What are the different phases of the Moon and why do they happen?
The phases of the Moon are defined in astronomy as the visible portion of the Moon as seen from the Earth on any given night. The lunar phases occur in cycles as the Moon orbits the Earth. The Moon appears visibly “lit up” because of the Sun’s reflected light. Because only half the Moon faces the Sun at any one time, only half the Moon is visible from the Earth. Since the Moon moves around the Earth, we see the visibly lit portion of the Moon at different angles on the Earth, this is what causes the different phases of the Moon. As the positions of the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon change in relation to each other, the Moon phases also change.
