Book 1, Question 79 · Video
Why Does the Moon Change Shape? Slices of Sunlit Moon!
The Moon looks different night after night, but it is always a big rocky ball. The Sun lights one side of the Moon while the other side stays dark, and as the Moon orbits Earth we
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does the Moon change shape?
The Big Idea
Here's a secret: the Moon doesn't really change shape. It's always a round ball! What changes is how much of its sunny side we can see from Earth. Let's find out why, step by step!
The Moon Is a Ball
Number one: the Moon is a ball. It's a big, rocky ball in space, about one quarter as wide as Earth. And it doesn't make any light of its own.
The Sun Lights One Side
Number two: the Sun shines on one side. Sunlight shines on the Moon and bounces off it. That's how we see it! The half facing the Sun is bright, and the other half stays dark.
We See Different Slices
Number three: we see different slices as it orbits. The Moon travels around Earth, and one trip takes about a month. As it moves, we see different amounts of its lit side.
How It Looks From Earth
Here's how it looks from Earth! New moon: the lit side faces away from us, so we can't see it. Crescent: we see a small, curved slice. Half moon: we see half of the Moon's face shining. Full moon: we see the whole lit side. A big, bright circle! Then it shrinks back again, and the cycle repeats!
Quick Facts
Quick facts! The dark part of the Moon isn't gone. It's just not lit by the Sun! A whole cycle, from new moon to new moon, takes about twenty-nine and a half days. The word month comes from the word moon! And the Moon always shows Earth the same face.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Try this in a dark room. Use a lamp as the Sun, and a ball as the Moon. Hold the ball out at arm's length, and face it. Now slowly turn in a circle, so the ball orbits around your head, like the Moon around Earth. Watch how the lit shape changes, from crescent, to half, to full! And look up tonight to see what shape the Moon is!
Outro
The Moon is always round. We just see different sunny slices of it! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!