Lunar Cycle – the change in appearance of the Moon as it makes one full revolution around the Earth.
New Moon •The first phase of the Moon and it appears unlit from Earth. •The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun. Waxing Crescent •The lighted part of the Moon as seen from Earth is increasing. •The light on the right is new and bright. •Think about the shape of a crescent roll. First Quarter •The Moon is one quarter of the way through its cycle. •From the Earth it appears to be half lit on the right. Full Moon •From the Earth the Moon appears fully lit. •The Earth is between the Sun and the Moon. Waning Gibbous •From the Earth, the Moon appears to be more than half lit on the left. •The lighted part is now decreasing. Third or Last Quarter •The Moon is three-quarters of the way through its cycle. •From the Earth it appears to be half lit on the left. Waning Crescent •The lighted part of the Moon as seen from Earth is decreasing on the left. •The shape of the light is crescent. Can you… 1.Describe why the Moon changes shape? 2.Predict the phases of the Moon? 3.Label a blank lunar cycle diagram? Comments are closed.
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Erik E. Mason
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