2006-09-20 05:41:48 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
The Moon doesn't shine with any light of its own; we can only see the Moon because it reflects the Sun's light. As the Moon orbits the Earth, the part of the Moon that is illuminated is always the half that is facing directly towards the Sun. The Moon's orbit also affects how much of that half is facing the Earth so as to be visible, and it varies in a cyclical manner. Even though the same physical half of the Moon always faces the Earth, that's not always the half that is illuminated. The Moon is full when it's on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, and new when it's on the same side.
The phases of the Moon are often described as the Earth's shadow falling on the Moon, but that is innacurate and instead describes a lunar eclipse, a much rarer event than a new Moon. (Yeah, I started reading my own reference and caught my mistake. I corrected this answer while ChicagoDude was writing his, two posts below me. He should get the Best Answer on this. Man, I can't believe I got outgeeked by an electrical engineer. Mechanical engineers forever!)
2006-09-20 05:42:55 · answer #1 · answered by DavidK93 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The dark part is the dark side of the moon, i.e. the half that is away from the sun. Since the moon goes around the earth, we alternately see the dark side and the light side every 28 days. During a full moon, we're looking at the light side. During a half moon, the earth is at an angle such that we can see half of the light side and half of the dark side.
The earth sometimes casts a shadow on the moon, which we call an eclipse, but that is rare. An eclipse is not what you see on an average night.
2006-09-20 05:44:15 · answer #2 · answered by ChicagoDude 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Oh, My...
DavidK93... Good Link but you should have read it more carfully.
It is not the Earths Shadow.
Chicago Dude... Very good answer.. too bad you didn't reference the same link Davidk93 did.
opps i guess you did.
Which of these should i rate number 1? I think i will go with Chicago Dude because his answer was correct...
Here is th reference link again.
2006-09-20 05:57:34 · answer #3 · answered by smkwtrjck 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It,s the earth when it,s in a straight line between Moon and Sun or deviated something.
2006-09-20 05:48:52 · answer #4 · answered by Ahmad 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
It is a giant mouse, eating the green cheese.
2006-09-20 08:56:51 · answer #5 · answered by Amphibolite 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
oh wow...well wen its a cresent that means that theres a cloud in front of it..i think
2006-09-20 05:43:26 · answer #6 · answered by Dana 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋