The Moon

1. The Moon It's Just a Phase It's Going Through...

2. Moon • Our planet's large natural satellite, the Moon, is the easiest astronomical object to observe. • The only "scientific instrument" you'll need at first is a pair of eyes. Picture from NASA

3. The Moon's Orbit • Rotation • Moon is spinning on its axis • Revolution • The moon orbits around the Earth • It takes the moon approximately one month to go around the Earth.

4. Why do we never see the DARK SIDE? • Synchronous Rotation is the reason we never see the dark side of the moon. • Over the millennia, the Moon has become "locked" into a special kind of motion around the Earth. • It rotates on its axis at the same pace as it revolves around the Earth • As a result, the Moon keeps the same face toward us throughout its orbit.

5. Phases • The lighted side of the moon always faces the sun.

6. E New Moon What we see • New moon occurs when the moon is between the sun & the Earth. • The dark side of the moon is facing the Earth. What is happening from above. Sunlight

7. E Full Moon What we see • The full moon occurs when the Moon & the Sun are on opposite sides of the Earth. • The lighted side of the moon is facing Earth. What is happening from above. Sunlight

8. Full Moon • The full moon is given different names, depending on when it appears. For example, the "Harvest moon" is the full moon that appears nearest to the Autumnal Equinox, occurring in late September or early October. Some other full moon names (by month) include • January Moon After Yule, Wolf Moon, or Old Moon • February Snow Moon or Hunger Moon • March Sap Moon, Crow Moon, or Lenten Moon • April Grass Moon or Egg Moon • May Milk Moon or Planting Moon • June Rose Moon, Flower Moon, or Strawberry Moon • July Thunder Moon or Hay Moon • August Grain Moon or Green Corn Moon • September Fruit Moon or Harvest Moon • October Harvest Moon or Hunter's Moon • November Hunter's Moon or Frosty Moon, • December Moon Before Yule or Long Night Moon.

9. Blue Moon • When there is more than one full moon in a month, the second moon is called a blue moon. • A blue moon happens every two years on average. • The phrase, “Once in a blue moon” means very rarely or very seldom or almost never.

10. E First QuarterMoon What we see • The First quarter moon occurs when the moon is halfway between new and full. • As seen from the Earth, half the moon’s disk is illuminated. What is happening from above. Sunlight

11. E Third QuarterMoon What we see • The Third or last quarter moon occurs halfway between the full moon & the new moon. • As seen from the Earth, half the moon’s disk is illuminated. What is happening from above. Sunlight

12. E Waxing • When the moon is between new & full, the visible part of the moon is increasing. • This is called waxing Sunlight

13. E Waning • When the moon is between full & new, the visible part of the moon is decreasing. • This is called waning. Sunlight

14. E Crescent Moon Full Moon • When the moon is between New & 1st Quarter it is called a waxing crescent. 3rd Quarter 1st Quarter Waning Crescent • When the moon is between 3rd & New it is called a waning crescent. Waxing Crescent New Moon Sunlight

15. E Gibbous Moon Full Moon Waning Gibbous Waning Gibbous • When the moon is between 1st Quarter & Full it is called a waxing gibbous. 3rd Quarter 1st Quarter • When the moon is between Full & 3rd it is called a waning gibbous. Waning Crescent Waxing Crescent New Moon Sunlight

16. Moon Movie