Parts of the Lunar Cycle MOON PHASES Parts of the Lunar Cycle

Moon Phases Review During your 7th grade year, you were taught a lot about the moon phases and seasons of Earth. This PowerPoint and the Seasons one to follow next week should serve as a review to you. Make sure you are writing everything in red for your notes. If you have any further questions, email Mrs. Kettering at ckettering@nisdtx.org

Moon Phases During the lunar cycle, you see different portions of the daylight side of the moon. It takes the moon about one month to go through its phases. The sun lights up the moon, just as it lights up the Earth. The part of the moon you see depends on the moons position.

Waxing and Waning Between the New Moon and the Full Moon part of the Lunar Cycle, the Moon is called “Waxing” and the visible areas will be increasing from right to left. Between the Full Moon and the New Moon, the Moon is called “Waning” and the visible areas will be decreasing from right to left.

Moon Phases Draw the following template in your notes. We will be filling it out as we go. We will start with the New Moon and go counterclockwise through the phases. As we go through, you will need to shade and label the phases as appropriate. We will start here!

New Moon New Moon - the part of the lunar cycle when the Moon is in-between the Earth and Sun. The moon is not visible to us on Earth because the Sun’s rays are hitting the opposite side of the moon than what we see.

Moon Phases – New Moon Shade in the appropriate moon to resemble the New Moon. Shade this entire moon so that it looks black

Waxing Crescent Waxing Crescent - Just after the new moon when only a “crescent” shape is visible on the right side.

Moon Phases – Waxing Crescent Shade the next moon to resemble the Waxing Crescent Moon. Shade in the left side until there is only a crescent shape on the right side that is illuminated Make sure you are NOT shading the part of the moon that we see. You should be shading the parts of the moon that are NOT visible and leaving the parts that we DO see blank.

First Quarter First Quarter – occurs about two weeks after the new moon. The right half of the Moon is visible. One fourth of the entire lunar cycle is over.

Moon Phases – First Quarter Shade the next moon to resemble the First Quarter Moon. Shade in the entire left half of the moon, leaving the right half illuminated Make sure you are NOT shading the part of the moon that we see. You should be shading the parts of the moon that are NOT visible and leaving the parts that we DO see blank.

Waxing Gibbous Waxing Gibbous – phase that occurs after the first quarter when you can see slightly more than half of the moon. “Gibbous” comes from the Latin meaning “Camel’s Hump”

Moon Phases – Waxing Gibbous Shade the next moon to resemble the Waxing Gibbous Moon. Shade in a small portion of the left side and leave more than half of the moon illuminated. Make sure you are NOT shading the part of the moon that we see. You should be shading the parts of the moon that are NOT visible and leaving the parts that we DO see blank.

Full Moon Full Moon - Halfway through the Lunar Cycle when the Sun and the Moon are on opposite sides of the Earth, but the entire or “Full” moon is illuminated.

Moon Phases – Full Moon You do not need to add anything to your drawing this time since the entire moon is illuminated. Make sure you are NOT shading the part of the moon that we see. You should be shading the parts of the moon that are NOT visible and leaving the parts that we DO see blank.

Waning Gibbous Waning Gibbous - After the Full Moon when slightly more than half of the Moon is visible again. The moon’s illumination begins to “shrink” from right to left.

Moon Phases – Waning Gibbous Shade the next moon to resemble the Waning Gibbous Moon. Make sure you are NOT shading the part of the moon that we see. You should be shading the parts of the moon that are NOT visible and leaving the parts that we DO see blank. Shade in a small portion on the right side of the moon and leave more than half illuminated

Third (Last) Quarter Third Quarter - Nearing the end of the Lunar Cycle when only the left half of the moon is visible. Three-fourths of the lunar cycle is complete.

Moon Phases – Third Quarter Shade the next moon to resemble the Third Quarter Moon. Make sure you are NOT shading the part of the moon that we see. You should be shading the parts of the moon that are NOT visible and leaving the parts that we DO see blank. Shade in the right half of the moon and leave the left half illuminated.

Waning Crescent Waning Crescent - The last phase of the Lunar Cycle before the New Moon. Only a small crescent shape is visible on the left side.

Moon Phases – Waning Crescent Shade the next moon to resemble the Waning Crescent Moon. Make sure you are NOT shading the part of the moon that we see. You should be shading the parts of the moon that are NOT visible and leaving the parts that we DO see blank. Shade in more than half of the right side, leaving only a crescent shape on the left side illuminated.

Solar Eclipse During a Solar Eclipse, the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth. This causes the Moon to cast a shadow on the Earth and temporarily block the Sun’s light.

Lunar Eclipse During a Lunar Eclipse, the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon. This temporarily blocks light from reaching the moon, often giving it a red appearance.

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