WHY DO WE SEE DIFFERENT MOON PHASES?
PRACTICE WITH NAMING THE PHASES!
Click the button below to play an online game and practice with naming the phases.
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Game source: http://www.softschools.com/science/space/phases_of_moon/
THE MOON & ITS ORBIT
How does the Moon move?
The Moon orbits around the Earth.
From Earth, we see changing phases of the moon because the sun emits rays that light up the surface of the moon.
We only see the bright parts of the moon that are illuminated (the moon isn't actually changing shape-it just looks like it is!).
We see different phases of the moon because of the relative position of the Earth, Sun, and Moon system. The points of the Moon that are facing away are dark, so we can't see that portion of the moon, on that particular night.
Look at the picture above to see a graphic demonstration of this concept.
OUR MOON: NASA'S PERSPECTIVE
PAUSE THE VIDEO WHEN...
When you see a full moon. Where is the moon relative to Earth?
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When you see a new moon. Where is the moon relative to Earth?
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Let's break it down!
This video breaks down the concepts we have learned so far, and gives a motion graphic look at the relation of the Earth, Sun, & Moon, and its greater context to our goal: understanding how we see the phases of the moon.
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(Hint: Click this link to skip to right where the graphic shows how we see the moon in different ways!)
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Click the buttons below for more fun videos about moon phases:
