Moon Phases Quick Check

What is this movement of the Earth called?

• Rotation

• Revolution

• Orbit

• Spin

What is this movement of the Earth called?

• Rotation

• Revolution

• Orbit

• Spin

Is this statement TRUE✅ or FALSE❌?

The Moon shines on Earth.

• True✅

• False❌

Answer explanation

The Moon doesn't generate its own light.

Instead, the Moon reflects the Sun's light back at Earth, like a mirror.

When the lit surface of the Moon is increasing ↑, we call it:

• Waxing

• Crescent

• Waning

• Gibbous

When the lit surface of the Moon is decreasing ↓, we call it:

• Waxing

• Crescent

• Waning

• Gibbous

When the lit surface of the Moon looks like a croissant, we call it"

• Waxing

• Crescent

• Waning

• Gibbous

When the lit surface of the Moon is more than half but less than full, we call that strange shape:

• Waxing

• Crescent

• Waning

• Gibbous

Is this statement TRUE✅ or FALSE❌?

The Moon always looks the same, wherever you are on Earth.

• True✅

• False❌

Answer explanation

The Moon looks different depending on which hemisphere you are looking at it from.

Each hemisphere has an "upside down" version of the other.

Click on the two gibbous moons

The Moon revolves around Earth, completing it's orbit in _______ days.

• 7 days

• 27 days

• 29.5 days

• 365 days

Answer explanation

The Moon completes it's orbit around Earth in 27 days but because Earth is also moving, the Moon has to travel about 2 more days to catch up and complete the cycle.

27 days is the length of the Moon's orbit.

29.5 days is how long the Moon takes to start a new Moon phase cycle.