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If the sun and moon are in the daytime sky together how can the moon be half lit?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
It looks wrong, doesn't it? That's because we can't accurately judge the distances involved. Here's a trick. The next time you see the sun and moon in the sky at the same time, go to a place where you are in the sunlight. Hold any ball up in the sunlight, so that the ball blocks your view of the moon, and you will see that the 'phase' of the ball and the phase of the moon will be the same. Light from the sun hits the moon and the earth in virtually the same way. The face of the sun (diameter) is about 865,000 miles across. The moon is only roughly 240,000 miles from the earth. This is similar to shining a flashlight that has a diameter of 3.6 inches onto two specks that are one inch apart. The wash of light from the flashlight is going to hit the specks at the same angle. So the ball's shadow will be the same as the moon's, and it will begin to make sense.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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How much of the moon is always lit?
Half the Moon is always lit, unless the Moon is eclipsed by the Earth.
What is it called when half the moon is lit up?
It is called "first quarter" or "last quarter" when the moon is exactly half-lit.
What percent of the moon is always lit?
Unless there is a lunar eclipse, half of the moon is always lit by the sun. Sometimes we see the lit half dead on (full moon), sometimes side on (half moon) and sometimes we don't see any of the lit surface (new moon) - usually we see something in between.
What is the term for the lit shape of the moon?
The general term for the visible lit part of the moon is "the phase of the moon." The visible lit portion can have a crescent shape, a gibbous shape or a "half-moon" (half circle) shape.
How much of the moon are you seeing when it appears half lit?
the whole moon . half apperes lit, but u can still the whole thing.
How much of the moon is always lit?
Half the Moon is always lit, unless the Moon is eclipsed by the Earth.
What is it called when half the moon is lit up?
It is called "first quarter" or "last quarter" when the moon is exactly half-lit.
What is the term for the lit shape of the moon?
The general term for the visible lit part of the moon is "the phase of the moon." The visible lit portion can have a crescent shape, a gibbous shape or a "half-moon" (half circle) shape.
What percent of the moon is always lit?
Unless there is a lunar eclipse, half of the moon is always lit by the sun. Sometimes we see the lit half dead on (full moon), sometimes side on (half moon) and sometimes we don't see any of the lit surface (new moon) - usually we see something in between.
How much of the moon are you seeing when it appears half lit?
the whole moon . half apperes lit, but u can still the whole thing.
A week after a full moon the moon looks like a semi circle again what is this called?
About a week after the full moon, the moon is called the last quarter moon and it's "face" appears to be half lit. More than half lit is a gibbous and less than half lit is a crescent.
The half of the moon that is lit by sunlight is?
Visible
Is half of the moon always lit?
Yes
Is half the moon lighted up by the sun?
yes half the moon is lit up by the sun
Why can you not see the half of the moon that is lit during a waning gibbous?
you can't see the half of the moon that is lit during a waning gibbous because of the position that the moon is in relation to the sun and earth.
What is a third for quarter?
Half of the moon is lit up.
What percentage of the Moon is lit?
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).
