The moon orbits the earth, the only reason we can see the moon is because light is reflected off of it the moon only has phases because the earth is blocking some of the light from reaching it.
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The different phases of the moon occur because of its changing position relative to the Earth and the Sun. As the moon orbits Earth, the amount of sunlight it reflects changes, causing the different phases we see from Earth. This cycle repeats about every 29.5 days.
The different shapes of the moon seen from Earth are called lunar phases. These phases include new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter, which result from the changing positions of the moon, Earth, and the sun.
The Moon's Phases (or Lunar Phases).
The moon phases are called "phases" because they refer to the different shapes or appearances of the Moon as seen from Earth at different points in its orbit. These phases are a result of the changing relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon.
The moon has different phases that it passes through, just like we have different phases in our lifetimes.
People see different phases of the moon due to its position relative to the Earth and Sun. As the moon orbits the Earth, the amount of sunlight reflecting off its surface changes, creating the different phases we see from Earth. This phenomenon is known as lunar phases.