1. Lunar Cycle Goal: Identify the phases of the Moon, and
relate the phases to eclipses.

2. Memory Devices: White on the right, growing bright!
White on the left, losing light!

3. Memory Devices: Wax on – increasing light!
Just as a candle wick is dipped in wax, and the candle wax increases the size of the candle.
Wane off – decreasing light!
Gibbous – bulge

4. Memory Devices: New Moon = Near the Sun Full Moon = Far from Sun
Remember, YOU are on the EARTH looking at the Moon.

5. The new moon phase occurs when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth.
When this occurs, there is a possibility of having a solar eclipse.
Solar eclipses do not happen each month because the orbit of the Moon is in a different plane of orbit than the Earth.
Images courtesy of Clip Art
New Moon

6. The Moon revolves around the Earth.
Waxing means to increase in size. This refers to the lit portion of the Moon.
Crescent refers to the shape.
Click twice to make the moon move to its new position.
Images courtesy of Clip Art
Waxing Crescent

7. When the Moon has gone one fourth of the way around the Earth, it is called the first quarter.
From our point of view, the right half of the Moon is lit.
Click twice to make the moon move to its new position.
Images courtesy of Clip Art
First Quarter

8. Waxing Gibbous The word gibbous means bulging.
The gibbous phase looks like a fat football.
The word gibbous means bulging.
During the waxing gibbous phase, the lit side of the Moon continues to grow in size.
Click twice to make the Moon move to its new position.
Images courtesy of Clip Art
Waxing Gibbous

9. During the full moon, we see the light reflecting from the entire surface of the Moon facing the Earth.
During this phase, it is possible to have a lunar eclipse.
Click twice to make the moon move to its new position.
Images courtesy of Clip Art
Full Moon

10. Waning Gibbous Waning means to decrease in size.
During the waning phase of the Moon, the lit portion decreases in size.
The waning gibbous occurs after the full moon.
Click twice to make the moon move to its new position.
Waning Gibbous

11. Third Quarter The third quarter has the lit side on the left.
The Moon is three fourths of the way around its orbit.
Click twice to make the moon move to its new position.
Third Quarter

12. The waning crescent gets smaller and smaller, until the Moon completes its orbit and begins a new cycle with another new moon.
Click twice to make the moon move to its new position.
Waning Crescent

13. The Moon moves directly between the Sun and Earth
The Moon moves directly between the Sun and Earth. The Moon casts a shadow on the Earth; this only occurs with a new moon. This does not occur with every new moon due to the Moon being in a different plane of orbit of than the Earth.
Solar Eclipse

14. The Earth, Sun, and Moon are directly lined up in the center
The Earth, Sun, and Moon are directly lined up in the center. The Earth casts a shadow on the Moon; this only occurs with a full moon. This does not occur with every full moon due to the Moon being in a different plane of orbit of than the Earth. .
Images courtesy of Clip Art
Lunar Eclipse

15. Memory Devices: White on the right, growing bright!
White on the left, losing light!

16. Memory Devices: Wax on – increasing light!
Just as a candle wick is dipped in wax, and the candle wax increases the size of the candle.
Wane off – decreasing light!
Gibbous – bulge

17. Memory Devices: New Moon = Near the Sun Full Moon = Far from Sun
Remember, YOU are on the EARTH looking at the Moon.

18. Moon Phases-Flocabulary
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Moon Phases-Flocabulary

19. What are tides?
Tides are daily changes in the level of ocean water.

20. What causes tides?
Tides are caused by the difference in the gravitational force of the sun and the moon across Earth.
The difference is called the tidal force.
The tidal force exerted by the moon is stronger than the tidal force exerted by the sun because the moon is much closer to the Earth than the sun is.

21. How does the gravitational pull of the moon affect the Earth?
The moon’s gravity pulls on every particle of Earth.
Liquids move more easily than solids so the pull on the water is more noticeable than the pull on the solids is.
This causes tides.

22. How do tides form?
The part of Earth facing the moon is pulled toward the moon with the greatest force.
Water on that side forms a bulge.
The solid Earth is pulled more strongly toward the moon than the water on far side so the inertia of the water on the opposite side also forms a bulge.

23. How many tides does the Earth experience?
Because the Earth is rotating and the bulge of the water follows the moon there are two high tides and two low tides in a 24 hour period.
This makes the times that the tides occur a predictable pattern.
Think: Who would need to know about the times of high tide and low tide?

24. We call these areas high tide and low tide.
Remember in a 24 hour period of rotation, there are 2 high tides and 2 low tides.

25. What are two kinds of Monthly tidal ranges?
Tides that have the greatest daily tidal range are spring tides.
Tides that have the smallest daily tidal range are neap tides.

26. Spring Tides
When the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in a straight line- the variation between high tide and low tide is greatest. This occurs during the full moon and new moon.
During these times the gravitational effects of the sun and moon add together causing very large tidal bulges.
Tide
Low
High Tide

27. Spring Tides

28. Neap Tides
During these phases the gravitational effects of the moon and sun on the Earth do not add together and cause smaller tidal bulges.
When the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in a perpendicular arrangement- the variation between high tide and low tide is not great. This occurs during the first and third quarter moon.
Tide
Low
High Tide

29. Neap Tides

31. Tides Video
/science/weather-and-climate/tides.htm