Moon Phases and Libration

Flashcards covering the key concepts, facts, and definitions related to the Moon phases and libration.

The only object in our solar system that shines with its own light is __.

the Sun

The eight lunar phases in order are: __, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent.

new moon

The Moon is in the same part of the sky as the Sun during the __ phase.

new moon

During the __ phase, the illuminated half of the Moon faces mostly away from Earth, with only a tiny portion visible to us.

waxing crescent

A __ quarter moon rises around noon and sets around midnight, appearing as half of its illuminated side.

first

The __ phase is when the Moon is opposite the Sun, revealing the entire day side of the Moon.

full moon

As the Moon begins its journey back toward the Sun, the phase called __ occurs.

waning gibbous

The Moon appears to twist, nod, and roll during its journey across the sky, a phenomenon called __.

libration

The tilt of the Moon’s orbit contributes to the appearance of __, where it nods slightly up and down.

libration in latitude

Earth's tilt of __ degrees affects how we view the Moon from our planet.

23.5

The dimly visible area of the Moon's nearside when sunlight reflects off Earth is called __.

earthshine

The best times to see a daytime Moon are during the __ and last quarter phases.

first

The Moon travels around Earth once every __ days in an elliptical orbit.

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