Moon Phases Questions And Answers

Some of your frequently asked Moon questions, answered.

Moon in Move: Phases, Patterns, and More

Does the Moon rotate? Does the Moon spin on its axis?

Yes! The time it takes for the Moon torotate once on its centrality is equal to the time it takes for the Moon toorbit once around Earth. This keeps the same side of the Moon facing towards Earth throughout the calendar month.

If the Moon did non rotate on its centrality at all, or if it rotated at any other rate, then we would see unlike parts of the Moon throughout the month.
Does the Moon orbit Earth?

Yes. The Moon takes about one month to orbit Globe (27.iii days to complete a revolution, just 29.5 days to change from New Moon to New Moon).

As the Moon completes each 27.three-solar day orbit effectually Earth, both Earth and the Moon are moving around the Dominicus. Because of this alter in position, sunlight appears to hit the Moon at a slightly dissimilar angle on solar day 27 than it does on day zippo ― even though the Moon itself has already traveled all the way effectually Earth. It takes a trivial more than than two additional days for sunlight to hit the Moon in the same way information technology did on day zero. This is why information technology takes 29.five days to get from new moon to new moon, even though it doesn't accept quite that long for the Moon itself to travel one time around World.
Are Moon phases the same everywhere on Earth?

Yep, anybody sees the aforementioned phases of the Moon. People north and s of the equator do meet the Moon's current phase from different angles, though. If yous traveled to the other hemisphere, the Moon would be in the same phase every bit information technology is at abode, but it would appear upside down compared to what you're used to!

For example, on March viii, 2021, the Moon was in a waning crescent phase. Seen from the Northern Hemisphere, the waning crescent appeared on the left side of the Moon. Seen from the Southern Hemisphere, the crescent appeared on the right.

Data visualizations of the waning crescent moon as seen from the Northern Hemisphere (left) and the Southern Hemisphere (right) on March 8, 2021. Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
Are Moon phases caused past shadows from Earth?

No. The only time Earth'south shadow affects our view of the Moon is during a lunar eclipse. Generally, one one-half of the Moon ― the side facing the Lord's day ― is brightly illuminated, and one is in shadow. Nosotros utilize moon phases to describe the way our perspective on the one-half-lit Moon changes as Globe and Moon move through infinite over the course of a calendar month.

During a crescent moon, for case, the office of the Moon that faces Earth is mostly in shadow, and the far side of the Moon is mostly sunlit. The visible crescent is the only role of the lunar nearside that is experiencing daytime.

Data visualization of a waning crescent moon as seen from the northern hemisphere. During this phase, it is night on almost of the near side of the Moon, and day on well-nigh of the far side of the Moon. Credit: NASA's Science Visualization Studio
Why do we come across Moon phases?

The Moon is always half-lit by the sunday (except during a lunar eclipse). The side of the Moon facing the Sun appears vivid because of reflected sunlight, and the side of the Moon facing away from the Sun is dark. Our perspective on the half-lit Moon changes as the Moon orbits Earth. When the side nearest to us is fully lit, we phone call this a total Moon. When the far side is fully lit and the virtually side is dark, we call this a new Moon. When we see other phases, we are looking at the division between lunar nighttime (the dark function) and day (the vivid part).
What is the Moon really shaped like?

The Moon is shaped similar an imperfect sphere. From a distance, it looks nearly round. Seen upwards close, the Moon'southward surface is a three-dimensional mural of mountains, valleys, and craters. Explore the Moon's surface from wherever you are in this 3D map built from data captured past NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).
Can I see the Moon during the twenty-four hour period?

Yes! The Moon is up just as much during the day equally it is at night, but y'all might not detect it as hands. Because the Sun is likewise upwards, and because the Moon phases that are most often visible in daylight show u.s. only a fiddling bit of the Moon's brilliant side (like the crescent Moon phases), the Moon is harder to see during the twenty-four hour period.
Why does the Moon rising and set? Can people in different countries encounter the Moon on the same solar day?

Moonrises and moonsets occur for the aforementioned reason as sunrises and sunsets. Earth rotates every mean solar day! This means that observers in many different parts of the world have their plow looking at the Moon throughout the day, just like we all encounter the same Sun over the course of 24 hours.
Why does the Moon look largest close to the horizon?

This is an optical illusion. Bear witness information technology for yourself here!

Origin and Nature of the Moon

Does the Moon make its own light (like the Sun does)?

The Moon does not make its own calorie-free. "Moonlight" is really sunlight that has reflected off of the Moon'southward surface.
What is moonlight? How is the Moon lit?

The Moon does not brand its own light. All moonlight is reflected sunlight. The bright function of the Moon is experiencing daytime.
What is the Moon? Is it a planet?

The Moon is a natural satellite, or a space object that orbits around something else. Our Moon is Earth's natural satellite.

In full general, a moon is a natural satellite of a planet, and a planet is a special kind of natural satellite that orbits a star and also meets other conditions.

Learn more: What makes a planet a planet?
How did the Moon form?

The leading theory is that a Mars-sized object collided with Earth billions of years ago, and debris from this collision somewhen formed the Moon. Hither is an blitheness that shows what this might have looked similar:

Blitheness showing the Moon'southward early history. Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

For more information, visit The Moon In Depth web page.
Does the Moon have gravity? Do things float "up" when dropped on the Moon?

The Moon does have gravity. Considering the Moon has less mass than World, its gravitational pull is weaker (about 1-sixth of Earth's). On the Moon, you lot'd be able to jump about six times as high as you lot tin on Globe ― simply you would still come back down!
What would happen if there was no Moon? How does the Moon touch Globe?

Earth would be a very different world if it had no Moon. The Moon'southward gravity keeps our planet from wobbling on its axis besides much, which helps to stabilize our climate. The Moon as well plays an important function in creating tides in Globe'south oceans.