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  1. What are the phases of the Moon? - NASA

    You can see the phases drawn in the image below. Just like the Earth, half of the Moon is lit by the Sun while the other half is in darkness. The phases we see result from the angle the Moon makes with …

  2. The Phases of the Moon - NASA

    Return to the StarChild Main Page Go to Imagine the Universe! (A site for ages 14 and up.)

  3. Why is the crescent moon sometimes lit on the bottom? - NASA

    This diagram shows typical paths for the Moon during the year (and the resulting look of the waxing crescent Moon) for a specific latutude in the northern hemisphere. Notice that during winter, the …

  4. What is the orbital period of the Moon? - NASA

    The Moon takes 29.5 days to return to the same point on the celestial sphere as referenced to the Sun because of the motion of the Earth around the Sun; this is called a synodic month (lunar phases as …

  5. StarChild: Glossary - NASA

    Satellites may be naturally occurring, such as the Moon, or they may be man-made, such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. SILICON A non-metallic chemical …

  6. Half of the Moon is in Darkness - starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov

    As the Moon circles the Earth, the amount of the lit side we see changes. These changes are known as the phases of the Moon and it repeats in a certain way over and over.

  7. StarChild: The Solar System - NASA

    What is the solar system? It is our Sun and everything that travels around it. Our solar system is elliptical in shape. That means it is shaped like an egg. The Sun is in the center of the solar system. Our solar …

  8. Who figured out the Earth is round? - NASA

    As I recall, he based his idea on the fact that he showed the Moon must be round by observing the shape of the terminator (the line between the part of the Moon in light and the part of the Moon in the …

  9. What is the solar cycle? - NASA

    The amount of magnetic flux that rises up to the Sun's surface varies with time in a cycle called the solar cycle. This cycle lasts 11 years on average. This cycle is sometimes referred to as the sunspot cycle. …

  10. StarChild: The planet Earth - NASA

    These aurorae, or glowing gases, are seen in the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle. As with all inner planets, Earth's surface has been affected by volcanism, tectonic activity, and to a lesser degree, …