2006-12-12 08:34:25 · 6 answers · asked by Juanita N 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Half of the moon is illuminated by the sun at any given time; the other half is in the moon's own shadow. As the moon orbits the earth, the part you can see depends on the relative orientation of the earth, moon, and sun: if the moon is opposite from the sun, you see the fully illumnated half; in quadrature with the sun, you see half of the illuminated half and half of the shadowed half. Take the shade off of a lamp in the center of a darkened room, and hold a spherical object in your hand at arm's length, and turn around slowly. You will see the phases on the object.
2006-12-12 08:55:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon orbits the Earth and the Earth orbits the sun.Since the sun shines all the time and the Moon is orbiting all the time it is in a different place in relationship to the Earth each night .Since the moon takes about a month to orbit Earth you will find there is a pattern.Only the part that faces the Sun lights up.The moon looks smaller and smaller as it moves around the Earth until it reaches a point where you won't see it at all.Then over the next few nights it starts getting bigger again until you have a new full moon..Then it starts all over again.
2016-05-23 15:36:56 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually, the moon never really loses its shape. what does change is the perspective you view it from. if the moon is full, or it appears to you as being full, there is not anything to deflect the line of sight. so, if the moon seems to half or somehow, oblong, its just the line of sight you have from your location on earth. this perspective changes as the earth rotates and also as the moon fulfills its orbit around the earth. does this answer your question?
2006-12-12 08:40:15 · answer #3 · answered by captdavey22 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Again, this has to do with the back cloth woven by the gods to hide the sun at night. Cloth by its nature is unstable, so as it slowly ripples you get the effect of seeing either all or parts of the hole where people think they see a "moon". Silly people.
2006-12-12 08:40:44 · answer #4 · answered by Clown Knows 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is a round ball but sunlight only shines on one half of it; the other half is in its own shadow. Depending on what direction you see it from, you may seen all the bright side, part of the bright side and part of the shadowed side, or only the shadowed side.
2006-12-12 08:42:52 · answer #5 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
evil space-trolls take big bites out of it, but it grows back.
2006-12-12 08:56:02 · answer #6 · answered by markusrosso 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋