THE PHASES OF THE MOON ANSWER KEY

II. W ARM -U P Q UESTIONS

1. Less than half of the Moon is illuminated. What type of phase is this?
Crescent

2. More than half of the Moon is illuminated. What type of phase is this?
Gibbous

3. The illuminated part of the Moon is getting larger. How do we describe this?
Waxing

4. The illuminated part of the Moon is getting smaller. How do we describe this?
Waning

IV. T HE M OON ’ S O RBIT

 1. At what time is a New Moon at its highest point in the sky?
Around noon (halfway through the day – it rises and sets with the Sun)

2. When is a Full Moon at its highest point?

The moon rises at sunset, so it’s highest around midnight

3. Explain why it is impossible to see a Full Moon during the day.

When the sun rises, the full moon sets. It is not visible during the day because it is always on
the opposite side of Earth from the Sun.

V. T YPES OF E CLIPSES

5. What is a solar eclipse?

An eclipse in which the sun is obscured by the moon

6. Draw a diagram showing the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon during a total solar
eclipse:

7. What are the 3 types of solar eclipses?

8. During what phases do solar eclipses occur? Explain why.

New moon, because the Moon has to be in between the Earth and the Sun
9. What is a lunar eclipse?
An eclipse in which the Moon is obscured by the Earth so it’s in shadow

10. Draw a diagram showing the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon during a total lunar
eclipse:

11. What are the 3 types of lunar eclipses?

12. During what phases do lunar eclipses occur? Explain why.

Full moon, because the Earth has to be in between the Moon and the Sun

13. The Moon takes roughly a month to complete one orbit around the Earth. Why don’t we see two
eclipses every month?
The orbits of the Sun, Moon, and Earth don't lie in the same plane. Think of a table top. If the
Earth, Sun, and Moon are on the table top, they are in the same plane. But, sometimes the
Moon will be a bit above the table top, other times a bit below. Only when the Moon and Sun
are on the “table top” can an eclipse occur.