combined with the sun’s gravity), the patient may have a greater chance of experiencing ruptured (broken) vessels.

• If people don’t know this, they might have surgery during the full moon and might get injured.

Effects of the Moon Phases to Earth’s Condition

• The moon phase also impacts to earth’s condition like for example: Spring tide and Neap tide. Spring tide is when there is very low and very high tides while neap tide is when the high and low tide isn’t that much different. One of the cause of the different tides is because the earth’s gravity cannot really hold on to big moving body so it can easily be pulled by the moon’s gravity.

Spring Tide• Spring tides occur when there is a full/ new

moon. This is because when the moon and the sun is at one line, the gravitational force of the sun and the moon is combined and the gravity is stronger. When the large bodies of water is facing the full/ new moon, it is being pulled by the moon’s gravity. But the opposite side is also experiencing spring tide this is because the moon sorts of pulls the earth towards it causing the other watery side to be “left” behind.

Neap Tide

• During the 1st/ 3rd quarter moon phase, the moon is at a right angle from the sun and so, the moon’s gravitational force isn’t combined with the sun’s gravitational force and the differences between the high and low tide isn’t that much different.

Positive Effects

• Sometimes during really low tides (Spring tide), some fishes and other marine objects are washed away to the shore so, people can take them and use them to eat, built something, etc

• When the water is shallow, it is safe for people to go to the beach because when the water is low, people can stand instead of drowning.

• When the tides are really high, people can ride boats and sail safely because if the tide was low, the boat won’t be able to move through the sands.

Negative Effects

• During the low tides, we can’t ride a boat and have to wait until the tides are higher so that the boat won’t get stuck in the sands.

• Because the tides are always changing, it’s hard to know when it is safe to do different things in the ocean.

Facts about the Moon

• The moon’s gravity is 1/6 of Earth’s gravity• The moon has no weather so, the craters will

last for millions of years in there.• Some people in the equator can see the

crescent moon like a smile.• The view of the moon phase are opposites

based on the northern and southern hemisphere.

Bibliography• Full Moon and Human Behavior.

http://innerself.com/content/self-help/personal-growth/astrology/moonlunar/4462-full-moon-a-human-behavior.html. 23 Oct 2012

• The Moon Diet Plan. http://www.moonconnection.com/moon-diet.phtml. 23 October 2012

• Moon Tides. http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/moontides/. 23 October 2012

• The Moon. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/moon/Phases.shtml. 23 Oct 2012

• Moon Phases and Eclipses. http://www.morehead.unc.edu/Shows/EMS/moon_phases_and_eclipses.htm. 23 Oct 2012

• Moon Phases. http://www.sems.und.edu/index_MoonPhases.php. 23 Oct 2012

• TO THE MOON ALICE - YOUR GUIDE TO HOW THE MOON PHASES AFFECT YOUR DAILY LIFE. http://sandanyi.com/to-the-moon-alice-your-guide-to-how-the-moon-phases-affect-your-daily-life. 23 Oct 2012

Bibliography• Why Moon Phases Occur.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5365874_moon-phases-occur.html. 23 Oct 2012

• Moon Phases. http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112188/moon_phases.htm. 23 Oct 2012

• Moon Phases. http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/moonphase/. 23 Oct 2012

• The Moon. http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/moon/phases.html. 23 Oct 2012

• What Causes the Phase of the Moon. http://www.fearofphysics.com/SunMoon/phases.html. 23 Oct 2012

• Understanding the Moon Phases. http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases.phtml. 23 Oct 2012

• The Earth, Sun and Moon. http://library.thinkquest.org/29033/begin/earthsunmoon.htm. 23 Oct 2012