Exercise

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Moon Phases Diagram

Moon Phases Simplified

It's probably easiest to understand the moon cycle in this order: new moon and full moon, first quarter and third quarter, and the phases in between. 

As shown in the above diagram, the new moon occurs when the moon is positioned between the earth and sun. The three objects are in approximate alignment (why "approximate" is explained below). The entire illuminated portion of the moon is on the back side of the moon, the half that we cannot see. 

At a full moon, the earth, moon, and sun are in approximate alignment, just as the new moon, but the moon is on the opposite side of the earth, so the entire sunlit part of the moon is facing us. The shadowed portion is entirely hidden from view. 

The first quarter and third quarter moons (both often called a "half moon"), happen when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun. So we are seeing exactly half of the moon illuminated and half in shadow. 

Once you understand those four key moon phases, the phases between should be fairly easy to visualize, as the illuminated portion gradually transitions between them. 

An easy way to remember and understand those "between" lunar phase names is by breaking out and defining 4 words: crescent, gibbous, waxing, and waning. The word crescent refers to the phases where the moon is less that half illuminated. The word gibbous refers to phases where the moon is more than half illuminated. Waxing essentially means "growing" or expanding in illumination, and waning means "shrinking" or decreasing in illumination. 

Thus you can simply combine the two words to create the phase name, as follows:
After the new moon, the sunlit portion is increasing, but less than half, so it is waxing crescent. After the first quarter, the sunlit portion is still increasing, but now it is more than half, so it is waxing gibbous. After the full moon (maximum illumination), the light continually decreases. So the waning gibbous phase occurs next. Following the third quarter is the waning crescent, which wanes until the light is completely gone -- a new moon.

The Moon Tonight

The Moon Tonight

Eight phases of the Moon

Phases of the Moon Demo

Phases of the Moon

Exercise

Exercise 3

Exercise section A 1-7

Exercise Section A 1-6

Exercise section a 1 6 from Ching Siang

3D Animation

The phases of the Moon

Exercise

Exercise 2

Exercise

Exercise 1

Let's have a look!!

The 8 phases of the Moon

             

Phase 1 - New Moon - The side of the moon that is facing the Earth is not lit up by the sun. At this time the moon is not visible. 

Phase 2 - Waxing Crescent - A small part (less than 1/2) of the moon is lit up at this point. The part that is lit up is slowly getting bigger.

Phase 3 - First Quarter - One half of the moon is lit up by the sun at this point. The part that is lit up is slowly getting bigger.

Phase 4 - Waxing Gibbous - At this time half of the moon is lit up. The part that is lit is slowly getting bigger. Waxing means to slowly get bigger.

Phase 5 - Full Moon - The side of the moon that is lit up by the sun is facing the Earth. The entire moon is lit up at this point.

Phase 6 - Waning Gibbous - The moon is not quite lit up all the way by sunlight. The part of the moon this is lit is slowly getting smaller. Waning means to slowly get smaller.

Phase 7 - Last Quarter - Half of the moon is lit up but the sun. The part that we can see lit up is slowly getting smaller.

Phase 8 - Waning Crescent - A small part of the moon is lit up at this point. It is getting smaller by the minute.

Arrange Phases of the Moon

The Phases of the Moon

Phases of the Moon 3

Further Activity

1.  Use 28 pieces of paper of the same size.

2.  Draw a circle of the centre of each paper. The circles must be of the same diameter.

3.  Number the papers 1 to 28.

4.  Colour the circle on paper number 1 according to the shape of the Moon that you

     observed on day 1 (refer to the “Lunar Calendar Chart”).

5.  Repeat step 4 for all papers.

6.  Arrange and then staple on the right side of the papers according to the date of the

     lunar calendar.

7.  Flip the pages as fast as you can until you see the changes of the phases of the Moon.

                                   

Questions

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