Attribution: This is a cached copy of a third party project. Many of these sites are from 20 years ago and the majority are no longer running. We show only the first page of the project. We do not save all pages since copyright belongs to the third-party author.
The Phases of the Moon
Let us work through the cycle, starting with the full Moon.
The Phases of the Moon
|
As the Moon moves in its orbit around the Sun, our view of the side illuminated by the Sun changes. |
|
Let us work through the cycle, starting with the full Moon.
|
|
|
|
At full Moon, the moon rises at sunset and sets at sunrise.
|
Excuse the misspelling in the figure;
someday we will fix it!:
|
|
|
|
|
At 3rd quarter, the moon rises at midnight and sets at noon.
|
Then we see only a crescent.
|
|
|
|
|
At new, the moon rises at sunrise and sets at sunset,
and we don't see any of the illuminated side!
|
Then we see only a crescent, but compare this
to the waning crescent: what's different? Why?
|
|
|
|
|
At first quarter, the moon rises at noon and sets at midnight,
|
Then it continues to grow until it is full.
|