1. What are the Phases of the Moon?

2. The Three Basic Phases of the Moon
Full
New
Quarter

3. The lighted side of the Moon faces the Earth
The lighted side of the Moon faces the Earth. This means that the Earth, Sun, and Moon are nearly in a straight line, with the Earth in the middle.
The Moon that we see is very bright from the sunlight reflecting off it.
The Full Moon

4. 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.
The New Moon

5. First Quarter Moon
The right half of the Moon appears lighted and the left side of the Moon appears dark.

6. First Quarter Moon
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.

7. Third Quarter Moon
The left half of the Moon appears lighted, and the right side of the Moon appears dark.

8. During the time between the Full Moon and the Last Quarter Moon, the part of the Moon that appears lighted gets smaller and smaller every day.
Third Quarter

9. The Other Phases of the Moon

10. Look at the way light travels across the face of the moon.
It goes from right to left.
This is a very important thing to remember when you are identifying the phase of the moon. It will determine whether the moon is in it’s Waxing or Waning phases.

11. OR
We can say it goes that way!

12. Waxing and Waning
Waxing - Means to increase in size or to grow larger.
In terms of the lunar phases it means that the light is growing larger across the face of the moon

13. Waxing and Waning
Waning - Means to decrease in size or to grow smaller
In terms of the lunar phases it means that the light is growing smaller across the face of the moon

14. The Waxing Crescent This phase is known as a Waxing Crescent.
Just the extreme right` side of the moon can be seen.
This Moon can be seen after the New Moon, but before the First Quarter Moon.
The Waxing Crescent

15. The Waxing Gibbous This phase is known as a Waxing Gibbous.
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.
The Waxing Gibbous

16. The Waning Gibbous This phase is called a 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 smaller and smaller every day
The Waning Gibbous

17. The Waning Crescent This phase is called the Waning Crescent.
This Moon can be seen after the Last Quarter Moon and before the New Moon.
The crescent will grow smaller and smaller every day, until the Moon looks like the New Moon.
The Waning Crescent

18. It takes 29 and 1/4 days for the moon to travel around our planet once
Lets put all of the Lunar Phases together, how we would see the moon looking up from the earth. A H G F E D C B
It takes 29 and 1/4 days for the moon to travel around our planet once

19. This is how the moon would look from outer space.G A E C B D

20. Note the light doesn’t change across the face of the moon
Note the light doesn’t change across the face of the moon. What changes is what part of the moon we see from the surface of the earth. H F G A E C B D

21. Use your notes and identify the following phases of the moon…
POP QUIZ
Use your notes and identify the following phases of the moon…

22.
Hint: Look at the way the light is traveling across the moon… which one is first after the new moon.

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25. Teacher Lecture Notes

26. Usage Information
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