Phases Of The Moon

Key Notes:

What Are Moon Phases?

• The Moon does not make its own light.
• We see the Moon because it reflects sunlight.
• As the Moon orbits the Earth, different parts of it are lit by the Sun—this causes the phases of the Moon.

Why Do Moon Phases Happen?

• Moon phases are caused by the Moon’s revolution around the Earth.
• It takes about 29.5 days for the Moon to complete one full cycle.

Major Phases of the Moon:

• 🌑 New Moon – The Moon is between the Earth and Sun. We can’t see it.
• 🌒 Waxing Crescent – A small part of the Moon starts to show on the right side.
• 🌓 First Quarter – Half of the Moon is visible (right half).
• 🌔 Waxing Gibbous – More than half is visible and growing.
• 🌕 Full Moon – The entire face of the Moon is lit up.
• 🌖 Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts to shrink from the right side.
• 🌗 Last Quarter – Left half of the Moon is visible.
• 🌘 Waning Crescent – Only a small crescent is visible on the left side.

Vocabulary:

• Waxing – Moon appears to grow (light increases from right).
• Waning – Moon appears to shrink (light decreases from right).
• Gibbous – More than half of the Moon is visible.
• Crescent – A small sliver of the Moon is visible.

Moon Facts:

• The same side of the Moon always faces Earth.
• The Moon affects Earth’s tides due to gravity.
• A lunar cycle (from one new moon to the next) is about a month.