Moon Phases Basics
The phase of the moon when the entire moon surface visible from Earth is illuminated.
What is a Full Moon?
The season that occurs when the Earth's Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun.
What is Summer?
When half of the moon is illuminated on the right side as viewed from Earth.
What is First Quarter?
This is the primary reason why Earth experiences different seasons.
What is Earth's tilt on its axis?
The path Earth follows as it travels around the Sun.
What is an Orbit?
The phase of the moon when it appears completely dark from Earth.
What is a New Moon?
The shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere is associated with this season.
What is Winter?
When the moon is less than full but more than half illuminated.
What is Gibbous?
This motion of Earth causes the cycle of day and night.
What is rotation?
A point in the sky that does not experience significant changes in its position relative to the stars due to its relatively great distance from Earth.
What is a Star?
The series of phases the moon goes through in about 29.5 days.
What is a Lunar Cycle?
The season that marks the transition from winter to summer.
What is Spring?
The phase of the moon when a sliver is visible after a new moon.
What is Waxing Crescent?
Earth’s revolution around this celestial body marks the basis for a year.
What is the Sun?
The imaginary line around which an object spins.
What is an Axis?
The phase of the moon that comes after a full moon and before the last quarter.
What is a Waning Gibbous?
The time or date at which the sun crosses the celestial equator
What is an Equinox?
The phase when more than half of the moon is visible and it is getting bigger.
What is Waxing Gibbous?
When the North Pole is tilted directly toward the Sun, the Northern Hemisphere experiences this season.
What is Summer?
The line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
What is the Equator?
The phase of the moon in which exactly half of the moon is illuminated and it is decreasing.
What is Last Quarter?
The term for the longest day and shortest day
What is a Solstice?
The phase of the moon before a new moon, when a slim curved piece is visible.
What is Waning Crescent?
The imaginary line that helps define seasonal changes on Earth's surface.
What is the Equator?
This is an eclipse that occurs when the moon passes through the Earth's shadow.
What is a Lunar Eclipse?