Phases of the Moon

A diagram which demonstrates why the moon goes through phases.
Click on image for full size (13K GIF>)

The diagram shows the Earth, and the Moon in different positions along its orbit around the Earth. The Sun is off in the distance, lighting the Earth-Moon system. At any position, half of the Moon is reflecting light from the Sun (the light side of the Moon) and half is in shadow (the dark side). Also, half of the Moon can be seen from Earth (the near side of the Moon) and half can not (the far side). As the Moon moves around the Earth, the dark side and the far side overlap and produce the phases of the Moon as we are familiar with them.

When the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun (1), the near side of the Moon is the dark side. The Moon cannot be seen. We call this New Moon, the beginning of the cycle of lunar phases. When the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon (5), the near side is the light side. We call this Full Moon.

Halfway in between these times (3 & 7), only half of the near side of the moon is illuminated by the Sun. So we can only see one quarter of the Moon. We call these phases First and Third Quarters.

All the phases of the Moon have special names which indicate how much of the illuminated Moon can be seen from Earth, and whether this part is going to grow or shrink.

Galileo's drawings of the phases of the Moon
Lunar eclipses

Full Moon Names

Last modified October 19, 2005 by Randy Russell.
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Phases of the Moon

A diagram which demonstrates why the moon goes through phases. Click on image for full size (13K GIF>)

A diagram which demonstrates why the moon goes through phases.
Click on image for full size (13K GIF>)