Phases of the Moon

Phases of the Moon

0 are the different ways the moon looks during the month. As the Moon moves in space, different parts of it face the Sun. This means that different parts of it are lit up. We only see one side of the moon from Earth because it rotates so that one side is always facing us. The moon phase takes between 27.3 days. The phases of the moon appears to be a circular disk, which is illuminated to some degree by direct sunlight.

Moon Changes

0 Waxing is when the bit of moon we can see gets bigger every night. It waxes until it is a full moon.

0Waning is when the moon appears to be getting smaller every night. It wanes until it is a new moon.

Names of Moon Phases

1. New Moon2. Waxing Crescent Moon3. Quarter Moon4. Waxing Gibbous Moon5. Full Moon6. Waning Gibbous Moon7. Last Quarter Moon8. Waning Crescent Moon

New Moon

0The Moon's illuminated side is facing the Earth. The Moon is not visible (except during a solar eclipse).The lighted side of the Moon faces away from the Earth. This means that the Sun, Earth, and Moon are almost in a straight line, with the Moon in between the Sun and the Earth. The Moon that we see looks very dark.

Waxing Crescent

0 he Moon appears to be partly but less than one-half illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the Moon's disk that is illuminated is increasing. This Moon can be seen after the New Moon, but before the First Quarter Moon. The crescent will grow larger and larger every day, until the Moon looks like the First Quarter Moon.

First Quarter

0 One-half of the Moon appears to be illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the Moon's disk that is illuminated is increasing. The right half of the Moon appears lighted and the left side of the Moon appears dark. During the time between the New Moon and the First Quarter Moon, the part of the Moon that appears lighted gets larger and larger every day, and will continue to grow until the Full Moon.

Waxing Gibbous

0 The Moon appears to be more than one-half but not fully illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the Moon's disk that is illuminated is decreasing. This Moon can be seen after the Full Moon, but before the Last Quarter Moon. The amount of the Moon that we can see will grow smaller and smaller every day. ("Waning" means decreasing, or growing smaller.)

Last Quarter

0 One-half of the Moon appears to be illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the Moon's disk that is illuminated is decreasing. Sometimes called Third Quarter. The left half of the Moon appears lighted, and the right side of the Moon appears dark. During the time between the Full Moon and the Last Quarter Moon, the part of the Moon that appears lighted gets smaller and smaller every day. It will continue to shrink until the New Moon.

Waning Crescent 0 The Moon appears to be partly but less than one-half

illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the Moon's disk that is illuminated is decreasing. This Moon can be seen after the Last Quarter Moon and before the New Moon. The crescent will grow smaller and smaller every day, until the Moon looks like the New Moon.