Moon's Mystical Phases

Questions: 5

Grade: 3

Words: 106

Text

Text & Questions

Text, Questions & Answers

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and noticed the different shapes of the moon? Believe it or not, the moon isn't changing its shape. It's actually going through its phases! There are eight main phases: the new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent. These phases happen because the moon orbits around the Earth, and depending on where it is in that orbit, we see more or less of the moon's lit portion. Did you know that we always see the same side of the moon from Earth, no matter what phase it's in?

Question 1

What happens when the moon goes through its phases?

The moon is changing its shape

The moon is getting larger or smaller

The moon is moving closer or farther from Earth

We see more or less of the moon's lit portion

Explanation. The moon's phases occur because as the moon orbits around the Earth, we see varying amounts of the lit part of the moon.

The moon is rotating on its axis

Question 2

What do we always see from Earth, no matter what phase the moon is in?

Different sides of the moon

The dark side of the moon

The same side of the moon

Explanation. We always see the same side of the moon from Earth, regardless of the phase.

The full moon

The new moon

Question 3

How many main phases does the moon have?

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Explanation. The moon has eight main phases: the new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent.

Question 4

Why does the moon appear to change shape?

Because it is rotating

Because it is orbiting around the Earth

Explanation. The moon appears to change shape because it is orbiting around the Earth, and we see more or less of its lit portion depending on where it is in that orbit.