Why do the phases of the moon exist

As the Moon then moves away from the Sun, we begin to see more of the surface illuminated. The Moon then appears brighter and fuller as we see the sun reflecting and shining on its surface. In these phases, the Moon looks like it is growing.

When the Moon appears half full, it has then reached its First Quarter. Naturally, the Moon then starts to get smaller and smaller as it moves back towards the sun. It reaches Last Quarter when it looks empty.

Finally, it goes dark and returns to a New Moon. However, the side that we saw dark at the first quarter phase is now the lit side. As it completes its journey and approaches new moon again, the Moon is a waning crescent. Want another description of why the Moon has phases? You can demonstrate the phases of the Moon for yourself by using a lamp and a baseball.

Place the lamp with its shade removed in one end of a darkened room. Sit in the other end of the room and hold the baseball up in front of you so that it is between your face and the lamp. Now move the ball around your head at arm's length. Do this slowly and move your arm from right to left. As the baseball orbits your head, you will see it go through the same phases as the Moon.

Want to know what phase the Moon is in right now? A site for ages 14 and up. Laura A. Whitlock Curator: J. Skip to content. Read later. You don't have any saved articles. By Kerry Lotzof. On the lunar clock It's possible you've heard of circadian rhythms. But there are also circalunar rhythms, which are tied to lunar cycles.

Get with the tides Tides are perhaps the most observable effect of the Moon on Earth, and one that most people will recognise. Tom explains: 'One minute you're above water exposed to shoreline predators, wind and heat - the next minute you're being buffeted by waves or entirely submerged. Moved by moonlight Fluctuating light levels reflected by the Moon also have a startling impact on life on Earth. Trees that weep Although there's no scientific evidence to suggest the Moon affects our mood, it can inspire one fascinating Mediterranean plant to weep.

Directing dung beetles Under the moonlight in Africa, the dung beetle Scarabaeus zambesianus uses the polarisation pattern of moonlight and the way it scatters through the atmosphere to navigate in a straight line.

Explore space Discover more about the natural world beyond Earth's stratosphere. Blast off. What on Earth? Just how weird can the natural world be? Explore the unusual. But why does the moon have phases at all? To answer this question, it's necessary to understand two important facts. First of all, the moon revolves around the Earth once every And secondly, as the moon carries out its voyage around the planet, it's lit from varying angles by the sun.

One half of the moon is always illuminated by the sun. But here on Earth, we can't always see the half of the moon that's lit up.