It’s just going through a phase!

It’s just going through a phase! Source: NASA, Apollo 11

If you look at the Moon each night, you’ll notice its appearance changes.

If you watch closely, you’ll notice the Moon changes in a regular pattern.

It gets larger, and then it gets smaller and then larger again. Why?

The Earth revolves around and the Sun and the Moon revolves around the Earth.

As the Moon revolves around the Earth, different parts of the Moon are in sunlight.

This causes the phases of the Moon.

There are eight major phases of the Moon you should know.

New Moon Source of Moon Pictures: Goleta Air and Space Museum, http://www.air-and-space.com/Moon20200408.htm

Waxing The Moon appears to be getting larger.

Waxing Crescent Source of Moon Pictures: Goleta Air and Space Museum, http://www.air-and-space.com/Moon20200408.htm

First Quarter Source of Moon Pictures: Goleta Air and Space Museum, http://www.air-and-space.com/Moon20200408.htm

Gibbous Between half and full.

Waxing Gibbous Source of Moon Pictures: Goleta Air and Space Museum, http://www.air-and-space.com/Moon20200408.htm

Full Moon Source of Moon Pictures: Goleta Air and Space Museum, http://www.air-and-space.com/Moon20200408.htm

Waning The Moon appears to be getting smaller.

Waning Gibbous Source of Moon Pictures: Goleta Air and Space Museum, http://www.air-and-space.com/Moon20200408.htm

Last/3rd Quarter Source of Moon Pictures: Goleta Air and Space Museum, http://www.air-and-space.com/Moon20200408.htm

Waning Crescent Source of Moon Pictures: Goleta Air and Space Museum, http://www.air-and-space.com/Moon20200408.htm

And the cycle begins all over again, month after month after month.

That is why we see the Moon change thru the month.

It’s just going through a phase!