Phases of the moon

PHASES OF THE MOON

•         The moon does not have its own light.

•         The sun lights it up.

•         The moon circles the Earth, which causes the shape of the lit portion to change.

•         So we see different parts of the moon while it orbits around the Earth.

•         These changing shapes are called phases of the moon.

•         Some days we can hardly see the moon because the side lit up is away from the Earth. This is called a New Moon.

•         It then appears as a thin Crescent, and goes on to become a Half Moon.

•         It then bulges out to become a Gibbous moon and finally a Full Moon.

•         These stages are the waxing phase of the moon.

Figure 18: Phases of the moon

•         After this, the cycle reverses and the moon appears gibbous, then a half moon, then a crescent, and finally a new moon again.

•         This reverse cycle is called the waning phase of the moon.