3.6.8

The Moon

Test yourself

The Moon

The Earth’s moon orbits the Earth. Planets can have no moons or many moons. A moon is a natural satellite.

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The Moon

  • From Earth, we always see the same side of the Moon.
    • The side we do not see is known as the ‘dark side of the Moon’.
  • The Moon will appear upside down if you look at it from a different hemisphere.
  • The Moon moves further away from the Earth every year.
  • We see the moon in the night sky as it reflects the Sun’s light to us.
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Lunar eclipses

  • A lunar or Moon eclipse happens when the Earth casts a shadow on the Moon.
  • Lunar eclipses happen when the Earth is in between the Sun and the Moon.
  • This eclipse will happen when there is a full moon.
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The lunar cycle

  • It takes 28 days for the Moon to make one complete orbit of the Earth.
  • As the Moon moves around the Earth, we see it from different positions. This makes the moon appear to be different shapes.
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Phases of the moon

  • Full moon - a bright full circle. The Moon is at the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun.
  • Waning gibbous - most of the left side of the Moon is lit up.
  • Third quarter - 50% of the left side is lit up.
  • Waning crescent - less than 50% of the left side is lit up.
  • New moon - not visible at all because it is in between the Sun and the Earth.
  • Waxing crescent - less than 50% of the right side is lit up.
  • First quarter - 50% of the right side is lit up.
  • Waxing gibbous - most of the right side is lit up.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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