Moon Motions

Moon

What do you know about the moon?

Lunar Movement

• The Moon revolves with Earth around the Sun as the Moon is revolving around Earth. 

• The Moon revolves around Earth in 29½ Earth days. 

• Similarly to Earth, as the Moon revolves, it is rotating or spinning on its axis. The rotation time for the Moon is a little over 27 Earth days. 

• Because the Moon rotates and revolves in nearly the same amount of time, the same side of the Moon always faces Earth. 

Phases of the Moon

• As the position of the Moon changes as it revolves around Earth, the

   observations of the Moon from Earth are seen as phases.

• The cause of the phases of the Moon depends on how much of the

   sunlit side of the Moon faces Earth.

Phases of the Moon

new moon

waxing crescent

first quarter

waxing gibbous

full moon,

 waning gibbous

third quarter

waning crescent

Multiple Choice

How many days does it take for the Moon to revolve around Earth?

• 29½

• 28½

• 27

• 30

• 31

Multiple Choice

How many days does it take for the moon to rotate completely?

• 29½

• 28½

• 27

• 30

• 31

Multiple Choice

The same side of the moon always faces Earth.

• True

• False