Moon phases quiz review

Moon phases

The different appearances of the Moon as seen from Earth, caused by its position relative to the Earth and Sun. They cycle through new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent.

Rotation

The circular movement of the Moon around its axis, completing one full turn approximately every 27.3 days.

revolution

The movement of the Moon around the Earth, taking about 27.3 days to complete one full orbit.

lunar calendar

A calendar based on the phases of the Moon, typically consisting of 12 lunar months in a year.

moon’s orbit- 5 degree tilt

refers to the angle at which the Moon's orbital plane is inclined relative to the Earth's orbital plane, which affects the occurrence of eclipses and the visibility of lunar phases.

solar eclipse

occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking out the Sun's light.

lunar eclipse

occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon.

earth’s atmosphere

is a layer of gases surrounding the Earth, crucial for supporting life and protecting it from harmful solar radiation.

umbra

the darkest part of a shadow during an eclipse, where light is completely blocked.

penumbra

the lighter part of a shadow during an eclipse, where light is partially blocked.

waxing

refers to the phase of the Moon when it is increasing in illumination, leading up to a full moon.

waning

refers to the phase of the Moon when it is decreasing in illumination, leading down to a new moon.

gibbous

refers to the phase of the Moon when more than half of it is illuminated but it is not yet full.

new moon

The first phase of the moon, when none of the moon is illuminated

full moon

The final phase of the moon when the entire surface of the moon is illuminated

first quarter moon

The phase of the moon when half of the moon is illuminated and increases to a gibbous phase.

third quarter moon

The phase of the moon when half of the moon is illuminated and decreases to a crescent phase.

ray

A beam of light often associated with reflections from the moon's surface.

crater

A bowl-shaped depression on the moon's surface formed by the impact of meteoroids.

maria

Large, dark, basaltic plains on the Moon's surface formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.

meteoriod

A small rock or particle from space that, when entering the Earth's atmosphere, can become a meteor.