Pre-Learning - Earth-Moon System 

Tuesday 2nd December 2025

What causes the Moon to appear to change shape?

1. When we orbit the Sun, we are not always in the same place when we see the moon.
2. I think that clouds cover the Moon at times.
3. I think it caused by the light when the Moon appears in different shapes. The shade blocks the light. For example, we (the planet Earth) block the light a bit.
4. I think that because of how the Moon is near the Sun, how the Sun reflects onto the Moon, sometimes we could be in a different area of Earth, which affects the different shapes we see on the Moon.
5. You always see the same side of the Moon. 
6. The clouds cover bits of the Moon at some times and it looks like a different shape.
7. The Moon changes shape at different times because the Sun is in a different place and reflects of the Moon. The Moon is a different place so you can see the whole of it rather than half of it or a quarter of it.
8. I think the Moon changes shape depending on the weather on Earth.
9. I think the Moon gets dusty and foggy. Changed to 'Agree with 13.'
10. Agree with 3.
11. It depends on the time of the year and night. 
12. I think that it is partly number 3. When the Moon is orbiting Earth and we are moving, in the time it orbits us - in one month. If you are in mid-month, you will only see half the Moon. If you are three-quarters of the month, you will only see 3/4 of the Moon.
13. I think it is that the clouds are covering the Moon. Or, it depends on what time or what angle that makes a difference. There could be clouds that you see from one angle but not the other. The clouds would be on Earth.
14. I agree with 1.
15. I think the sun's light, because we are not always in the same place when we orbit the Sun and the Moon orbits us (slower), some of the sunlight is blocked by the Earth. This creates a shadow that blocks some of the Sun's light from getting to the Moon.

What else do we think we know about the Moon?

1. The Moon has holes or circles on it.
2. The Moon turns red on one night. The 'Blood Moon'.
3. It turns an orangey colour, called the 'Harvest Moon'.
4. During the early stages of the Earth, called the Hadean, an object similar size to Mars crashed into it causing part of the Earth to break off, becoming the Moon.
5. The Moon orbits the Earth. All the tides are created by the gravity of the Moon, pulling and pushing. 
6. I think the Moon is an asteroid that is grey, is rock and has holes. I think it is sandy and vast. I agree with 3.
7. I agree with 5.
8. The Moon is dusty.
9. The Moon makes waves on Earth.
10. The Moon a rough sphere.
11. The Moon has one-sixth of our gravity.
12. The Moon is solid and sandy.
13. I think the Moon changes red and orange because of the way that the Sun's light is shining on it.

What questions do we have relating to the Moon?

1. Is the Moon an asteroid?
2. Why did the Moon have holes in it?
3. Why do we have a Moon?
4. Is the Moon hard or soft?
5. Is the Moon sandy?
6. How does the Moon orbit us?
7. How big and how massive [how much mass] is it? How much does it weigh?
8. Why on some night do we have full and half moons?
9. Does the Moon have holes inside? How deep are the holes?
10. If the Moon orbits the Earth and the Earth orbits the Sun, does the Moon orbit the Sun?