Halloween night 2020 had a full moon. Does this mean that the entire moon was lit by the sun on that night? Explain your answer
No, the statement that the entire moon was lit by the sun on Halloween night 2020 is not accurate. The moon undergoes different phases throughout its orbit around the Earth due to the varying alignment of the Moon, Earth, and the Sun.
During a full moon, the Moon is positioned opposite the Sun with the Earth in between, which causes the entire side of the Moon facing the Earth to be illuminated by the Sun. It appears as a complete, circular disk when viewed from Earth. This phase occurs when the Moon is at its farthest distance from the Sun, ensuring that the sunlight falls directly on the Moon's surface visible to us.
However, the claim that Halloween night 2020 had a full moon is true. The last time a full moon was visible across all time zones on Halloween was in 1944, making it quite uncommon. On Halloween night 2020, there was indeed a full moon, which implies that the entire side of the Moon facing the Earth was lit up by the Sun, showcasing its complete disk.