Page 150 - Volt Elevate The World Around Us Book 4

The Night Sky

When the sun sets and slowly gets dark, we call it the night sky. It looks different from
place to place and from season to season. Let’s learn about the moon and the stars

visible in the night sky.

The Moon

The moon is Earth’s only natural satellite. It revolves around the Earth. It does not have
light of its own. It reflects the sun’s light. We call this moonlight.

Surface of the Moon

The surface of the moon is dusty and dry. It has bowl-shaped
holes called craters, raised and low areas called mountains and
valleys and large, smoother areas that look like grey patches

called dark plains. The moon has no air or atmosphere of its
own.
surface of moon
Phases of the Moon

The moon keeps the same face pointing towards the Earth. This happens because the
moon rotates on its axis at the same speed as its revolution around the Earth. Due to

this, it appears to change its shape every day. Its shape varies from a thin crescent to a
full moon. The different shapes of the moon, as visible from the Earth, are called phases
of the moon. The shape of the moon depends on the amount of sunlight it receives

while moving around the earth in its orbit.

third quarter (half portion of the moon is visible)
waning crescent
waning gibbous
(only a small portion
of the moon is (more than half portion
visible) of the moon is visible)

new moon full moon
(moon is not (entire moon is
visible at all) visible)

waxing gibbous
waxing crescent (more than half portion of
the moon is visible)
(only a small portion of
the moon is visible)
first quarter (half portion of the moon is visible)

different phases of the moon

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