Moon Phases & Eclipses
Why does the Moon change shape? See the Moon going around Earth from space, right next to what it looks like in the night sky. Drag the Moon or pick a phase.
💡 Big truth: the Sun always lights half of the Moon. The phase is just how much of that lit half we can see from Earth.
🌑 New Moon (Day 0.0)
The Moon is between Earth and the Sun. Its sunlit half faces away from us, so we can't see it. Earth is NOT casting a shadow!
0% lit · Day 0.0 of 29.5 · New Moon (Restart)
Kitchen Table Prompt: The Sun always lights 50% of the Moon! Look at the left view: the white side always points at the Sun. The phases change simply because we see it from different angles as it orbits.
Kitchen Table Prompt
The Sun always lights 50% of the Moon! Look at the left view: the white side always points at the Sun. The phases change simply because we see it from different angles as it orbits.