The terminator is the moving boundary between day and night. Notice that it moves right to left.

The moon does not make its own light. We see it because it reflects light from the sun.

Daytime on the moon

Night on the moon

Terminator

Phases of the moon are caused by the angle between the earth, moon, and sun.

Lunar Phase animation

Another animation

Video clip on phases

Notice that the terminator is moving right to left.

Waxing means getting bigger every night.

Waning means getting smaller every night.

Crescent means less than half the surface of the moon facing you is lit by the sun.

Gibbous means more than half of the surface of the moon facing you is lit by the sun.

Review this diagram and name the phases on the following slides!

Waning crescent

Waxing gibbous

Waxing crescent

Last quarter

Waning crescent

Waning gibbous

First quarter

:Two kinds

Lunar eclipses Solar eclipses Video clip on eclipses

Eclipse animation

Time lapse photography of a lunar eclipse

Animation of solar eclipse

Diamond ring effect just before or after a total solar eclipse.

This animation shows the relative sizes of the partial and total eclipse areas. The small, black dot is the umbra. You can see why not many people ever see a total eclipse.

This is a space shuttle photograph of an area of the Earth having a total solar eclipse.

Link to NASA eclipse page Be sure to scroll down for a list .of upcoming eclipses