What causes the moon to have different phases? (Crescent, half, full,etc.)?

Answer 1

As has been said, it is the angle of the moon to you and the sun. A good was to see this effect, take a small ball like a ping pong or golf ball and go outside during the day when the moon is also visible. (Yes, the moon is often times visible during the daytime when the sun is up, particularly in the evenings before full moon or the morning after full moon) Face the direction of the moon and hold the ball out at arms length toward the moon. You should see a shadow on the ball in the same shape as the shadow on the moon. Basically, you are creating a model of the phase of the moon at that moment.

Clear Skies!

Answer 2

You need to go visit a planetarium. It is really very simple, the phases are simply caused by the relative positions of sun and moon.

When the sun passes between the sun and Earth, the sun shines on the back of it and we do not see the so-called new moon because it has no light of its own (note the solar eclipse, which is a special new moon when sun and moon line up directly).

When after about 14 days, the moon swings around to the opposite side of the Earth to the sun, the sun shines directly on the side that faces us and we have a full moon.

All the phases represent the positions between new and full, where the moon gradually becomes illuminated more and more, as the side that faces us catches more and more of the sun.

Yes, you should visit a planetarium, or there are often working models at science museums, etc.

Once you see it like that, it is obvious what is going on.

Answer 3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_phase

In astronomy, a phase of the Moon is any of the aspects or appearances presented by the Moon as seen from Earth, determined by the portion of the Moon that is visibly illuminated by the Sun. The lunar phases vary cyclically as the Moon orbits the Earth, according to the relative positions of the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun. Since the Moon appears bright only due to the Sun's reflected light, only the half of the Moon facing the Sun is illuminated.

Answer 4

The shadows of the earth. What lights the moon is reflection from the sun and as the earth turns on its axis, and the moon rotates, the phases changes because they are in different proximity to each other.

Answer 5

perspctive from the Earth. The moon does not have a rotatation of its own. asit circles the Earh the side facing the sun appears to wax and wan at the equator you will se the bigest changes. further north or south you get both the sun and moon in the sky at suce an angle that there is always light in the sky(land of the midnight sun). Also the Earth is not perfectly round more pear shaped.

Answer 6

Well because the moon is rotating around us, and the we are rotating areound the sun, when we are turned away from the sun, we see the moon and the reflection of the suns rays are upon the moon which makes it light up, and sometimes it reflects at an angle which causes it to be a quater, half, and full moon

Answer 7

its a shaddow from the sun.eg when the sun shines the earth may get in the way of the moon and cause it to cressent or the direction of the suns rays depending on the time of month. try using a football and a torch in the dark and keep the ball in one place and move the torch around it, you will see the difference.
the moon goes around earth wich goes around the sun so try uing the torch as a sun.

Answer 8

OMG,the earth's and moon rotation which causes earth shadow to make the moon look like it has different phases when it rotates!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

the moon also has a rotational cycle like earth, that is why it has different phases

Answer 10

the angle u are to the moon and the angle of the moon to the sun