Earth, Sun, and Moon

 What are your best understandings about...

  1. How the phases of the moon occur?
  2. What causes the seasons?
  3. What causes a lunar eclipse?


  1. The phases of the moon occur in cycles. Each phase depends on the position of the moon, earth, and sun. Each phase looks different depending on how much light from the sun reaches the moon and how much the earth is in between them. It starts as a small sliver, works its way to a full moon, then back down to a sliver. 
  2. The seasons are caused by the tilt of the earth. The earth tilts as it rotates around the sun, so the seasons depend on whether the hemisphere a person is located in is tilted toward or away from the sun. Towards the sun is summer, away is winter, and in between is fall and spring. 
  3. A lunar eclipse is caused when the earth is directly between the moon and the sun. Therefore, the moon is unable to be seen because there is no light reflection reaching the moon. 

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