Phases Of The Moon Definition
Moon phases are the portion of the moon that we can see from Earth on any given night. These depend on where the moon is in its orbit around the Earth.
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Moon & Its Phases
Fun Facts
- The moon never changes its shape, parts of it are just not visible without sunlight reflecting off of it.
- A full moon is when the moon's Earth-facing side is fully illuminated (it does not generate its own light).
- The moon's orbit around Earth causes its phases to repeat every 28 days.
Why Do We Need To Know About Phases Of The Moon
Learning about the moon’s phases helps us know more about ocean tides and why it’s important to predict them for sea-related activities. The moon’s pull on Earth changes with its phases, affecting when tides are high or low. This is important for people like marine biologists, sailors, and fishermen because it helps them with things like sailing, fishing, and looking after coastal areas. It shows how the moon affects Earth.
Studying the moon has helped in fields like space engineering, studying rocks (geology), and searching for life on other planets. The Apollo space missions, which taught us a lot about the moon, have helped us learn more about space, find resources, and consider if there’s life on other planets. This is important for jobs in space exploration, studying planets, and learning about life in space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out the Full Lesson on Moon & Its Phases
In this lesson, we learn that:
- The moon’s phases are caused by its orbit around the earth.
- The moon does not make its own light, it only reflects it.
- The phases of the moon repeat in a cycle about every 28 days.
- The moon is smaller than the sun but appears the same size because it’s closer.
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