Phases of the Moon Fun Facts for Kids
Teaching children about the moon's phases can be challenging. Start out with some cool, general facts before delving into further explanation.
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Moon's Orbit
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The moon's phases aren't revealed at the same time each month because the moon's orbit is not exactly one month, according to Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin.
Moon's Alignment
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The moon travels around the Earth at about 2,300 miles per hour, according to National Geographic News. When the Earth is on one side and the sun directly on the other, it is a new moon. From Earth, the moon is absent; although its dark side (away from the Earth) is fully lit.
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Full Moon
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A full moon occurs when the Earth is between the sun and the moon. From the Earth, the moon appears entirely lit. The Algonquin tribes of North America had nicknames for a full moon for each month, according to Windows to the Universe. Some include the familiar harvest moon (September), wolf moon (January), pink moon (April) and cold moon (December).
Opposite Phases
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A person on the moon would see the same phases of the Earth but in opposite order, points out MMSD. A full moon as seen from Earth would be a "new Earth" as seen from the moon.
Quarter Moons
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Even though half the moon is lit, the first quarter and last quarter moons are not called "half moons." The "quarter" indicates the time in orbit.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Cristóbal Alvarado Minic
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cute stephanie
