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Astronomy Year / Week 02 / Monday
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Week 02 · The Moon Changes

Monday

Where moonlight comes from
// Moon shapes and a moon log
⏱ about 15 min

Monday: Where moonlight comes from

Rocket points at the round, glowing Moon. "The Moon is a giant lamp!"

Raven looks closely. "What do you notice? Does it have a switch?"

Nova shines a light on a ball. The ball glows. "Hint: the ball has no light inside."

The Moon does not make light

The Moon does not make its own light.

Sunlight shines on the Moon.

The Moon reflects that light to us.

So moonlight is really sunlight that bounced!

MOONLIGHT
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Where does moonlight come from?
What does reflect mean?

A Moon in the daytime

You can often see the Moon in the daytime too.

It looks pale, like a faint white shape.

Look for it with a grown-up.

Safety first
Never look at the Sun.
Not with sunglasses. Not with binoculars. Not with a telescope.
The Sun can hurt your eyes very fast.
When you look for the daytime Moon, turn away from the Sun.
Moon factTrue or false?
The Moon makes its own light.?
Moonlight is reflected sunlight.?
Sometimes we can see the Moon in the day.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEThe Moon glows because sunlight shines on it.

Lit side, dark side

The Sun lights up one half of the Moon.

The other half is dark.

We only see the part that sunlight touches.

LIGHT THAT BOUNCES
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Nova shines a light on a ball. Why does the ball glow?
In the ball model, what is the flashlight?
Which one makes its own light?
When you look for the daytime Moon, what must you never do?
HOW MOONLIGHT REACHES YOU
  • Tap a card.
  • Then tap its spot.
1First
2Next
3Last
Try it
A grown-up holds a small mirror in a sunbeam.
Watch a spot of light bounce onto the wall.
The mirror does not make light. It reflects it, like the Moon.
Safety first
Never point the mirror at anyone's eyes.
Never look at the Sun in the mirror.
Look at the wall, not the mirror.
Draw the Sun shining on the Moon. Show the light bouncing to Earth.

Great work! Tomorrow we learn the Moon's many shapes.