Most of us have seen a first quarter moon in early evening while the sun is still out & sky is blue?

Question

...but does anyone know how this is made possible? Thanks.

tehabwa, i'm not on here to tell my life story. It's for a class assignment and I needed some clarification, okay?

Answer 1

Yes,because the moon orbits the earth at a different rate than the earth orbits the sun there are times when the moon is visible during the day. The moon only reflects sun light it does not produce it's own illumination so it is logical that even during the day the moon would reflect sunlight and be visible. Cloud cover is not relevant, as the clouds are in the earths atmosphere and not involved in the reflection of solar light from the moon

Answer 2

The first quarter Moon occurs when the Sun and Moon are ninety degrees apart as seen from Earth. That means that as the Sun reaches its zenith at midday the Moon will just be rising, and as the sun sinks during the afternon the Moon gets higher in the sky. The opposite is true with the last quarter Moon, which sinks in the morning as the Sun comes up. You can see it because the Moon is brighter than the surrounding sky.

In fact, the only time the Moon is not visible in daylight is during the days around new Moon, where it is too close to the Sun to be seen until the Sun has set, and full Moon, when it is directly opposite the Sun in the sky and hence does not rise until the Sun sets. At any other time the Moon can be seen if you know where to look for it.

Answer 3

Starting with the full moon - A day or two before the "full moon" you will see the
moon rise just before sunset. At full moon it will rise as the sun sets, and of course
after the sun sets as the time goes on. Each night after, notice how the light on the
moon shrinks from full to last quarter and then to nothing (a 2 week time period).
Also during this time you will notice the moon "traveling" closer to the sun.
Two weeks from full moon (day may vary) look for the sliver of the moon just before sunset.
As the moon moves into NEW moon and you cannot see at all, watch for it to become noticable
as a sliver in the other direction as the sun sets. Follow the light on the moon as
it expands to first quarter and then to full. So you can actually see the moon and the sun
at the same time virtually most of the month.

Answer 4

The moon orbits the Earth, obviously... When it's "New Moon", the moon is at it's closest point to the sun, and all we "see" is the shadow - as the sun sets, so does the moon. As it circles the Earth, and we begin to see the portion of the moon lit by the sun, it's rising a little later each day - and by the time of it's first quarter, it's rising about 6 hours after the sun does - so, in a blue sky, we see both the moon and the sun. Since it rises 6 hours after the sun, it also *sets* 6 hours after the sun.

Answer 5

It would have been better if you'd said something about why it surprises you, why you thought it wouldn't be possible.

Have you not seen the moon during the day before? It's a very common thing.

Answer 6

light from the sun is still reflecting off the moon.

Answer 7

I belive of remember of yes ,sometimes.