4MoonCycles

Moon Cycles

The Moon is Earth's only natural satelitte and its the fiftth largest satelitte in the Solar System. The term Moon Cycle or "Lunar Cycle" is referring to the moon's continuous orbit around the Earth. As its apperance changes and this gives us an indication of the moon's process in the cycle. The Sun only illuminates only one side of the moon which is exactly half of the Moon. The other side is known as the "Dark Side of the Moon"

In 29.5 days the Moon goes through nine differrent stages, they are:
 * 1) New Moon- or Dark Moon because its not visible.
 * 2) Waxing Cresent- which is the tiny strip on the right side.
 * 3) First Quarter- only half right side of the moon is visible. (Called Quater Moon because even though only half is covered, the dark side of the moon not visible to the human eye its still there.)
 * 4) Waxing Gibbous- only a tiny strip on the left isn't visible.
 * 5) Full Moon- the entire side of the moon is visible
 * 6) Waning Gibbous- the strip of the right side no longer visible.
 * 7) Third Quarter- The same as First Quater except that on the opposite side.
 * 8) Waning Cresent- its the tiny strip on the left side.
 * 9) New- Basically back to the beginning.

=Waxing Cresent=



The Waxing Cresent Moon is a thin sliver of the moon, its sometimes called a "Young Moon" It always seen in the west after sunset. This moon is only seen a few days after a New Moon or Dark Moon. It rises one hour to several hours behind the Sun and follows the Sun during the day. When the Sun sets and the sky darkens, the Moon pops into view in the western sky.

=First Quarter=

The First Quarter Moon is a week after the New Moon, when the moon had completed half its turn around the Earth, we can see half of the illuminated part, that is, Quater of the moon. This is the first quater phase.

=Waxing Gibbous=

The Waxing Gibbous seems to appear a little more than half the moon but its isn't full. Though the illumination is increasing, This moon is seen after the First Quarter and just before the Full Moon. 'Waxing' means increasing or growing larger. That's why we call it Waxing, for the moon is starting to grow or just being able to be visible.

=Full Moon=



This is when the side that faces the Earth is fully illuminated.This means that the Earth, Sun and Moon are nearly in a straight line, with the Earth in the middle.The Moon that we see is very bright, with the sun reflecting off it.

=Waning Gibbous= This portion of the moon seems to be decresing. This Moon can be seen after the Full Moon and just before the Last Quarter Moon. The amount of the Moon we see will grow smaller. 'Waning' means decreasing or growing smaller.

=Last Quarter= three weeks after new, we again can see half of the illuminated part. this is usually called the last quater. Sometimes its called the Third Quater. during this time the moon will seem to appear smaller and smaller, until it shrinks into a new moon again.

=Waning Cresent=

the moon seems to be partly but less than half illumiated by direct sunlight. the part that is illuminated is decresing. this moon can be seen after the Last Quarter and just before the returning new moon, like the last quater it will continue to decrease until its back again into a new moon.

=Quick Facts:=

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 * the moon's gravitational pull is the cause for low and high ocean tides.
 * the greeks had moon goddesses such as Selene, Artemis and Hera
 * the moon orbits around the sun at an average speed of 2,300 miles an hour.
 * when neil armstrong took that historical step of " one small step for man, one giant man for man kind" it never occured to anyone that the step that he took in the dust woul;d actually stay there for at least ten million years
 * the moon is 1/4 of the size of earth.



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