One hemisphere is always lit except when the moon is occulted by the earth.
The amount of the moon that is illuminated by the sun varies as the moon orbits Earth. At any given time, half of the moon is lit by the sun, but we can see different portions of this lit side from Earth depending on the moon's position in its orbit.
The amount of the moon's surface that is lit up by the sun varies depending on the moon's position in its orbit. During a full moon, the entire visible side of the moon is illuminated, while during a new moon, none of the visible side is lit up. This is because the amount of sunlight reaching the moon changes as it orbits the Earth.
Roughly half of the moon is lit by the sun at all times. The moon revolves around the earth so we only see the part of the moon that actually faces the sun, which is how the moon has phases.
The direction is is lit from. When the Moon is lit (by the Sun) from straight on it appears full, when it is lit from behind it appears new, and when it is lit from the side it looks like a semi-circle.
All of the moon reflects light, but what is visible from earth depends on the moon cycle and the location of the observer. A full moon means the whole side of the moon we see is lit, and the lit portion continues to trail off until the New Moon, which reflects almost no light at all back to earth. We should also note that half the moon is lit up at all times, except during eclipses. It is just that from earth, we see the moon go through phases.
Half
The amount of the moon that is illuminated by the sun varies as the moon orbits Earth. At any given time, half of the moon is lit by the sun, but we can see different portions of this lit side from Earth depending on the moon's position in its orbit.
The amount of the moon's surface that is lit up by the sun varies depending on the moon's position in its orbit. During a full moon, the entire visible side of the moon is illuminated, while during a new moon, none of the visible side is lit up. This is because the amount of sunlight reaching the moon changes as it orbits the Earth.
Roughly half of the moon is lit by the sun at all times. The moon revolves around the earth so we only see the part of the moon that actually faces the sun, which is how the moon has phases.
3/4 of the moon
The direction is is lit from. When the Moon is lit (by the Sun) from straight on it appears full, when it is lit from behind it appears new, and when it is lit from the side it looks like a semi-circle.
All of the moon reflects light, but what is visible from earth depends on the moon cycle and the location of the observer. A full moon means the whole side of the moon we see is lit, and the lit portion continues to trail off until the New Moon, which reflects almost no light at all back to earth. We should also note that half the moon is lit up at all times, except during eclipses. It is just that from earth, we see the moon go through phases.
The moon is ALWAYS 50% (+/-) illuminated. Though we only see all of the half lit side when the moon is opposite the sun (Full Moon).
About half of the moon is always lit by the sun. This is because only one half of the moon is visible from Earth at any given time. The amount of light that can be seen from Earth reflects different phases of the moon as it orbits.
Half
In a gibbous moon phase, most of the moon that we see is lit.
Before the new moon, less of the moon is lit up when viewed from Earth.After the mew moon, more of the moon is lit up when viewed from Earth.