Understanding the Moon's Phases

What did the Sumerians, Chinese, and Babylonians depend on the moon cycle for? Select three answers.

• Days

• Weeks

• Years

• Months

What marks the beginning of some Jewish and Muslim holidays?

• Ocean tides

• Earth's rotation

• The moon's phases

• The sun's position

What causes the different phases of the moon?

• Earth's shadow on the moon

• The moon's rotation

• The moon's orbit around the sun

• Reflection of the sun's light

What are the main phases of the moon?

• New, Full, Waxing, Waning

• Crescent, Gibbous, New, Full

• Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Crescent, Waning Gibbous

• New, First Quarter, Full, Last Quarter

How long does it take for the moon to change from one main phase to another?

• One month

• One day

• Two weeks

• About one week

What do we call it when the moon appears to be getting smaller?

• Gibbous

• Waning

• Crescent

• Waxing

What happens during a lunar eclipse?

• The moon passes through Earth's shadow

• The sun passes between Earth and the moon

• The moon gets closer to the sun

• The moon shines brighter

When is the best time to observe the moon's surface features?

• When the moon is waning

• During the quarter phases

• During a full moon

• During a new moon