Moon and Its Phases

Front

crater

Back

formed when objects from space crashed into the moon

Front

maria

Back

large, dark flat areas on moon formed when lava flowed and solidified

Front

27.3 days

Back

the amount of time it takes for the moon to rotate and revolve

Front

waxing

Back

the lit portion of the moon is 'growing'

Front

waning

Back

the lit portion of the moon is 'shrinking'

Front

gibbous

Back

phase in which more than half of the moon appears to be illuminated

Front

crescent

Back

phase in which less than half of the moon appears to be illuminated

Front

Giant Impact Hypothesis

Back

widely accepted idea that a large object collided with Earth ejecting material into space that eventually become our moon

Front

first quarter moon

Back

the moon is a quarter of the way around the Earth; the right half is illuminated

Front

full moon

Back

the moon's near side is fully lit