Moon Phase Notes

The Lunar Cycle

Lunar Cycle – the change in appearance of the
Moon as it makes one full revolution around the
Earth.

Takes 29.5 days for the moon to make 1
revolution (new Moon to new Moon)

Lunar Cycle

Moon 101 video

Fill in the Blank

Our moon is the ____ largest satellite in the solar system.

Dropdown

The moon ​

Select answer

at the same rate that it​

Select answer

Multiple Choice

How many lunar phases are there?

• 4

• 6

• 8

• 10

​Look at how the relationship between the Earth, Moon, and Sun. Remember the Moon is always 1/2 lit, but what we see depends on the angle based on our location relative to the sun and moon.

Facts about the Moon and its Phases

• The moon is always half lit by

the sun - we just see different
parts of the lit up portion as it
revolves around the Earth

• We always see the same side of

the moon - this is due to TIDAL
LOCKING
•Tidal locking is the result of both
the moon and the earth’s
gravitational pull on each other -
keeping the moon locked in
position

Multiple Choice

One rotation of the moon is equal to how many trips around the Earth?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

How much of the moon is hidden from earth? Meaning we can not see it from the earth.

• 37%

• 41%

• 50%

• 53%

Multiple Choice

The moon's orbit is?

• a perfect circle

• elliptical

• irregular

• long

Facts about the moon and its phases

• The gravitational pull of the moon causes the tides on earth
• The moon orbit around the earth is titled
• This is why the moon doesn’t typically block out the sun as it revolves

Multiple Choice

The gravitational pull of the moon causes what on Earth?

• Weather

• Earthquakes

• Tides

• UFO's

New Moon
•The first phase of
the Moon and it
appears unlit from
Earth.
•The Moon is
between the Earth
and the Sun.

Lunar Cycle Vocabulary

Images if looking from the
Northern Hemisphere.

New Moon

Waxing Crescent
•The lighted part of the
Moon as seen from
Earth is increasing.
•The light on the right is
becoming full and
bright.
•Think about the shape
of a crescent roll.

Lunar Cycle Vocabulary

Images if looking from the
Northern Hemisphere.

Waxing Crescent

First Quarter
•The Moon is one
quarter of the way
through its cycle.
•From the Earth it
appears to be half
lit on the right.

Lunar Cycle Vocabulary

Images if looking from the
Northern Hemisphere.

First Quarter Moon

Waxing Gibbous
•From the Earth, the
Moon appears to
be more than half lit
on the right.
•The light is shaped
like a football.

Lunar Cycle Vocabulary

Images if looking from the
Northern Hemisphere.

Waxing Gibbous

Full Moon
•From the Earth the
Moon appears fully
lit.
•The Earth is
between the Sun
and the Moon.

Lunar Cycle Vocabulary

Images if looking from the
Northern Hemisphere.

Multiple Choice

Waxing means...

• Growing

• Dying

• Losing light

• Moving

Multiple Choice

What phase is this?

• Full Moon

• First Quarter Moon

• Third Quarter Moon

• New Moon

Multiple Choice

Name the moon phase

• waning crescent

• waxing crescent

• waning gibbous

• waxing gibbous

Multiple Choice

The Moon orbits Earth in a ________________ direction

• clockwise

• counterclockwise

• upwards

• downwards

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between a gibbous moon and a crescent moon?

• The gibbous shows more than half of the bright side of the moon.

• The crescent shows more than half of the bright side of the moon.

• The gibbous shows less than half of the bright side of the moon. 

Full Moon

Waning Gibbous
•From the Earth, the
Moon appears to
be more than half lit
on the left.
•The lighted part is
now decreasing.

Lunar Cycle Vocabulary

Images if looking from the
Northern Hemisphere.

Waning Gibbous

Third or Last Quarter
•The Moon is
three-quarters of the
way through its cycle.
•From the Earth it
appears to be half lit
on the left.

Lunar Cycle Vocabulary

Images if looking from the
Northern Hemisphere.

Third Quarter (or last quarter)

Waning Crescent
•The lighted part of
the Moon as seen
from Earth is
decreasing on the
left.
•The shape of the light
is crescent.

Lunar Cycle Vocabulary

Images if looking from the
Northern Hemisphere.

Waning Crescent

Multiple Choice

What is the correct order of the moon phases?

• new, full, 1st quarter, 3rd quarter

• new moon, 1st quarter, full moon, 3rd quarter

• 1st quarter, 3rd quarter, new moon, full moon

• new, 1st quarter, 3rd quarter, full

Multiple Choice

As the moon's shape appears to get smaller, we say that the moon is _.

• swelling

• waxing

• waning

• disappearing

Multiple Choice

What causes the moon's phases

• Where you are standing on Earth

• the amount of sunlight reflected onto the moon from the sun & the revolution around the earth

• The tilt of Earth

• how fast the moon is moving

Multiple Choice

Which view from Earth picture shows the moon phase at this position?

Multiple Choice

Which view from Earth picture shows the moon phase at this position?

Multiple Choice

Which view from Earth picture shows the moon phase at this position?

Multiple Choice

What is the source of the moon's light?

• Earth

• the sun

• the moon

• Mars

Multiple Choice

What phase of the moon is this?

• Full Moon

• Waxing Gibbous

• Waning Gibbous

• Half Moon

Multiple Choice

Which phase is shown?

• Waning Gibbous

• Waxing crescent

• Waxing Gibbous

• Waning crescent

Multiple Choice

Which phase is shown?

• New Moon

• Waning Gibbous

• Waxing Gibbous

• Full Moon

Multiple Choice

Name the phase of the moon for letter a

• First Quarter

• Last Quarter

• Waxing Gibbous

• Waning Gibbous

Multiple Choice

Name the phase of the moon for letter f

• Waning Gibbous

• Waxing Gibbous

• Waning Crescent

• Waxing Crescent

Multiple Choice

Where would the Sun need to be in this diagram to cause these phases of the moon?

• At the Bottom

• At the Left

• At the Top

• At The Right

Multiple Choice

Using the lunar cycle diagram, which phase is visible at point 6?

Multiple Choice

What is the missing phase?

Compare the Northern and Southern Hemispheres Moon Phases.
What do you notice? Why do you think that is?

https://www.moongiant.com/phase/today/

Northern Hemisphere

Southern Hemisphere

​April 2023

Draw

Draw and name the lunar cycle if you were living in the southern hemisphere. Include all 8 stages.

Open Ended

What is the difference between a waxing moon and a waning moon? Where is the light for each?

Reorder

Reorder the following starting with the phase where you see none of the moon.

• new moon

• waxing crescent

• first quarter

• waxing gibbous

• full moon

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Reorder

Reorder the following starting with the phase where you see all the lighted side of the moon.

• full moon

• waning gibbous

• third quarter

• waning crescent

• new moon

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Match

Match the following

new moon

full moon

first quarter

waxing crescent

Waning crescent

• new moon

• full moon

• first quarter

• waxing crescent

• Waning crescent