The moon is a fascinating part of our night sky. It seems to change shape, glowing brightly at times and disappearing at others. Let’s learn about the different shapes, or phases, of the moon and discover the science behind these changes.
When we look at the moon at night, it seems to shine with its own light. But did you know that the moon doesn’t actually make its own light? Instead, it reflects the light from the sun. This reflection is what makes the moon look like it’s changing shape, which we call the lunar cycle.
The lunar cycle is the journey the moon takes as it orbits around the Earth. Let’s explore the different phases of the moon:
The lunar cycle starts with the new moon. During this phase, the moon is between the Earth and the sun. The side of the moon that faces us doesn’t get any sunlight, so we can’t see it in the sky.
As the moon moves in its orbit, it enters the waxing phase, where it starts to grow bigger:
About two weeks after the new moon, we see the full moon. The entire side of the moon facing Earth is lit up by the sun, creating the bright full moon we all know.
After the full moon, the moon starts to shrink back to a new moon, entering the waning phase:
The whole lunar cycle takes about 29.5 days to complete. After that, the moon starts the cycle all over again. Understanding these phases helps us appreciate the moon and its dance with the Earth and sun.
We hope this journey through the moon’s phases has brightened your understanding of our amazing celestial neighbor!
Moon Phase Diary: Over the next month, keep a moon phase diary. Each night, look at the moon and draw what you see. Write down the date and the phase you think the moon is in. At the end of the month, compare your drawings to see how the moon changed over time. Discuss with your family or friends why these changes happen.
Create a Moon Phase Model: Use a flashlight, a small ball (like a ping pong ball), and a larger ball (like a basketball) to create a model of the moon phases. The flashlight represents the sun, the small ball is the moon, and the larger ball is the Earth. Shine the flashlight on the small ball and move it around the larger ball to see how the light changes on the moon. Try to recreate each phase of the moon and explain what you see.
Moon Phase Cookies: Use cookies and frosting to create the different phases of the moon. Start with a round cookie as the full moon. Use a spoon to remove frosting to show the waxing and waning phases. Arrange your cookies in order from new moon to full moon and back to new moon. Share your cookie phases with your family and explain each phase as you enjoy your tasty creation!
