Fly Me to the Moon
Susan L. Norwood
Your feedback is important to us!
After viewing our curriculum units, please take a few minutes to help us understand how the units, which were created by public school teachers, may be useful to others.
Phases of the Moon
The first phase of the moon during its orbit around the earth is known as the new moon. ( To get a better picture of where the moon is located during the phases draw a clock. The earth will be in the center and the new moon is a three o'clock. The sun should be further to the right in line with three o'clock. Have your students do this as you teach them about the phases of the moon). The new moon continues its orbit counterclockwise around the earth, moving away from the sun (taking a position between two and one o'clock). It takes about two days for the moon to reach this position known as waxing crescent. Waxing means the moon is getting larger. In about one week's time the moon will have traveled one quarter of its orbit. (it will now be at the 12 o'clock position on our clock). This moon rises at noon and is the first quarter moon. Several days later the moon will travel (between the ten and eleven o'clock position) to the waxing gibbous phase. More than half of the moon's surface will be shining on earth. After two weeks into its cycle the full moon will illuminate the night sky. The full moon occurs 12.37 times a year. During the full moon, the moon is on the opposite side of the earth from the sun. The full moon is highest in the sky at midnight. (the full moon should be at the nine o'clock position). As the moon continues on its eastward orbit the light reflected from it begins to wane. This phase, (located between eight o'clock and seven o'clock ) is known a waning gibbous. There is less sunlight used for illumination. The last quarter phase, (located at six o'clock) is when the left half of the moon is illuminated. In the last week of the monthly orbit the moons appearance is becoming thinner and thinner. This phase (located between five and four o'clock ) is called waning crescent. After a few days the moon will be back where it started (at the three o'clock position). One month's time will have passed and another is about to begin. On several occasions it is possible to have two full moons in a month. When this happens the second full moon is referred to as a 'Blue Moon'.
