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Phases of Moon

“The moon is a reminder that no matter what phase we are in, we are still whole.” Learning about space is in itself a fascinating and interesting concept. The moon that we visually find so beautiful and attractive, to know more about it will be indulging. This project will teach us different phases of the moon that we can see every day but never knew the concept behind it and what it is called.





Introduction:


The portion of the moon that we can see from Earth on any given night is called the moon’s phase. As the moon orbits around the Earth, sunlight is reflected off the moon’s surface and that light reaches us on Earth. The phase of the moon depends on where the moon is in its orbit. Around once per month, every 29.53 days to be exact, the phases of the moon make a complete cycle.


As the moon circles the Earth, we can only see a portion of the lit upside. When the Moon appears to be getting bigger, it’s ‘waxing’. When it looks like it’s getting smaller, it’s ‘waning’


There are 8 phases that the moon goes through:

  • New Moon: As the Moon moves around the Earth, the face pointing towards us gradually becomes hidden from the Sun until we can hardly see it at all. It is also called the Dark Moon. A solar eclipse can only happen at the new moon

  • Waxing Crescent Moon: It is when the Moon looks like a crescent and the crescent increases in size from one day to the next

  • First Quarter Moon: It is when half of the lit portion of the Moon is visible after the waxing crescent phase. It is also called the Half Moon

  • Waxing Gibbous Moon: It occurs when more than half of the lit portion of the Moon can be seen and the shape increases in size from one day to the next. The waxing gibbous phase occurs between the first quarter and full moon phases

  • Full Moon: It occurs once the face of the Moon is fully turned towards the Sun. The full moon phase occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, called opposition. A lunar eclipse can only happen at full moon

  • Waning Gibbous Moon: It occurs when more than half of the lit portion of the Moon can be seen and the shape decreases in size from one day to the next. The waning gibbous phase occurs between the full moon and third quarter phases

  • Last Quarter Moon: It occurs when half of the lit portion of the Moon is visible after the waning gibbous phase. It is also called the Half Moon

  • Waning Crescent Moon: It occurs when the Moon looks like the crescent and the crescent decreases in size from one day to the next



Requirements:

  • Black and white color chart paper

  • Cardboard

  • Thread

  • Straw

  • Glue

  • Scissor

Steps:

  1. Cut out 5 equal-sized circles from the black color chart paper

  2. Now, on white color chart paper, draw same size 4 circular phases of the moon such as Full moon, Crescent moon, Half moon and Gibbous moon

  3. Paste the white color phases of the moon on the black circles which will leave one black circle unused

  4. Make a big circle on the cardboard which will act as the ceiling to hang our moons

  5. Make a hole in the middle of the circular cardboard

  6. On the edge of the circular cardboard, make five holes equidistantly and using a thread hang the 5 moons

  7. In the hole made in the center, insert a straw in order to rotate the structure


Learning Opportunity:


This simple project is to demonstrate the phases of the moon. Next time you see up in the sky, try to locate the moon and note its phase. Make your own personal date diary.




Time Required: 20 minutes


Cost: < $2


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