As you know, the Moon does not emit light, but only reflects it. And therefore, only that side of it that is illuminated by the Sun is always visible in the sky. This side is called the day side. Moving across the sky from the west to the east, the Moon over the course of the month catches up and overtakes the Sun. There is a change in the relative positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun. In this case, the sun's rays change the angle of incidence on the lunar surface and therefore the part of the Moon visible from the Earth changes. The movement of the Moon across the sky is usually divided into phases directly related to its modification: new moon, new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter.

Moon observations

The Moon is a celestial body of spherical shape. That is why, when it is partially illuminated by sunlight from the side, the appearance of a “sickle” appears. By the way, by the illuminated side of the Moon you can always determine in which direction the Sun is located, even if it is hidden behind the horizon.

The duration of the complete change of all lunar phases is usually called a synodic month and ranges from 29.25 to 29.83 Earth solar days. The length of the synodic month varies due to the elliptical shape of the lunar orbit.

During the new moon, the Moon's disk is completely invisible in the night sky, since at this time it is located as close as possible to the Sun and at the same time faces the Earth with its night side.

Next comes the new moon phase. During this period of time, the Moon becomes visible in the night sky for the first time in the synodic month in the form of a narrow crescent and can be observed at dusk a few minutes before its setting.

Next comes the first quarter. This is the phase in which exactly half of its visible part is illuminated, as in the last quarter. The only difference is that in the first quarter the proportion of the illuminated part at this moment increases.

The full moon is the phase in which the lunar disk is clearly and completely visible. During the full moon, for several hours you can observe the so-called opposition effect, in which the brightness of the lunar disk noticeably increases, while its size remains the same. This phenomenon is explained quite simply: for an earthly observer, at this moment all shadows on the surface of the Moon disappear.

There are also phases of the waxing, waning and old moon. All of them are characterized by a very narrow crescent of the Moon with a grayish-ash color typical for these phases.

From all of the above we can conclude that, in fact, nothing obscures the Moon. The angle of its illumination by the sun's rays simply changes.

Sources:

• Rituals for the full moon and waxing moon

Everyone knows that the success of a particular enterprise depends not only on the presence of all the necessary conditions and the psychological attunement of people who are ready to get down to business. Success also depends on the right moment chosen to implement the business. The ancients always focused on the position of celestial bodies before starting any business. In particular, they paid attention to the phase of the moon.

You will need

• - astrological magazines and websites;
• - observing the moon.

Instructions

Take a look at. This will be the most reliable way to determine the phase of the moon. Typically, such calendars can be found on special websites or in the news (see the “Weather” section). Various publications for gardeners can also help. The moon helps gardeners choose the right day to plant flowers, vegetables or trees. It is believed that trees are best placed on the Moon, because this way they will grow faster.

Use a method familiar to everyone from childhood. Determine the phase of the moon using the finger method. Place your index finger towards the crescent moon. If the resulting figure forms the letter “P” (a crescent moon acts as the “arm”), then the Moon is growing. If the crescent is turned in the other direction and resembles the letter “C,” it means that the Moon is waning. This method is suitable if you need to determine right now whether the Moon is waning or not, but there is no opportunity to turn to the Internet or any magazine: in front of you is only the sky and crescent.

Do not start new things during the waning moon. The position of the night star affects the daily activities of any person much more than the position of the Sun. Whenever you are about to undertake any serious undertaking, pay attention to the phase of the moon. Choose the moment when it is growing. But at the same time, there are situations in which the waning Moon is favorable. “Underground” vegetables grow better, operations are also resolved favorably, and all household chores go well.

Analyze the dreams you have at the stage when the Moon is waning. You may dream about things that need to be completed. Pay attention to such dreams, use them as a guide for yourself. On the waning moon, you often have very emotional dreams, imbued with a lyrical mood. This lunar phase provokes the active functioning of the nervous system. It is during this half of the month that a person (through feelings and emotions) comes to decisions and answers that he could not find before, with the help of reason.

Video on the topic

note

Engage in healing your body, taking into account the lunar phases. There are 4 of them. Carefully study the features of each to achieve the best healing effect.

Helpful advice

Pay attention to the meaning of lunar days; each of them is favorable for a certain type of activity.

Sources:

• All about the lunar calendar
• Which moon is waxing or waning?

The Moon is a natural satellite of the Earth, the radius of which is approximately a quarter of the Earth's. At night, we see its disk, illuminated differently by the Sun, which is invisible at this time. The degree of illumination depends on the relative positions of the Earth, Moon and Sun. In total, there are four degrees of illumination, which are called “phases”.

The cycle of lunar phases repeats itself after about 30 days - more precisely, from 29.25 to 29.83 days. The line of illumination - the terminator - moves smoothly along the surface of the Earth's natural satellite, but it is customary to distinguish only four positions, classifying all intermediate options as one of them. Therefore, it is believed that during each cycle there are four lunar phases, which are also called “quarters”. You can determine which phase the Moon is in at the moment visually - there are simple mnemonic rules for this.

Each new cycle begins with a new moon - a very narrow illuminated crescent is visible at the western edge of the visible disk on the first day, and with each subsequent day its width increases. During this first phase of the cycle, as well as in the second that follows, the Moon is called waxing. If you draw a vertical line to the visible sickle, you get “P” - the first one in “”. When the visible crescent of the natural satellite grows to half the disk at its widest part, the first phase will end and the second will begin - this happens in approximately 7.5 days. The second phase - or the second quarter - lasts the same amount of time and by the end of it the entire visible disk of the Earth's satellite turns out to be luminous. On the last day of the second phase, the full moon comes, and the natural satellite most justifies the “night luminary”.

The next two quarters of the Moon are called “waning” or “aging.” During this period, her luminous area every night more and more resembles the letter “C” - the first in the word “aging”. The process occurs in the reverse order - the width of the illuminated part of the disk decreases every night, and when only half of it remains, the third phase will end and the last one will begin. At the end of the fourth quarter, the Moon faces the Earth with its unlit side.

Video on the topic

The moon, or the month, as it is popularly called, has always attracted people, beckoned with its mystery; it and its ability to change size and shape have been given mystical significance. The different phases of the moon have their meaning in astrology, magic, religion, and science.

Being a night luminary, the Moon actually does not shine, and this was proven many centuries ago. What a person sees in the sky at night is the reflection of the sun’s rays from its surface. As the Moon moves in space relative to the Earth and the Sun, it changes its shape, going from waxing to waning. Each of the three phases of visibility and glow of the Moon in astronomy and astrology corresponds to the calendar value of the lunar day. In mysticism and magic, these phases have their own names; they correspond to the rituals and beliefs permitted in a given period. Scientists from various fields did not ignore the lunar phases, and they all interpreted its changes as the angle in which it is visible from the Earth.

How to determine the “age” of a month

Almost every person is fascinated by the night sky illuminated by the Moon, and he watches with interest the changes in the outlines of this night star, but not everyone knows what phase the Moon is in at the moment and even has no idea about the “new month”.

There are many interpretations of this expression regarding the Moon. But, in essence, it means that the night star is just beginning to emerge from the shadow of the planet Earth, and only a small part of its surface is accessible to the rays of the Sun. During this period, only a thin semicircular strip with pointed edges facing left, in the shape of a semicircle from the letter P, can be observed from the Earth.

In religious terms, the new month symbolizes the beginning of a new period. The phase of the new month, according to church canons, is most successful for baptism, wedding, tonsure as a monk and taking vows.

In various astrological calendars, the new month promotes growth and formation, and it is during this period that it is best to change something in your life, for example, your place of work or residence. Even those carried out during the waxing Moon phase will bring the greatest benefit, and plant seeds planted in the soil will produce friendly shoots that will bring a large harvest.

In magic, during the birth of the month and its growth, various rituals are performed, spells for love spells and improvement of financial situation are read on the young Moon, and other magical actions are performed.

Other meanings of the expression “new moon”

The growing Moon is very popular not only among astrologers, fans of black or white magic and ministers of religion, but also among lyrical poets. One can find many examples among the works of the classics, where a lover compared himself or the object of his passion with the new moon, or where someone suffering from unrequited love shared his sorrows with the nascent Moon.

In the common people, this epithet was awarded to beloved children, young talents on whom great hopes were pinned; this was the name given to unusually beautiful young men and women.

Sources:

• What is a new moon
• Three phases of the moon

Guest article.

People are accustomed to dividing the day into two parts: day and night. This opposition is one of the main motives of many folk tales, myths and legends. At the same time, during the day the main place in the sky is occupied by the Sun, and at night - by the Moon. The order of things is well known to everyone, isn’t it?

But the Moon can be seen not only at night. Each of us has noticed a pale crescent moon in the daytime sky at least once in our lives. How to explain this? Why is the Moon visible at the same time as the Sun? What is this: a strange coincidence, an illusion, or a completely ordinary astronomical phenomenon? Let's try to figure it out.

Moon and brightness of celestial bodies

We see stars, planets and other space objects because they emit or reflect visible light. The brightest celestial bodies are stars. Satellites and planets are much paler because they do not emit, but reflect the light that reaches them from an external source. The brightness level of a cosmic body is called magnitude. Another name for this property is shine.

The Moon reflects the light of the Sun, so it is visible better at night than during the day. During the daytime, the brightness of the sky increases due to sunlight scattered in the atmosphere. Because of this, both the stars and the lunar disk disappear from the sky.

Nevertheless, when our satellite is in the full moon phase, its apparent brightness reaches -13 m. And this is quite enough to break through the radiance of the atmosphere. But because the Sun is still 447,000 times brighter than the Moon, we often see only a pale spot in a clear blue sky. And because of the clouds, it is most often almost impossible to see.

Month or disk?

The entire Moon does not always appear in the sky. Sometimes we see a round lunar disk, and sometimes we see a month. On some days, the Moon disappears completely: it is not visible either day or night.

What is this connected with? It's very simple: the Moon, like all other cosmic bodies, never stays in one place. She is constantly on the move. And it rotates not only around its own axis, but also around the Earth.

It takes about 29 days to orbit around our planet. Throughout this space journey, the position of the Moon relative to the Sun and Earth is constantly changing. It is because of this that we see either the full Moon or the crescent moon in the sky.

The lunar cycle consists of several phases:

• new moon. At this time, our satellite cannot be seen not only during the day, but also in the dark. This is due to the fact that it appears at a point that visually coincides with the location of the Sun, and completely disappears in its rays;
• new month. A narrow crescent moon appears in the sky. You can notice it the next day after the new moon;
• first quarter. The phase of the cycle during which the Moon is at an angle of 90° relative to the Sun. Half of the lunar disk can be seen in the sky at this time;
• full moon. The phase during which one of the Moon's hemispheres can be seen in its entirety. Magnitude values ​​are maximum;
• last quarter. The Moon begins to approach the Sun, the visible surface area decreases;
• old month. We again see the narrow lunar crescent, only turned in the other direction. In a few days, the Moon will be opposite the Sun and will again disappear from observers for a day.

During the day, the Earth's satellite is best seen during the period when it is in the full moon phase. Therefore, if you notice the Moon and you have a telescope or astronomical binoculars, you can try to take a closer look at the lunar surface. It is possible that you will be able to see some large craters. And even take pictures of them if you have the right equipment with you. For example, a digital camera with good resolution or a special video camera.

As many have already noticed, the Moon always faces the same side towards the Earth. The question arises: is the rotation of these celestial bodies around their axes synchronous relative to each other?

Moon Facts:

Although the Moon rotates around its axis, it always faces the same side to the Earth, that is, the Moon’s revolution around the Earth and its rotation around its own axis are synchronized. This synchronization is caused by the friction of the tides that the Earth produced in the Moon's shell.

Another mystery: does the Moon rotate on its axis at all? The answer to this question lies in resolving the semantic problem: who is at the forefront - an observer located on Earth (in this case, the Moon does not rotate around its axis), or an observer located in extraterrestrial space (then the only satellite of our planet rotates around its axis).

Let's carry out this simple experiment: draw two circles of the same radius, touching each other. Now imagine them as disks and mentally roll one disk along the edge of the other. In this case, the rims of the discs must be in continuous contact. So, how many times do you think the rolling disk will turn around its axis, making a full revolution around the static disk. Most will say once. To test this assumption, let's take two coins of the same size and repeat the experiment in practice. So what's the result? A rolling coin has time to turn around its axis twice before it makes one revolution around a stationary coin! Surprised?

On the other hand, does a rolling coin rotate? The answer to this question, as in the case of the Earth and the Moon, depends on the observer's frame of reference. Relative to the initial point of contact with the static coin, the moving coin makes one revolution. Relative to an outside observer, during one revolution around a stationary coin, a rolling coin turns twice.

Following the publication of this coin problem in Scientific American in 1867, the editors were literally inundated with letters from indignant readers who held the opposite opinion. They almost immediately drew a parallel between the paradoxes with coins and celestial bodies (Earth and Moon). Those who held the point of view that a moving coin, in one revolution around a stationary coin, manages to turn around its own axis once, were inclined to think about the inability of the Moon to rotate around its own axis. The activity of readers regarding this problem increased so much that in April 1868 it was announced that the debate on this topic was ending in the pages of the Scientific American magazine. It was decided to continue the debate in the magazine The Wheel, specially dedicated to this “great” problem. At least one issue came out. In addition to illustrations, it contained various drawings and diagrams of intricate devices created by readers in order to convince editors that they were wrong.

Various effects generated by the rotation of celestial bodies can be detected using devices like the Foucault pendulum. If it is placed on the Moon, it will turn out that the Moon, rotating around the Earth, rotates around its own axis.

Can these physical considerations serve as an argument confirming the rotation of the Moon around its axis, regardless of the observer’s frame of reference? Oddly enough, from the point of view of general relativity, probably not. In general, we can assume that the Moon does not rotate at all, it is the Universe that rotates around it, creating gravitational fields like the Moon rotating in motionless space. Of course, it is more convenient to take the Universe as a stationary frame of reference. However, if you think objectively, with regard to the theory of relativity, the question of whether this or that object really rotates or is at rest is generally meaningless. Only relative motion can be “real.”
To illustrate, imagine that the Earth and Moon are connected by a rod. The rod is fixed on both sides rigidly in one place. This is a situation of mutual synchronization - one side of the Moon is visible from the Earth, and one side of the Earth is visible from the Moon. But this is not the case here; this is how Pluto and Charon rotate. But we have a situation where one end is rigidly fixed to the Moon, and the other moves along the surface of the Earth. Thus, one side of the Moon is visible from the Earth, and different sides of the Earth are visible from the Moon.

Instead of a barbell, the force of gravity acts. And its “rigid attachment” causes tidal phenomena in the body, which gradually either slow down or speed up the rotation (depending on whether the satellite is rotating too fast or too slow).

Some other bodies in the Solar System are also already in such synchronization.

Thanks to photography, we can still see more than half of the surface of the Moon, not 50% - one side, but 59%. There is a phenomenon of libration - the apparent oscillatory movements of the Moon. They are caused by orbital irregularities (not ideal circles), tilts of the rotation axis, and tidal forces.

The Moon is tidally locked into the Earth. Tidal locking is a situation when the period of revolution of a satellite (Moon) around its axis coincides with the period of its revolution around the central body (Earth). In this case, the satellite always faces the central body with the same side, since it rotates around its axis in the same time that it takes for it to orbit around its partner. Tidal locking occurs during mutual motion and is characteristic of many large natural satellites of the planets of the Solar System, and is also used to stabilize some artificial satellites. When observing a synchronous satellite from the central body, only one side of the satellite is always visible. When observed from this side of the satellite, the central body “hangs” motionless in the sky. From the opposite side of the satellite, the central body is never visible.

Facts about the moon

There are lunar trees on Earth

Hundreds of tree seeds were carried to the Moon during the 1971 Apollo 14 mission. Former USFS employee Stuart Roosa took the seeds as personal cargo as part of a NASA/USFS project.

Upon returning to Earth, these seeds were germinated and the resulting lunar seedlings were planted throughout the United States as part of the country's bicentennial celebrations in 1977.

There's no dark side

Place your fist on the table, fingers down. You see the back of it. Someone on the other side of the table will see your knuckles. This is roughly how we see the Moon. Because it is tidally locked to our planet, we will always see it from the same perspective.
The concept of the “dark side” of the moon comes from popular culture—think Pink Floyd's 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon and the 1990 thriller of the same name—and actually means the far side, the night side. The one we never see and which is opposite to the side closest to us.

Over a period of time, we see more than half of the Moon, thanks to libration

The Moon moves along its orbital path and moves away from the Earth (at a rate of about one inch per year), accompanying our planet around the Sun.
If you were to zoom in on the Moon as it speeds up and slows down during this journey, you would also see that it wobbles from north to south and west to east in a motion known as libration. As a result of this movement, we see part of the sphere that is usually hidden (about nine percent).

However, we will never see another 41%.

Helium-3 from the Moon could solve Earth's energy problems

The solar wind is electrically charged and occasionally collides with the Moon and is absorbed by rocks on the lunar surface. One of the most valuable gases found in this wind and absorbed by the rocks is helium-3, a rare isotope of helium-4 (commonly used for balloons).

Helium-3 is perfect for meeting the needs of thermonuclear fusion reactors with subsequent energy generation.

One hundred tons of helium-3 could satisfy the Earth's energy needs for a year, according to Extreme Tech's calculations. The surface of the Moon contains about five million tons of helium-3, while on Earth there is only 15 tons.

The idea is this: we fly to the Moon, extract helium-3 in a mine, put it in tanks and send it to Earth. True, this may not happen very soon.

Is there any truth to the myths about the madness of the full moon?

Not really. The idea that the brain, one of the most watery organs of the human body, is influenced by the moon has its roots in legends going back several millennia to the time of Aristotle.

Since the Moon's gravitational pull controls the tides of Earth's oceans, and humans are 60% water (and 73% brain), Aristotle and the Roman scientist Pliny the Elder believed that the Moon must have a similar effect on ourselves.

This idea gave rise to the term "lunar madness", "Transylvanian effect" (which became widespread in Europe during the Middle Ages) and "lunar madness". 20th century films that linked the full moon with psychiatric disorders, car accidents, murders and other incidents added particular fuel to the fire.

In 2007, the government of the British seaside town of Brighton ordered additional police patrols during full moons (and on paydays too).

And yet science says there is no statistical connection between people's behavior and the full moon, according to several studies, one of which was conducted by American psychologists John Rotton and Ivan Kelly. It is unlikely that the Moon affects our psyche; rather, it simply adds light, in which it is convenient to commit crimes.

Missing moon rocks

In the 1970s, Richard Nixon's administration distributed rocks recovered from the lunar surface during the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 missions to leaders of 270 countries.

Unfortunately, more than a hundred of these stones have gone missing and are believed to have ended up on the black market. While working for NASA in 1998, Joseph Gutheinz even conducted a covert operation called "Lunar Eclipse" to stop the illegal sale of these stones.

What was all the fuss about? A pea-sized piece of moon rock was valued at $5 million on the black market.

The moon belongs to Dennis Hope

At least that's what he thinks.

In 1980, exploiting a loophole in the 1967 UN Space Property Treaty that said "no country" could lay claim to the solar system, Nevada resident Dennis Hope wrote to the UN and declared a right to private property. They didn't answer him.

But why wait? Hope opened a lunar embassy and began selling one-acre lots for $19.99 each. For the UN, the solar system is almost the same as the world's oceans: outside the economic zone and belonging to every inhabitant of the Earth. Hope claimed to have sold extraterrestrial properties to celebrities and three former US presidents.

It is unclear whether Dennis Hope really does not understand the wording of the treaty or whether he is trying to force the legislature to make a legal assessment of its actions so that the development of celestial resources can begin under more transparent legal conditions.

Since childhood, the idea has formed in our heads that the Sun can be seen during the day and the Moon at night. The sphere of “activity” of the heavenly bodies was clearly distributed. However, a strange fact is evident: quite often the night star is visible during the day. Paradox or just gaps in our astronomical knowledge? Definitely the second option. And in our article we will try to explain in simple language why the Moon is visible during the day.

Reasons for the visibility or invisibility of objects in the sky

Various objects in the field of view from the Earth are noticeable to varying degrees. The Sun is incomparably brighter against the background of the daytime sky than the Moon at night. At the same time, we remember that the distance from the satellite to the Earth is much smaller, cosmically smaller. Understanding this is important when we examine the question of why the Moon is visible during the day.

There is such a thing as brightness - stellar magnitude. In order for them to be clearly visible during daylight hours, their brightness must be much greater than that of the daytime sky. So, the clear sky during the day is 9.5, and the moon is 12.7. The excess is obvious, and therefore the satellite should be noticeable by all factors, although not in strong contrast with the background. This is the simplest and most understandable explanation for us, not astronomers, as to why the Moon is visible during the day.

When can the Moon and Sun be seen at the same time?

We have perfectly learned from childhood that the Moon revolves around the Earth, and the Earth revolves around the Sun. To this we must add that the planet also moves around its axis. The celestial bodies seem to be in a constant dance, changing positions. And this is extremely important to take into account when figuring out when and why the Moon is visible during the day.

Taking into account all the conditions, it is possible to see the Moon and the Sun together only on a full moon. Moonrise also coincides at this time. The rest of the time, the satellite should theoretically be visible during the day. But other factors also play a role here. The Moon is more visible in the daytime sky during periods when it approaches its full phase and its angular distance from the Sun is greater. In other phases, growing and aging, the side of the satellite illuminated by the Sun is small and turned towards it. Accordingly, the narrow strip of the young month will be extremely difficult to see during the day. This is why the Moon is not always visible during the day: sometimes it is simply difficult to notice.

Properties of the atmosphere and contrast of astronomical bodies

The atmosphere of our planet during the daytime is blue (we immediately imagine the appearance of a clear sky). Also, due to scattered particles of light from the Sun, it is bright. It is the brightness of the day that drowns out the brightness of the Moon. The latter, due to the atmosphere, could also be visible to us in blue, but the low contrast prevents this from happening. If the Moon appears in the sky during the day, it is most often a pale spot that is easy to miss. However, this did not stop astronomers from conducting their studies of the surface of the satellite even during daylight hours.

Thus, we understand that the light in the atmosphere of our planet makes it difficult to see the noticeable outline of the Moon, as at night. For a significant part of its cycle, the satellite is in a position where it is clearly visible near the Sun during the daytime. Therefore, the more pressing question is not why the Moon is visible during the day, but why it is not so clearly visible.

Experiments with photographs of the lunar surface

Despite the pale outline, the Moon is visible to the naked eye during the day. Astronomers could not miss this moment: since it can be seen without equipment, then what will happen if technology is used? Experiments began with photographing the surface of the Moon during the day. It must be said that their quality was quite good, considering the atmospheric conditions. The first such photograph was taken using a conventional digital camera attached to a telescope. The result was as expected: due to the low contrast of the Moon against the background of the daytime sky, its image was unclear.

The experiment was continued under the same conditions and with the same technique, but in black and white colors. The photo turned out to be somewhat more contrasty. To improve the image, we used the usual Photoshop. The processing made it look like one of the photographs taken during evening shooting. Thus, it became possible to see relief objects in the photo. It is noteworthy that both large craters (Grimaldi, Gassendi, Aristarchus) and smaller ones are clearly visible.

The experiments cited as an example with filming the lunar surface during the day prove that the satellite is not easy to see during daylight hours. It can even be explored from an astronomical perspective. We believe that the question of why the Moon is visible during the day has already received a completely clear answer.

conclusions

There are many mysteries for us in space, but humanity has managed to study the nearest objects to some extent. The night luminary, the satellite of the Earth, are objects of romantic views, accustomed to contemplating it only in the dark. However, the Moon can also be seen during the day, sharing the sky with the Sun.

In our article, we tried to understand in simple terms why the Moon can be seen during the day and what is the reason for the fact that sometimes we do not notice it. We hope that we have helped you expand your knowledge of the world around you.

Why is the Moon visible during the day? Two years ago, UK sociologists, conducting a national survey, found that this particular question turned out to be the most difficult among the dozen questions most often asked by children to their parents. Many adults were at a loss for an answer that would suit the little ones.

In our view, the Earth’s satellite is a “night star” that illuminates the sky precisely at night. Why can it sometimes be seen in bright sunshine? It is not easy to explain this phenomenon even to an adult, so we will try to make our answer as understandable as possible to representatives of any age category. The behavior of the Moon is another fascinating phenomenon of the Universe.

What is tellurium needed for?

In order for a child to visually imagine the relative positions of space objects, it is best to use a special device - tellurium.

Tellurium is a device that clearly demonstrates not only the annual motion of our planet around the Sun, but also rotation around its own axis. In more advanced models of the device, there is also a third planet - the Moon, which moves not only around its axis, but also around the Earth.

In general, the movement of the planets included in the “Sun – Earth – Moon” system comes down to the following scheme: The Earth and the Moon, being satellites, move along the same trajectory passing around the Sun, located in the center of this system. The lunar disk, in turn, moving together with the Earth around the Sun, also rotates around its companion, the Earth.

What can replace tellurium?

It is unlikely that tellurium is present in the household of every family, so an imitation of the system of planets of interest to us can be made from improvised objects. The role of the Sun can be played by a large flashlight; for the Earth, a large rubber ball is suitable; for its satellite, a ball whose diameter is five times smaller.

Rotation of cosmic bodies in the Sun - Earth - Moon system:

First, let the baby rotate the ball - “Moon” around the ball - “Earth”. This will help him understand that the lunar disk invariably faces its companion with only one side.

Now start rotating the ball simulating the Earth around the flashlight representing the Sun, not forgetting to rotate the “Earth” around its own axis.

Explain to your child that a complete revolution of the Earth around the Sun is a very slow process, taking 365 days or a year. The night star, rotating around the Earth, does this much faster: one revolution around our planet takes it a little more than 27 days.

Why does the “queen of the night” come out during the day?

Most people are convinced that the moon can only be observed in the night sky (you can read about why you can’t look at the Moon). This is a completely erroneous opinion, since the queen of the night can be noticeable during the day, only this happens on certain days of the cycle. This does not apply to rare astronomical phenomena. Why is the Moon visible during the day?

And why do we rarely notice it?

In the daytime, in a brightly sunny sky, the month is less noticeable, because it cannot compare with the brightness of the daylight, since it only reflects sunlight and does not emit its own light. At this time of day, usually not the full disk is noticeable, but only a small part of it, resembling a narrow crescent.

Most often, the “dark” star becomes noticeable before sunrise or sunset, and this is the time when we simply do not look at the sky.

In the tropics and subtropics, at the very beginning of its cycle, the Moon appears in the morning sky just above the horizon, not far from the rising Sun. With the onset of noon, the disk appears at its zenith and continues to be visible throughout the day, until sunset.

What are "lunar phases"?

The moon is a very unusual luminary that is constantly changing. Sometimes it disappears from the sky, and after that it appears in the form of a thin crescent called a month. At some moments, it hangs in the sky all night and looks like a bright yellow bun. Why is this happening?

Such changes are explained by different degrees of illumination of the earth's satellite by the rays of the Sun, and different states of the disk are explained by phases. Some people mistakenly believe that the shadow cast by the Earth is the cause of the changes. In fact, this is a phenomenon of a completely different order, called a lunar eclipse (you can get an explanation of why the Moon is red).

Sometimes children ask why the Moon became like a sickle? It's all about its spherical surface. When the sphere is illuminated from the side, the crescent shape is simply inevitable. If the daylight is hidden behind the skyline, the part of the lunar sphere illuminated by its rays will always indicate exactly where it is located.

What phases of disk illumination exist?

The period during which the light temporarily disappears from the sky is called the new moon. This is explained by the fact that, being at a point that visually coincides with the location of the Sun, it is turned towards the daylight with its brightly lit side.

The appearance of a silvery narrow crescent in the night sky marks the onset of the next phase - the new month. This happens about a day after the new moon.

A week later, when the earth's satellite moves away from the Sun so much that it is at an equal distance from both the Earth and the Sun, the next phase begins - the first quarter. At this moment, one of its halves is brightly illuminated.

The full moon looks very beautiful - the state when the disk is completely illuminated. After this, a gradual decrease begins.

The next phase of the cycle, occurring in its third quarter, is called the waning moon.

The gradual decrease in the illuminated surface of the disk marks the onset of the final quarter of the lunar cycle. At this stage, only half is illuminated again.

The phase of the old Moon again shows us a narrow crescent.

What causes the “sickle-disc” change?

This phenomenon occurs due to the movement of the earth's satellite in orbit and the constant change in the relative positions of the planets.

As a result, there is a constant movement of the terminator (the boundary separating the dark and illuminated parts of the night disk), leading to a change in the configuration of the illuminated part of the Earth's satellite. That is why every night an attentive astronomer will notice changes on the surface of the Moon.

How to distinguish an old star from a growing one?

For residents of the northern hemisphere of the Earth, there is a very simple rule that allows you to instantly determine the difference.

If the crescent that is formed resembles the letter “c,” we have in front of us an aging Moon. If the sickle is turned in the opposite direction and, being equipped with an imaginary dash, resembles the letter “r”, it is young, that is, “growing”.

The young Moon can be observed in the evening hours, and the old Moon in the morning.

This method is completely unsuitable for the inhabitants of lands located near the equator, since the lunar crescent in those parts invariably lies on its side.

Interesting Facts:

As a rule, there is one full moon every month, but due to the fact that the phase changes occur a little more than the number of months in a year, sometimes there is an additional full moon. This unique and very rare phenomenon, occurring every 2.7 years, is called a “blue moon.”

The name does not indicate a change in the color of the night star. It is a translation of an English idiomatic expression, which is akin to the Russian “after the rain on Thursday” and indicates the rarity and low probability of this phenomenon. The next blue moon (extra full moon) will be visible on July 31, 2015.

Five years ago, analysts from one of the leading banks in Australia published the results of their own research, according to which the dynamics of global financial market indices depends on the change in the phases of the moon.

British police intelligence officers said the level of violence is also directly related to the phases.