Moon Phases

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What is the First Quarter Moon?

Back

The First Quarter Moon is the phase of the moon where half of the moon is illuminated and appears as a half-circle. It occurs about a week after the New Moon.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

What is the Waning Gibbous Moon?

Back

The Waning Gibbous Moon is the phase that occurs after a Full Moon when more than half of the moon is illuminated but decreasing in size.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

How much of the moon is always lit?

Back

Half of the moon is always lit by the sun, regardless of the phase we see from Earth.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

What does it mean for the moon to revolve around the Earth?

Back

To revolve means that the moon orbits around the Earth in a circular path, taking about 27.3 days to complete one orbit.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

What does it mean when the moon is waning?

Back

When the moon is waning, it means that the visible portion of the moon is decreasing in size, moving from Full Moon to New Moon.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

What is a New Moon?

Back

A New Moon is the phase when the moon is between the Earth and the sun, and the side of the moon facing Earth is not illuminated.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

What is a Full Moon?

Back

A Full Moon is the phase when the entire face of the moon is illuminated by the sun, occurring when the Earth is between the sun and the moon.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

What is the Waxing Crescent Moon?

Back

The Waxing Crescent Moon is the phase that occurs after the New Moon, where a small sliver of the moon begins to be illuminated and grows larger.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

What is the difference between waxing and waning?

Back

Waxing refers to the moon phases where the illuminated part is increasing, while waning refers to the phases where the illuminated part is decreasing.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Front

What is the Last Quarter Moon?

Back

The Last Quarter Moon is the phase where half of the moon is illuminated, but it is decreasing in size, occurring about a week after the Full Moon.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1