Phases of the Moon
Objective
• The student will be able to describe the
changes in the positions of the sun, moon,
and the Earth in order to explain the cause
of the phases of the moon.
Fill in the worksheet as you view
the following slides.
How does the
appearance of the
moon “change” over a
period of one month?
Let’s take a look!
Date: March 1, 2006
Pictures from: Virtual Reality Moon Phases Pictures at: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
Date: March 8, 2006
Pictures from: Virtual Reality Moon Phases Pictures at: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
Date: March 15, 2006
Pictures from: Virtual Reality Moon Phases Pictures at: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
Date: March 22, 2006
Pictures from: Virtual Reality Moon Phases Pictures at: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
Date: March 29, 2006
Pictures from: Virtual Reality Moon Phases Pictures at: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
Questions
• What are these changes in appearance
called?
• What do you think are causing these
changes in appearance?
• Where does the moon get its light?
• Does the moon rotate?
• Do you see any patterns?
What are phases?
• Phases-The changes in the moon’s
appearance as seen from earth as it
revolves around the earth.
What causes phases?
• It is caused by the changes in the relative
positions of the moon, Earth and Sun.
Because the moon revolves around the
earth as the earth revolves the sun, we
see the moon from different angles.
On page 28 draw the following:
•
•
•
•
•
Sun, earth, moon from space.
New moon
First quarter
Full moon
Third quarter
Paste “Phases of the Moon”
worksheet on page 27