Yes, there are different phases based on the way the light from the Sun illuminates the moon. The amount of light that hits the moon depends on the moon's location around the Earth during each monthly orbit.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
The complete phases of the cycle lasts 29.5 days on average rotation. Because the length of the lunar cycle is shorter than the length of a month, sometimes there are two full moons in a month. The second full moon in a month is generally called a "Blue Moon," however, this doesn't happen very often.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
You are looking at the side of the moon that is unilluminated by the sun. The Earth is blocking the sunlight from hitting the moon.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
The moon is now about a quarter illuminated. The light is slowly spreading onto the moon.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
There is at least half of the moon illuminated by the Sun.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
A little over half of the moon is illuminated by the sun, but still not fully illuminated.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
This is when the entire disk of the moon is completely illuminated. This is done by the direct sunlight.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
The moon is now losing the direct sunlight, causing a fraction of the moon to become unilluminated.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
About half of the moon is losing light, causing one half of the moon to be unilluminated.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
The moon is less than one-half illuminated by the sunlight. After this stage, the phases of the moon restart and a New Moon is seen.
Source: Cidadao, A. (2014, March 27). Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
Click to view a fun video on the phases of the moon!
Source: M. (2014, September 03). Learning About The Moon and Its Phases. Retrieved July 26, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhhSmpFtg7k
For the current lunar phase: https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/
General Lunar Phase information: https://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question3.html
A helpful website to help you remember the different phases of the lunar cycle: http://earthsky.org/moon-phases/understandingmoonphases
Why is knowing the phases of the moon so important? What is so beneficial about understanding the phases of the moon?
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Why is knowing the phases of the moon so important? What is so beneficial about understanding the phases of the moon?
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