The Moon

Education 2500
Robyn Volek

What causes these different

shapes of the moon?

The moon has phases

There are 8 phases of the moon
The moon does one complete cycle around the Earth in 29.5
days

Phase 1: New Moon

The moon is positioned between the earth and the sun
Only the back of the moon is lit up from the sun, making it not
visible to us

Phase 2: Waxing Crescent

The moon is partly lit up from the sun
Less than a half is visible
The fraction of the moon that is illuminated is increasing

Phase 3: First Quarter

Half of the moon is lit from the sunlight
The illuminated part of the moon is increasing

Phase 4: Waxing Gibbous

Greater than half of the moon is lit up from the sun
The fraction of the moon that is illuminated is increasing

Phase 5: Full Moon

The moons lit side is facing the earth
The moon appears to be fully illuminated by the sun

Phase 6: Waning Gibbous

Greater than one half of the moon is lit up from the sun
The fraction of the moon that is illuminated is decreasing

Phase 7: Last Quarter

Half of the moon is lit from the sunlight
The illuminated part of the moon is decreasing

Phase 8: Waning Crescent

The moon is partly lit up from the sun
Less than a half is visible
The fraction of the moon illuminated by the sun is decreasing

Activity Time!

Review
http://www.mesacc.edu/~kev2077220/flash/moonphase.html

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