Phases of the Moon: Notes
2. Waxing crescent 6. Waning Gibbous
3. First Quarter 7. Third Quarter
4. Waxing Gibbous 8. Waning Crescent
1.The New Moon
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
2.Waxing Crescent Moon
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 full Moon.
("Waxing" means increasing, or growing larger.)
3..First Quarter Moon
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
4. Waxing Gibbous Moon
This Moon can be seen after the First Quarter Moon, but before the Full Moon. The amount of the Moon that we can see will grow larger and larger every day until it looks like the ________Moon ("Waxing" means increasing, or growing larger.)
5.Full Moon
The lighted side of the Moon faces the Earth. This means that the Earth, Sun, and Moon are nearly in a _________ line, with the Earth in the middle. The Moon that we see is very bright from the _______________ reflecting off it.
6. Waning Gibbous
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 ____________ and ______________ every day. ("Waning" means decreasing, or growing smaller.)
7.Third Quarter Moon
The _____________ half of the Moon appears lighted, and the ____________ 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 ___________ and ________________ every day. It will continue to shrink until the __________ Moon, when the cycle starts all over again.
8.Waning Crescent
This Moon can be seen after the Last Quarter Moon and before the New Moon. The crescent will grow __________ and _____________ every day, until the Moon looks like the New Moon.
("Waning" means decreasing, or growing smaller.)
- Half of the Moon is always lit up by the sun. As the Moon orbits the Earth, we see different parts of the illuminated area.
- The revolution of the Moon around the Earth makes the Moon look as if it is changing shapes in the sky.
- This is caused by the different angle from which we see the lighted part of the Moon's surface. These are called "Phases" of the Moon.
- As the moon makes its monthly journey around the Earth, the side of the moon reflecting the sunlight is viewed at different angles
- The Moon passes through four major shapes during a cycle that repeats itself every 29.5 days. The phases always follow one another in the same order:
2. Waxing crescent 6. Waning Gibbous
3. First Quarter 7. Third Quarter
4. Waxing Gibbous 8. Waning Crescent
1.The New Moon
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
2.Waxing Crescent Moon
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 full Moon.
("Waxing" means increasing, or growing larger.)
3..First Quarter Moon
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
4. Waxing Gibbous Moon
This Moon can be seen after the First Quarter Moon, but before the Full Moon. The amount of the Moon that we can see will grow larger and larger every day until it looks like the ________Moon ("Waxing" means increasing, or growing larger.)
5.Full Moon
The lighted side of the Moon faces the Earth. This means that the Earth, Sun, and Moon are nearly in a _________ line, with the Earth in the middle. The Moon that we see is very bright from the _______________ reflecting off it.
6. Waning Gibbous
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 ____________ and ______________ every day. ("Waning" means decreasing, or growing smaller.)
7.Third Quarter Moon
The _____________ half of the Moon appears lighted, and the ____________ 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 ___________ and ________________ every day. It will continue to shrink until the __________ Moon, when the cycle starts all over again.
8.Waning Crescent
This Moon can be seen after the Last Quarter Moon and before the New Moon. The crescent will grow __________ and _____________ every day, until the Moon looks like the New Moon.
("Waning" means decreasing, or growing smaller.)