Seasons, Lunar Phases, & Eclipses

The revolution of the Moon around the Earth makes the Moon appear as if it is changing shape. From Earth we see the Moon grow from a thin crescent to a full moon and then shrink back to a thin crescent again. The phases of the Moon depend on its position in relation to the Sun and Earth. As the Moon makes its way around the Earth, we see the bright parts of the Moon's surface at different angles. These are called "phases" of the Moon.

Why does the Moon have different phases?

• the Sun moves around the Moon

• the Moon moves around the Sun

• the Moon moves around the Earth

• the Moon follows the Sun around the Earth

What is the best explanation of what happens during a solar eclipse?

• The moon orbits between the earth and the sun, blocking the sun's light.

• The sun orbits between the earth and the moon, blocking the sun's light.

• The earth orbits between the moon and the sun, blocking the sun's light.

• The sun orbits between the earth and the moon, blocking the moon's light.

The Moon orbits Earth in a _______ direction.

• clockwise

• upwards

• counterclockwise

• downwards

There is a pattern to the phases of the moon. The time between one full moon to another is about

• one year.

• one month.

• two weeks.

• three months.

A solar eclipse can ONLY occur when the moon is in which phase?

• New Moon

• Full Moon

• Quarter Moon

• Crescent Moon

Which location of the moon relative to the sun and earth may produce a solar eclipse?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Name the eclipse.

• solar eclipse

• lunar eclipse

What phase of the moon is shown?

• waning gibbous

• waxing crescent

• 1st quarter

• waxing gibbous

The Earth rotates from ______ to _____, making it appear that the Sun is moving across the sky from sunrise in the east to sunset in the west.

• east to west

• west to east

• north to south

• south to north

Name the moon phase.

• waning crescent

• waning gibbous

• waxing crescent

• waxing gibbous