Bath, Pa,

"N O T E" All weather articles written by the author, weather records for Bath, Pa. USA, graphs, graphics, pictures, are copyrighted and are owned by the author. If you make use of data from this site, please make reference to the: Station Licensee: Virginia T. Giannetta. Owner - Author: Charles A. Giannetta. Computer Consultant: Charles E. Giannetta & This Web Site. Thank you.

**Moon II of II**

**The Moon's Phases**

1. As the moon orbits the earth we see it go through what are called moon phases.

2. The moon phases are caused by the amount of sunlight reflected off its surface as it travels around the earth.

3. The reflectivity (albedo) of the moon is 7 percent. This means that the moon reflects 7 percent of the sunlight it intercepts.

4. Here on earth it is known as moonlight.

6. The earth's reflectivity (albedo) is 30%.

5. If we were on the moon and went for a walk we would see a bright earth., this would be know as earthlight.

**Moon Phases**

1. When the moon is between the earth and the sun, it is almost invisible, this phase is called:

**New Moon**

2. As the moon continues its journey around the earth, seven days later after the new moon it looks like a half circle, this is know as the:

**First Quarter**

4. 7 days later we can see all the moon, this is know as:

**Full Moon**

5. As the moon continues to revolve around the earth, seven days after the full moon we again see on a half circle, this is know as the:

**Last Quarter**

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. When the moon progresses from new moon to full moon, this is know as:

**Waxing**

2. When the moon progresses from full moon back to new moon, this is known as:

**Waning**

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Question?**

When is the moon larger when it is on the horizon or high in the sky?

**Answer**

The moon is the same size whether we see it on the horizon or high in the sky.

One of the strongest of optical illusions is that the rising moon and sun are larger then when they are higher in the sky. The illusion is so that it is difficult to accept the fact that every kind of measurement shows them to be just as large when they are high in the sky.

It is a psychological phenomenon, based on the appearance of the sun or moon by the apparent measures or distance with respect to the horizon and clouds.

© 1998 Charles A. Giannetta

Previous Page

Back to: Sun...Moon...Earth Index Page

TOP Select Here For: E-Mail, Comments.

Home Page