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How does no moon day occur?
Remember that half the moon is always illuminated by the sun. That lighted half is the moon’s day side. In order to appear full to us on Earth, we have to see the entire day side of the moon. That happens only when the moon is opposite the sun in our sky.
Why is there no moon on some nights?
A moonless night is, as you suspect, a night in which the Moon does not appear visible in the sky. This happens once per month, when the Moon is near the Sun. Due to the proximity of the Moon and the Sun in the sky, at that time the Moon is the smallest sliver possible, and therefore not a full moon.
When did full moon?
A full Moon happens roughly every 29.5 days. This is the length of time it takes for the Moon to go through one whole lunar phase cycle.
What happens to the Moon during a full moon?
The Moon continues to wax. Once more than half of the disc is illuminated, it has a shape we call gibbous. The gibbous moon appears to grow fatter each night until we see the full sunlit face of the Moon. We call this phase the full moon. It rises almost exactly as the Sun sets and sets just as the Sun rises the next day.
What is a new moon and when does it occur?
But following the night of each full moon, as the Moon orbits around Earth, we start to see less of the Moon lit by the Sun. Eventually, the Moon reaches a point in its orbit when we don’t see any of the Moon illuminated. At that point, the far side of the Moon is facing the Sun. This phase is called a new moon.
Is the full moon always illuminated by the Sun?
The Full Moon is when the Sun and the Moon are aligned on opposite sides of Earth, and 100\% of the Moon’s face is illuminated by the Sun (see illustration). That said, some Full Moons are only 99.9\% illuminated, as seen from Earth.
What happens when the Moon is close to the lunar nodes?
Around 2 or 3 times a year, the Full Moon comes close to the lunar nodes. These are the points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the ecliptic, which is the path of the Sun, seen from Earth. When this happens, Earth cast its shadow on the Full Moon, causing a lunar eclipse.