Different Faces in the Night The Phases of the Moon Different Faces in the Night

We can see three different faces of the moon: Full Moon Quarter Moon Crescent Moon

Like the earth, half of the moon is always lighted by the sun. Also like the Earth, half of the moon is completely dark. The moon does not really change, it travels around the Earth. The different faces that we see are really different sides of the moon.

New Moon When the moon is in between the sun and the Earth, we cannot see the moon. This part of the moon is in the shade. This is called a new moon.

Full Moon When the Earth is in between the moon and the sun, we see the whole part of the moon which is lit up by the sun. This is called a full moon.

Quarter Moon When the moon is above or below the Earth, we can only see half of the lit area of the moon. This is called a quarter moon.

Crescent Moon When the moon is in between the new moon and the half moon, we are only able to see a little sliver of the lighted side of the moon. This is called a crescent moon.

As the moon grows larger, towards becoming a full moon, it is called a waxing moon.

As the moon grows smaller, away from being a full moon, it is called a waning moon.

Phases of the moon for April, 1998