Podcast
Questions and Answers
What causes the moon to shine?
The moon shines because its surface reflects sunlight.
What determines the phases of the moon?
The moon's location in its orbit around the Earth determines its phases.
What is syzygy?
Syzygy is the arrangement when the sun, moon, and Earth are in a straight line.
Why is the full moon visible?
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What is the name of the phenomenon where the moon takes exactly as long to rotate on its axis as it does to make one orbit around the Earth?
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Why do we only see one side of the moon?
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What is the phase of the moon where we cannot see the moon at all called?
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What causes the different phases of the moon?
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What is the relationship between the moon, Earth, and sun that causes the different phases of the moon?
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Why is the same side of the moon always facing the Earth?
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What are eclipses and when do they occur?
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What is the difference between a waxing moon and a waning moon?
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What are the four main phases of the moon in order from new moon to full moon?
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What is a lunar eclipse and how often does it occur?
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What is a total lunar eclipse and why does the moon turn red during this phase?
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When do solar eclipses occur and how often do they happen?
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What causes the moon to change shape as it goes through its phases?
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Why do we see the same patterns on the surface of the moon every night?
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What is synchronous rotation and how does it relate to the moon?
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Why is the term 'the dark side of the moon' a misconception?
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Study Notes
Moon's Illumination and Phases
- The moon shines because it reflects the sun's light.
- The phases of the moon are determined by the relative positions of the moon, Earth, and sun.
Syzygy and Moon's Visibility
- Syzygy refers to the alignment of three celestial bodies, in this case, the moon, Earth, and sun.
- The full moon is visible because the entire illuminated side of the moon faces the Earth.
Moon's Rotation and Orbit
- The moon takes exactly as long to rotate on its axis as it does to make one orbit around the Earth, a phenomenon called synchronous rotation.
- This means we only see one side of the moon from Earth.
Phases of the Moon
- The different phases of the moon occur due to the changing amounts of illuminated surface area as the moon orbits the Earth.
- The phase where we cannot see the moon at all is called the new moon.
- The four main phases of the moon, in order, are: new moon, crescent, full moon, and gibbous.
Eclipses
- Eclipses occur when the Earth, moon, and sun are in syzygy, and the moon passes through the Earth's shadow (lunar eclipse) or the Earth passes through the moon's shadow (solar eclipse).
- A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth blocks the sun's light from reaching the moon, causing the moon to darken and sometimes turn red.
- A total lunar eclipse is a rare event where the moon passes through the Earth's umbra, causing the moon to appear red.
- Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes through the Earth's shadow, and the Earth passes through the moon's shadow, blocking the sun's light.
Moon's Shape and Patterns
- The moon's shape appears to change as it goes through its phases due to the changing amount of illuminated surface area.
- We see the same patterns on the surface of the moon every night because the same side of the moon always faces the Earth due to synchronous rotation.
- The term 'the dark side of the moon' is a misconception, as the far side of the moon is simply the side that always faces away from the Earth.
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Description
Test your knowledge of moon phases with this quiz. From new moon to full moon and back again, see how well you can identify and trace the different phases in order. Unlock this lesson on Study.com and learn more about the Earth and moon's constant motion.