Week 5 Science: Eclipses & Phases of the Moon

First quarter

Waning crescent

Waning gibbous

Waxing gibbous

As the Moon revolves around Earth, different parts are lit by the Sun.

The viewpoint from Earth of the illuminated side of the Moon changes.

Earth's shadow is blocking light from the Sun.

The way the Moon produces light changes, so we see different shapes.

A

B

C

People have the same opportunity to see a solar eclipse as a lunar eclipse.

More people see a lunar eclipse. Since the Sun is so much larger than the Moon, the Moon only blocks out the Sun for about 12 minutes over a relatively small amount of land area on Earth; lunar eclipses can last a couple hours and are seen by a significantly larger area on Earth.

More people see a solar eclipse. Since the moon is between the sun and the Earth more often than the Earth is between the moon and sun, the moon blocks the sun for a solar ecliplse more often.

Full moons happen at least once a month due to the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Eclipses are considerably more rare and only happen with the orbits of the Moon, Earth, and Sun align in a specific way.

The moon is closer to the Earth, so we see the full moon more often than we see an eclipse.

We see a full moon about as often as we see an eclipse.