Moon Phases Chapter 2 Section 3 Moonlight is

Moon Phases Chapter 2 Section 3

Moonlight is really light from the Sun reflected by the Moon’s surface. Areas that sunlight does not reach look dark.

Lunar Phases When you look at the Moon, you see a bright shape that is the lit part of the near side of the Moon. Lunar phases: are the patterns of lit an unlit portions of the Moon that you see from Earth.

Lunar Phases

Lunar Cycle It takes the Moon 4 weeks to go through it’s entire lunar cycle.

Waxing vs. Waning Waxing Moon: Growing; the lighted part of the moon is getting larger. The Moon waxes until it gets to a full moon, or half way through the cycle. Waning Moon: Shrinking; the lighted part of the Moon is getting smaller

Phases Quarter: when half of the Moon is lit up Crescent: when less then half of the Moon is lit up Gibbous: lit up when more then half of the Moon is

Positions of Sun, Earth, Moon Waxing (growing) New Moon: Sun, Moon, Earth; the far side of the moon is lit, near side is dark Waxing Crescent: Moon has moved in orbit so some sunlight falls on near side First Quarter: (looks ½) Moon is 90 angle to Sun Waxing Gibbous: between ½ and full Full: Sun, Earth, Moon; entire near side is lit

Positions of Sun, Earth, Moon Waning (shrinking) Full: Sun, Earth, Moon; entire near side is lit Waning Gibbous: shrinking to 3 rd quarter (looks ½) 3 rd Quarter: Moon is 90 angle from sun again so the other ½ is lit Waning Crescent: less of moon is lit by sun New Moon: Sun, Moon, Earth; far side is lit