How to Make a Moon Phases Chart

The eight main phases of the moon have been understood since the ancient Greeks. The secrets to the different phases lie in the moon's slanted scope from the sun at a given time. Presenting moon phases on a chart provides the simplest way to visualize them. You need a reliable graphics presentation program and a clear Clip Art photograph of the moon at each stage.

Instructions

1. Use any graphics presentation software. Begin a new presentation. Click inside the title placeholder and type, "Phases of the Moon."

2. Highlight the Clip Art icon on the drawing tool bar. Find pictures of the eight stages of the moon. They include New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter and Waning Crescent. Copy and paste each picture to the blank document and arrange the pictures in two rows of four columns.

3. Position the cursor on the drawing tool bar and select the text box icon. Drag and drop the text box beneath the first title, New Moon. Click on the border of the text box. Press "Ctrl-D" seven more times to create additional text boxes. Place a box under each remaining title.

4. Insert text explaining the New Moon as the beginning of the moon phases. Repeat the Add Text command with the second box. Explain the Waxing Crescent as a thin crescent-shaped part of the moon that begins to grow.

5. Embed one sentence within the additional text boxes. For First Quarter, explain that the moon is at its first 90-degree angle. Text for Waxing Gibbous Moon should state that the illuminated part of the moon appears at a 135-degree angle.

6. Note for the Full Moon that it received its name because the sun completely illuminates the moon making the entire disc visible. The Waning Gibbous text should state that a thin crescent-shaped section of the moon starts to shrink at this phase.

7. Add that the Last Quarter moon is at a 90-degree angle when viewed from the earth. Finally, the Waning Crescent is the last moon phase and a thin crescent of the moon's disc is illuminated at a 45-degree angle.