The moon appears half lit, half dark from the surface of Earth on two days each month. What causes this? (1 point)
Responses
Earth’s shadow is blocking the light from the sun.
Earth’s shadow is blocking the light from the sun.
Half of the moon's surface that is illuminated by the sun is visible from Earth's perspective.
Half of the moon's surface that is illuminated by the sun is visible from Earth's perspective.
It is a partial lunar eclipse.
It is a partial lunar eclipse.
Half of the moon is totally eclipsed.
Half of the moon is totally eclipsed.
Half of the moon's surface that is illuminated by the sun is visible from Earth's perspective.
Half of the moon's surface that is illuminated by the sun is visible from Earth's perspective.
The correct answer is: Half of the moon's surface that is illuminated by the sun is visible from Earth's perspective.
Explanation:
The moon doesn't emit its own light; instead, it reflects light from the sun. As the moon orbits around the Earth, the amount of the illuminated part that we can see from Earth changes.
When the illuminated portion of the moon is on the side facing us, it appears as a full moon. When the illuminated portion is on the side facing away from us, it appears as a new moon.
The moon appears half lit and half dark from the surface of Earth on two days each month. This occurs when the angle between the sun, Earth, and moon is such that half of the moon's illuminated surface is visible from our perspective on Earth. On those two days, we see the moon as a half moon, with one side illuminated and the other side in shadow.