Why Does the Moon Have Phases?

For thousands of years, humans have recorded time by observing the changing aspects of the moon. In fact, you may notice that the word "moon" shares the first few letters with the word "moon", but this is not a coincidence

The moon's phases - new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter - are repeated monthly. But why is there a stage in the moon? To answer this question, we need to understand two important facts. First, the moon rotates around the earth every 29.5 days. Secondly, as the moon cruises around the earth it is illuminated by the sun at different angles.

Half of the moon is always illuminated by the sun. But on the planet, you can not always see that half of the moon will brighten up. The stage we call the moon represents half different parts of the month that the moon rotates around the earth. [See the information map on the phases of the moon]

When the moon and the sun are on both sides of the earth, we think the moon has been completed. But when the sun and moon are on the same side of the earth, we say the moon is "new". During the new moon, we can see the moon side is not exposed to direct sunlight from Earth at all.

Between the new moon and the full moon, the moon is a new moon (less than half is illuminated). Then the wax - will grow - it will be a half moon (half illumination). At that point the month is one quarter of the cycle of the month, so the first half of the month following the new moon is called the first quarter. After the first quarter, there was a rising month (more than half had been illuminated), and lastly there was a full moon

Then, the cycle at this stage is sequentially repeated. After the full moon, the moon will gradually get smaller - one and a half months (also known as the last season), a new moon, and finally a new moon

Just before and after the new moon, when the moon's new moon lights up, you can also see that the rest of the moon is lit dimly. This is due to the fact that the sun bounces off the earth and illuminates the dark parts of the moon we are facing, this effect is called "the earth shines".

The main phases of the month - New moon, first quarter, full moon, last quarter and next new moon - are about 4 day interval. If you need help in tracking these phases yourself (or if you want to look up the position of the moon on a historically important day), NASA will use dates for all phases of the month during the 6,000 year period And provide an online calendar of the time. From 2000 BC to 4000 BC

NASA 's Night Sky Network is an alliance of amateur astronomical clubs from all over the USA and also provides information that might be useful for those who want to know about the moon and the solar system. This activity offered by the Pacific Astronomical Society prove the reason why the moon has the stage

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The full moon is the phases of the moon when the whole moon is illuminating the earth. This phase occurs when the earth is between the moon and the sun. About a week later, the moon entered the quarter of the lunar month. At this point, half of the moon can be illuminated from the ground, so the moon looks like a semicircle. When the moon moves between the earth and the sun, the side facing the earth is completely dark. This is called the New Moon Phase, and we usually do not see the moon at this point. Sometimes, you can hardly understand the outline of the new moon in the sky. This is because a part of the sun reflects off the Earth and hits the moon. Before and after the quarter moon phase are uplift and new moon phase. During the expanse of the lunar moon, the moon was illuminated more than half, but it was not full. At the new moon stage, the moon is considered to have less than half the brightness, having only one sliver or crescent shape.

The moon's phases - new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter - are repeated monthly. But why is there a stage in the moon? To answer this question, we need to understand two important facts. First, the moon rotates around the earth every 29.5 days. Secondly, as the moon cruises around the earth it is illuminated by the sun at different angles. Half of the moon is always illuminated by the sun. But on the planet, you can not always see that half of the moon will brighten up. The stage we call the moon represents the various parts of the moon that illuminate the moon around the moon.