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0D-Moon Phase Only
0D Moon Phase Only
Term | Definition |
---|---|
revolve | move in a circular orbit around another space object |
rotate | spinning of an object on its imaginary axis |
near side | The side of the Moon that always faces Earth. This is the side that appears to change shape as the moon orbits the Earth. |
far side | The side of the Moon that never faces Earth – the “back” side of the moon – first photographed by Russia in 1959. |
lighted side | The portion of the moon that is reflecting light – appears to be illuminated. |
dark side | The portion of the moon that is NOT reflecting light – appears to be dark or invisible. |
terminator | the line the divides the lit and the unlit sides of the moon |
new moon | A phase of the Moon in which the side of the Moon that faces Earth is not illuminated at all. |
phase | The change in the sunlit area of one celestial body as seen from another celestial body. |
full moon | The phase of the moon in which the entire side of the Moon that faces Earth is fully illuminated. |
first quarter | The phase of the moon in which only the right half of the Moon's side that is facing Earth is illuminated. |
last quarter | The phase of the moon in which only the left half of the Moon's side that is facing Earth is illuminated. |
crescent | Literally a curved shape with pointed ends. The phase of the moon that is part way between a quarter moon and a new moon. Lighted side is less than half illuminated. |
gibbous | Literally means having a hump or bump. The phase of the moon between a full moon and a quarter moon. Lighted side is more than half illuminated. |
waning | When the Moon appears to be getting smaller – the second half of the cycle |
waxing | When the Moon appears to get larger – the first half of the cycle |
orbit | The curved path of a celestial object or spacecraft around a star, planet, or moon |
axis | An imaginary line passing through the center of a planet(such as Earth) that the planet spins around. |
tilt | The angle by which the rotational axis of the Earth differs from a right angle to the orbital plane. |