Lunar Phases

From the beginning of human history, humans have aligned different celebrations, ceremonies, and even myths to the size and brightness of the Moon. The Moon orbits around the Earth every 29.5 Earth days. At all times, half of the moon is lit by the Sun. The other half of the Moon that faces away from the Sun is in darkness. As the Moon orbits around the Earth, people on Earth can see more and more of its lit side. This process slowly changes. These changes are called the phases of the Moon.

Essential Questions

• What are lunar phases?
• How do the phases of the Moon relate to the tides on Earth?