the moon

study quide terms

moon phases

the changing shapes of the illuminated portion of the Moon as viewed from Earth, caused by its orbit around our planet and the Sun's changing angle of its illumination

moon rotation

synchronous rotation a state where the Moon rotates on its axis at the same rate it orbits Earth.

moon revolution

the orbital motion of the Moon traveling around the Earth, driven by gravity

lunar cycle

29.5-day period it takes for the Moon to pass through all its phases, from New Moon to New Moon

moons orbit-5 degree tilt

the inclination of the lunar orbit or lunar orbital inclination

solar eclipse

its an event that occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth and fully or partially blocking the Sun's light for viewers in that shadow

lunar eclipse

it occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow upon the Moon and blocking direct sunlight

earths atmosphere

a protective, layered envelope of gases, primarily nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%), held by gravity around the planet

umbra

the fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object, especially the area on the earth or moon experiencing the total phase of an eclipse.

penumbra

the partially shaded outer region of the shadow cast by an opaque object.

waxing

the lunar phase where the illuminated portion of the Moon appears to increase in size daily, spanning from the New Moon to the Full Moon

waning

represents a period of decreasing light, symbolic of letting go, reflection, and preparation

gibbous

the phase of the moon in which its illuminated part is greater than a semicircle and less than a circle.

crescent

a lunar phase where less than half of the moon is illuminated

new moon

the phase of the moon when it is in conjunction with the sun and invisible from earth, or shortly thereafter when it appears as a slender crescent.

full moon

the phase of the moon in which its whole disk is illuminated

first quarter moon

The third phase in a lunar cycle occurring when the moon is one-quarter of the way through its orbit, appearing as a half-illuminated circle.

third quarter moon

the last quarter moon is a primary lunar phase where the moon appears exactly half-illuminated, specifically the left side in the Northern Hemisphere and the right side in the Southern Hemisphere. It represents the phase where the moon has completed three-quarters of its orbit

regolith

a layer of loose, heterogeneous, and unconsolidated debris dust, broken rock, and soil that covers solid, unbroken bedrock on Earth, the Moon, Mars, and other celestial bodies

crater

a large, bowl-shaped cavity in the ground or on the surface of a planet or the moon, typically one caused by an explosion or the impact of a meteorite or other celestial body.

maria

a large, level basalt plain on the surface of the moon, appearing dark by contrast with highland areas

meteoriod

a small body moving in the solar system that would become a meteor if it entered the earth's atmosphere.