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, rocks and rs te ra c h it w , ry and d CLES and The moon is cold Y C s it g in h tc a me by w dust. We mark ti le navigation. p im s r fo it e s u en PHASES, and ev an tides! e c o e th ls o tr n o c The moon even
What are cycles and phases? As the moon circles around the Earth , its shape seems to change. Of course, it is not actually changing – this is just how it looks to the human eye. It looks a differen t shape depending on where the sun is, which can illuminate and hide parts of the mo on.
Moon phases The changing shapes of the moon are called phases. The moon moves through EIGH T phases in a cycle that lasts 29.5 days, the same amount of time it takes for the Earth to move around the sun. Here are som e ways to describe the moon as it moves:
MOON PHASES
Waxing Moon We say ‘waxing’ to describe the moon when its illuminated area is GETTING BIGGER. The moon always looks like it’s getting big ger befor e the full moon.
Have you seen the moon? You could try drawing the different moon phases cut on scrap paper, then them out and hang them up!
Waning Moon es the moon ‘Waning’ describ ated area is when its illumin LER. GETTING SMAL full moon. a r te af s en p p a h This
Crescent Moon Anna Carlile is the author of Grounded. If you or your family would like more information about slow living, perhaps you could buy her book!
A ‘crescent’ moon is when only part of the moon is showing. It sits in the shape of a curved sliver.
