Phases of the Moon

Learning Outcomes
Pupils will be able to:

• state that the Moon does not emit light.
• explain that the Moon appears bright when it reflects sunlight.
• describe the phases of the Moon.

• The Moon is the brightest object in the night sky.
• However, it does not emit light.
• The Moon appears bright at night because it reflects light from the Sun to the Earth.

Phases of the Moon
The revolution of the Moon around the Earth makes the Moon seem to change its shape in the night sky. Actually it does not. This is caused by the different angles we see from the bright part of the Moon's surface. The Moon goes through 4 major shapes during a cycle that repeat itself every 28 days.

1. New Moon       2. Crescent Moon       3. Half Moon        5. Full Moon

1) New Moon

• part of the Moon which is not illuminated faces the Earth.
• the Moon is not visible.
• the lighted side of the Moon faces away from the Earth.

2) Crescent Moon

• the Moon is less than half illuminated by the Sun.
• can be seen after the new Moon
• the crescent will grow larger and larger everyday

3) Half-moon

• half of the illuminated side of the Moon is visible.
• the half appear lighted and the other half appers dark.
• looks like half a circle.

4) Full Moon

• the Moon's illuminated side is visible. 
• the lighted side faces the Earth.