Moon Phases and Tides

Moon Phases and Tides

Mini Tutorial

How to find a phase

When you are asked to find a moon phase, always find the NEW MOON, which is ALWAYS between the earth and the sun.

Multiple Choice

Which position would you find the new moon?

• 1

• 5

• 3

• 7

How to find a phase

Once you find NEW MOON, label your phases in order going COUNTERCLOCKWISE!

Multiple Choice

At which position would you find a waxing gibbous?

• 8

• 4

• 2

• 6

Multiple Choice

At which position would you find a last quarter?

• 1

• 5

• 3

• 7

How to identify a phase

Ask yourself which side is the light?

How to identify a phase

Next, ask yourself how much light you see, THEN put it all together!

Multiple Choice

Is this moon waxing or waning?

• Waxing

• Waning

Multiple Choice

Is this a crescent, quarter, or gibbous?

• Crescent

• Quarter

• Gibbous

Multiple Choice

What is the name of this phase?

• Waxing Gibbous

• Waxing Crescent

• Waning Gibbous

• Waning Crescent

Multiple Choice

Is this moon waxing or waning?

• Waxing

• Waning

Multiple Choice

Is this a crescent, quarter, or gibbous?

• Crescent

• Quarter

• Gibbous

Multiple Choice

What is the name of this phase?

• Waxing Gibbous

• Waxing Crescent

• Waning Gibbous

• Waning Crescent

Prediction: Skip a phase for 7 days

Remember there are 3.5 days between each phase, but we use skip a phase for 7 days!

Skip a phase for 7 days

This means when I look at the diagram, to go from NEW MOON to FIRST QUARTER, 7 days have passed or you can add 3.5+3.5 to see how long it takes to get to FIRST QUARTER.

Skip a phase for 7 days

If I want to see how long it takes to get from FULL TO NEW MOON, I will skip a phase TWICE. This means I skipped waxing crescent AND waxing gibbous. If I skip twice it takes 2 WEEKS or 14 days.

Multiple Choice

Which moon phase would be found ONE WEEK after a WAXING GIBBOUS?

• Waxing Crescent

• Last Quarter

• Waning Gibbous

• Waning Crescent

Multiple Choice

Which moon phase would be found TWO WEEKS after a WANING CRESCENT?

• Waxing Crescent

• Last Quarter

• Waning Gibbous

• Waxing Gibbous

Multiple Choice

Which moon phase would be found THREE WEEKS after a NEW MOON?

• Full Moon

• Last Quarter

• First Quarter

• Waning Crescent

Prediction: Calendar Questions

Don't be overwhelmed! A calendar is a useful tool! Skipping a phase for 7 days just means move the phase down one week!

Prediction: Calendar Questions

If a new moon is on the 2nd, what moon phase is found one week later? A FIRST QUARTER ON THE 9TH, because it is 7 days later, I just move down ONE ROW on the calendar. I can keep skipping a phase for 7 days by moving down one row.

Multiple Choice

If a new moon occurs on the 5th, when will you see a full moon?

• 12th

• 19th

• 24th

• 26th

Multiple Choice

If a new moon occurs on the 5th, what phase would you see on the 12th?

• first quarter

• full moon

• last quarter

• waxing crescent

Tides

When the sun, earth, and moon make a STRAIGHT LINE, YOU HAVE SPRING TIDES WHICH ARE THE STRONGEST!

NEW MOON AND FULL MOON

SPRING, STRONG, STRAIGHT

Tides

When the sun, earth, and moon make a 90 DEGREE OR RIGHT ANGLE, YOU HAVE NEAP TIDES WHICH ARE WEAK!

FIRST AND LAST QUARTER MOONS

NEAP, WEAK, 90 DEGREES

Multiple Choice

Which tide is occurring here?

• Spring

• Neap

Multiple Choice

Which tide is occurring here?

• Spring

• Neap