Moon Phases

The phase shows how much of the lit half we see from Earth

Station Card (PDF)
View from Above (North Pole)
Sunlight → from the Sun Earth Your view
Drag the Moon around Earth's orbit
As Seen from Earth
Schematic (not to scale).
Phase
Full Moon
Illumination
100%
Days Since New Moon
14.8
WAXING → Day 0 of 29.5
Insights (optional)
Eclipse insight: Earth's shadow is not what causes phases; it only matters during lunar eclipses.
Want the full story? Try Eclipse Geometry.
Key insight: The Sun always lights exactly half of the Moon. Phases show how much of that lit half faces Earth — it's geometry, not shadow.
Model note: Geometry-only; not to scale; phases are about illumination, not shadow.