NSF North Mississippi GK-8 As the Moon Changes NSF North Mississippi GK-8 NSF North Mississippi GK-8

The Moon rotates as it revolves around the Earth The Moon’s rotation takes about 28.5 days which is almost equal to the time it takes to revolve around the Earth. Since these 2 times are almost equal, the same side of the Moon always faces Earth.

Why does the moon have phases? The revolution of the Moon around the Earth causes the Moon to appear to have phases. A complete cycle takes 29.5 days (approx. one month) NSF North Mississippi GK-8 NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8 New Moon The moon is not visible from Earth. The moon is between the Sun and the Earth. The dark side is facing us. This phase lasts one night. NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Waxing Crescent Waxing means that the right side is getting bright. The right side is the bright side. WAXING= increasing or growing larger Less than one half of the moon is lit. This phase includes any visible moon from a small sliver to almost half. NSF North Mississippi GK-8

First Quarter or Half Moon The entire right side of the moon is lit. The moon looks like a half circle. The lit side is increasing. This phase lasts one night. Occurs about 1 week after a new moon. NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Waxing Gibbous Gibbous means that more than one half is visible, but it is not quite full. This phase includes the night after the first quarter to the night before the full moon. NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Full Moon The moon is full and bright. Only happens one night per lunation. Takes 14 days to go from a new moon to a full moon. NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Waning Gibbous The moon appears more than half but not quite full. Waning means that the lit side is decreasing. WANING= decreasing or growing smaller The left side is the bright side. NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Last Quarter or 3rd Quarter Left Half of the moon is lit. The lit side is decreasing. This phase also only lasts one night. NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Waning Crescent Less than one half of the moon is lit. The moon will continue to become smaller and smaller. Only able to see a slice. NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Questions???

Sources (matching the phases of the moon) http://sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/moon/moon_challenge.html (matching the phases of the moon) http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html (current moon phase)