Vocabulary
When the sun reaches its greatest distance north or south of the equator
What is solstice?
The time it takes for the moon to complete its phases
What is 29.5 days?
The shortest day of the year
What is Winter Solstice?
The property of the Earth that causes seasons
What is tilt on the axis?
The right half of the moon is illuminated
What is first quarter?
Occurs when the sun, Earth, and moon align
What is an eclipse?
When the illuminated portion of the moon is getting bigger
What is waxing?
December 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere
What is Summer Solstice?
Shape of Earth's orbit around the Sun
What is ellipse?
Over half of the left side of the moon is illuminated
What is a waning gibbous?
When the Sun is directly above the equator
What is equinox?
What is the United States of America?
When the day and night are equal on September 22 or 23 in the Southern Hemisphere
What is Spring Equinox?
Shape of Earth
What is a sphere?
Less than half of the right side of the moon is illuminated
What is a waxing crescent?
spinning on an axis
What is rotation?
When the illuminated portion of the moon is getting smaller
What is waning?
When the sun is directly over the equator on September 22 or 23 in the Northern Hemisphere
What is Fall Equinox?
Seen by everyone on the night side of the Earth the moon passes into the Earth's shadow
What is a lunar eclipse?
The phase when the moon is between the sun and the Earth
What is New Moon?
Orbiting another object
What is revolution?
Impact Theory
What is the current theory about how the moon formed?
When the Earth is farthest from the sun
What is July 4th?
When the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth and casts a small shadow of the Earth
What is a solar eclipse?
The phase when the entire lighted side of the moon is visible from Earth
What is Full Moon?