Science glossary · South Africa
Phases of the Moon
The changing shape of the lit part of the Moon we see from Earth.
The Moon doesn't make its own light: it reflects sunlight. As it orbits Earth about once a month, we see more or less of its sunlit side.
Example: New moon, crescent, first quarter, gibbous, full moon, and back again.
Lessons, worksheets, practice and tools on this: Space and the solar system.
Related words
- Orbit: The curved path of one object around another in space.
- Rotation: The spinning of an object around its own axis.
- Revolution: One full trip of an object around another, such as Earth around the Sun.